Insurer Aetna Spent $810K Lobbying Gov't In 1Q

WASHINGTON (AP) — Health insurance provider Aetna Inc. spent $809,793 in the first quarter to lobby on Medicare and broader health care issues, according to a recent disclosure form.

The Hartford, Conn.-based managed care company lobbied on government-run negotiations of Medicare drug prices, the promotion of generic drugs in Medicare, a single-payer health plan, a mandate for autism coverage, medical malpractice liability reform and other issues.

Besides Congress, Aetna lobbied the White House and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services during the January-March period, according to an April 16 report filed with the House clerk's office.

Aetna lobbyists included Molly Schild, a former employee of the Senate Finance Committee and a former special assistant to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

>To order reprints of this article, click here: Reprints