Subject: Re: Health Insurer Aetna's lobbying spending doubles

Comments:
: Managed care company Aetna Inc. more than doubled what it spent lobbying the federal government in the second quarter this year, as it focused on coverage mandates, subsidies for the unemployed and issues tied to health care reform. : The Hartford, Conn., insurer spent $1.57 million lobbying in the quarter, up from $631,846 in the same quarter of 2009. However, the total fell slightly from this year's first quarter, when the health care reform debate peaked in Congress, and Aetna ( AET - news - people ) spent $1.64 million. : In the second quarter, Aetna lobbied on Medicaid drug rebates, the promotion of generic drugs in Medicare and government-run negotiations of Medicare drug prices. : It lobbied on subsidies for the continuation of health insurance under the law known as COBRA for people who leave jobs and on mandates for mammographies and coverage of deformities. : The insurer also lobbied on topics like a single-payer health plan and bans on lifetime insurance coverage limits. : Congress passed the health care reform law, which aims to provide coverage for millions of uninsured people, in March, but details for many parts of the law are still being worked out. : Besides Congress, Aetna also lobbied the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the White House in the April-to-June period.

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