UnitedHealth Group Inc., the nation’s largest managed care company based on revenue, spent $1.5 million to lobby the federal government in the first quarter, according to a recent disclosure form.
The Minnetonka, Minn.-based insurer, which has operations in Hartford, lobbied on several pieces of legislation including the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Personalized Health Information Act, and the Minority Health Improvement and Health Disparities Elimination Act.
UnitedHealth also lobbied on the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, which prevents health insurers from using genetic information or a family medical history to change rates or make coverage decisions.
Besides Congress, UnitedHealth lobbied the Department of Health and Human Services, the Congressional Budget Office and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services during the January-March period.
Among those lobbying for the group was Joelle Thornhill, a former staff member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. Lobbyists also included Cory Alexander, a former special assistant to the White House North American Free Trade Agreement counselor and former employee of the office of the Democratic Whip and Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md.; and Sohini Gupta Jindal, a former staffer for Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., according to a report filed April 20. (AP)
