Modern Healthcare Quotes John Jonas on Health Sector Client Advocacy
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For its article “Healthcare's Hired Hands,” on lobbying firms and health sector clients, Modern Healthcare quoted Akin Gump health policy and legislation partner John Jonas.
In discussing topics that motivate lobbying and advocacy firms’ involvement, the article notes that Congress’ most recent consideration of a repeal of Medicare’s sustainable growth-rate (SGR) formula for physician reimbursement generated a flurry of lobbying activity on behalf of those, such as insurance companies and health professionals associations, whose interests would be affected. Although a permanent repeal of the SGR had been proposed, instead, Congress passed the 17th consecutive SGR patch to avoid reduction in Medicare payments to doctors. The article reports that the final bill, however, was freighted with a number of extraneous provisions whose inclusion were victories for lobbyists representing interested parties.
Jonas noted, “The lobbying community has continued to be a little bit starved for healthcare vehicles. When one does move, it tends to pick up a bunch of provisions that are in search of a vehicle.”