WASHINGTON (Lobbying Activist) — Medical device maker Boston Scientific Corp. spent $490,000 in the third quarter to lobby the federal government on the recently passed health reform law as well as other health care-related matters.
The Natick, Mass.-based company's lobbying budget was up slightly from the $480,000 it spent in the second quarter and the prior-year period.
Boston Scientific lobbied on details of the health care bill signed into law in March, which calls on medical device makers to pay between $2 billion and $3 billion in fees per year to fund the expansion of health care coverage. The implementation of some items is still being worked out.
While industry executives have complained about the fees, Democratic lawmakers say that device companies will benefit from health care reform as more patients are eligible to get their products.
Boston Scientific also lobbied on a provision that requires drug and medical device manufacturers to disclose gifts given to physicians by their salespeople. The legislation aims to curb corporate influence over medicine.
Boston Scientific, which makes heart-pacing devices and surgical implants, also lobbied on bills that would task a federally-sponsored panel with comparing the effectiveness of different drugs, devices and medical procedures. The effort aims to cut wasteful spending on ineffective treatments. The medical device industry and others have maintained that any government assessments should not be used to deny coverage of expensive medical technology.
Company representatives also lobbied on corporate taxation and labor issues.
Along with Congress, the company lobbied the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Transportation, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and other agencies, according to a form filed Oct. 18 with the House clerk's office.
(source:bloomberg.com)
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