Tag: life sciences

Service Spotlight: Forming a Political Action Committee (PAC): What the Healthcare and Life Sciences Stakeholders Need to Know

Posted on June 12, 2019 by - Government Affairs

With the 2020 political season quickly approaching, healthcare and life sciences industry stakeholders have started showing interest in forming Political Action Committees (PACs).

A Political Action Committee or (PAC) is organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to either help candidates elected or defeated. These organizations represent industrial or ideological interests and are regulated under either state or federal campaign finance laws depending on the PAC’s usage.

PACs continue to be influential under the right guidance. Stakeholders that are more aggressive in advancing their political agendas have found that the use of PACs are effective in getting their respective messages out. Frier Levitt Government Affairs helps organizations create PACs and provides ongoing consultation regarding compliance, policy recommendations, and other strategic suggestions to help organizations achieve their respective goals.

Contact Frier Levitt Government Affairs today to learn more about how you can use a PAC to increase your political influence.

The FOIA Request: An Unlikely Tool for Providers in the Age of Managed Healthcare

Posted on August 30, 2018 by - Government Affairs

Since 1967, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has provided the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency, often described as the law that keeps citizens “in the know” about their government. Managed and overseen by the Office of Information Policy within the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal agencies are required to disclose any information requested under the FOIA, unless it falls under one of nine exemptions which protect interests, including personal privacy, national security, and law enforcement. The FOIA also requires agencies to proactively post online certain categories of information, including frequently requested records.

FOIA requests can be used to keep healthcare and life sciences industry stakeholders informed and can provide strategic advantages, even in the context of disputes between private parties. For example, a pharmacy that has been denied access into a network can use FOIA requests to not only understand why they have been denied network access, but also understand how many other pharmacies it has happened to. While private entities like Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) may not be willing to disclose this information, it may be easily and legally discernable through a FOIA request to CMS. This information can be used to help support legal claims against a PBM or insurer.

Though FOIA requests can be submitted by virtually anyone, it takes time and effort to submit and follow up on. Many FOIA requests can be rejected on the basis that the requested material is not correctly specified, so it is imperative that the request properly identify the specific information sought. If the request is filed properly and is successful, knowing what to do with this information is the most important part of the process.

Frier Levitt Government Affairs assists healthcare and life sciences industry stakeholders formulate FOIA requests and use the information to help maximize your business interests, including predicting trends and future threats to their bottom line. Contact us today to get started.