Working With Government to Improve Health Care

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Working With Government to Improve Health Care

• Shawn Coughlin, Capitol Health Group LLC
• Paul Kim, Foley Hoag LLP
• Brian Carey, Foley Hoag LLP

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Government Is OurBiggest Market

• Governments pledge quality but decide on cost
• Define the terms of the debate or they will be
  defined for you
• Activists win the squeaky wheel gets the grease

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You Are YourBest Advocate

• No one understands your product and its value to
  patients as well as you do
• Keep it simple do not overestimate the
  knowledge of your listener
• Make it powerful how will patients be impacted,
  how will your business be affected, what does it
  mean for the Members constituents?

4
Prove Your Case

• Paper leave behinds are often the resource
  staffs refer to when briefing Members
• Process Understand what it is you are asking
  for, where the road blocks exist, and suggestions
  for moving the ball
• People Do not be insulted by who you are
  talking to, staff are essential given the demands
  on Members time

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Necessary Toolsfor Success

• Research / Data
• Grassroots
• Grass Tops
• Patient Coalitions

• Allies
• Local Media
• National Media
• Global

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Show Policy MakersReal World Implications

• It is up to you to educate policy makers on the
  consequences of their actions or inactions
• Anecdotal data is a good tool - the more specific
  the better
• Connect the dots - make it easy for the policy
  maker to understand

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Determination and CommitmentIt is Always a Long
Fight

• Stay on your message
• Maintain state of the art data and arguments
• Maintain credibility
• Make yourself the expert they seek when they need
  information

8
Close the Sale

• Be more reasonable than demanding
• Make it clear we need the Members help and have a
  specific ask
• We are working with CMS
• We need you to let CMS know you care about this
  (letter, call, conversation, legislation)

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Follow up, Follow up, Follow up

• Establish a relationship, make it a point to
  remember the name of staff you meet
• Draft your own thank-you letter
• Stay in touch with the office after you get home
  offer to help the Member back home
• Update the Member as you get new information and
  data

10
Understand Who It IsYou Are Meeting

• The House and Senate are different creatures
• Meeting may be with a Senator or Member, their
  office staff, or committee staff
• Understand the ask is it legislative or
  regulatory?

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Lobbying the House

• Think Committee everything runs through
  committee
• Think Key Committee all issues are assigned
  to committees of jurisdiction
• Think Members on Key Committee they are the
  only ones with the ability to influence
  legislation in the House
• Think Committee Staff they make sure the
  trains run on time and are instrumental in
  determining what gets addressed

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Lobbying the Senate

• Worlds most exclusive club
• Any Senator can impact any legislation but they
  pick their battles carefully
• All politics is local constituencies count
• Anticipate questions, knowledge, conflicts
• Building the relationship tomorrows email,
  next months call, next years event

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Committees of Jurisdiction House Energy
Commerce
Michael Bilirakis, FL Joe Barton, TX Fred
Upton, MI James C. Greenwood, PA Christopher
Cox, CA Richard Burr, NC Charlie Norwood, GA
Heather Wilson, NM Henry A. Waxman, CA Edward J.
Markey, MA Frank Pallone NJ Sherrod Brown, OH
Anna G. Eshoo, CA Bart Stupak, MI Diana DeGette
CO Lois Capps, CA
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Committees of Jurisdiction House Ways Means
Nancy L. Johnson, CT Jim McCrery, LA Philip M.
Crane, IL Sam Johnson, TX Dave Camp, MI Jim
Ramstad, MN Phil English, PA Jennifer Dunn,
WA Fortney Pete Stark, CA Gerald D. Kleczka, WI
John Lewis, GA Jim McDermott, WA Lloyd Doggett,
TX
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Committees of Jurisdiction Senate Health,
Education, Labor Pensions
Bill Frist (TN) Mike Enzi (WY) Lamar Alexander
(TN) Christopher Bond (MO) Mike DeWine (OH)
Pat Roberts (KS) Jeff Sessions (AL) John Ensign
(NV) Lindsey Graham (SC) John Warner
(VA) Christopher Dodd (CT) Tom Harkin (IA)
Barbara Mikulski (MD) James Jeffords (I) (VT)
Jeff Bingaman (NM) Patty Murray (WA) Jack Reed
(RI) John Edwards (NC) Hillary Clinton (NY)
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Committees of Jurisdiction Senate Finance

• Orrin Hatch (UT), Don Nickles (OK), Trent
  Lott (MS), Olympia Snowe (ME) Jon Kyl (AZ)
  Craig Thomas (WY) Rick Santorum (PA) Bill Frist
  (TN) Gordon Smith (OR) Jim Bunning (KY)
• Jay Rockefeller (WV) Tom Daschle (SD) John
  Breaux (LA) Kent Conrad (ND) Bob Graham (FL)
  James Jeffords (VT) (I) Jeff Bingaman (NM) John
  Kerry (MA) Blanche Lincoln (AR)

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Appropriations Committees
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Anticipating Questions

• Who are you?
• And do you know who my boss is? Who I am?

• What is the issue?
• Why is this important to you?

• What do you want?
• And why should I find the time to do it?

• What about? Have you?
• Are you going to follow up with me? And help
  me do my job?

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Points to Remember
? Knowing the Member and their staff
? Stay on simple, powerful message
? Specific request
? Useful information
? Follow up and planning long-term