Is Baucus Strong-Arming Humana? FOIA Requests on the Way

The good folks at Let Freedom Ring pass on this news:

Let Freedom Ring today submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request demanding answers after The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launched a massive investigation into Humana’s role in influencing the healthcare reform fight.  Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) called for the investigation, slamming Humana for inciting fear among its beneficiaries.  

The FOIA letter requests “access to and copies of all correspondence, notes, emails, faxes, telephone logs, office visit logs, records of meetings and related documents exchanged between United States Senator Max Baucus’ office and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (CMS) directly or indirectly related to a letter that Humana, Inc. sent to its Medicare Advantage policyholders suggesting that proposed health-care legislation could lower their benefits.”

 “We filed the FOIA letter today to dig deeper into the possible political pressure that was applied to CMS, and what implications that could have in the middle of a pitched fight over the future of healthcare,” said Let Freedom Ring President Colin Hanna.  “Our letter requires the government to provide timely and complete information that could shine some sunlight on what is driving the investigation.

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