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Indianapolis-based WellPoint Inc., the nation's largest health insurer based on membership, spent $1.2 million lobbying
the federal government in the fourth quarter of 2009 as it weighed in on several topics tied to the health care overhaul debate.
That represented a 24 percent increase in spending from the final quarter of 2008.
WellPoint lobbied on overhaul-related topics such as a possible federal insurance exchange, a public option for individual
health insurance coverage, fees and taxes for insurers, and a requirement for insurers to spend a minimum amount of premium
totals on claims.
A large reform bill could deliver millions of new customers to health insurers, but the industry and its investors have worried
about the impact the overhaul push will have, with the imposition of new taxes and coverage mandates.
WellPoint became a focal point for the overhaul debate last month after complaints spread about planned rate hikes that average
around 25 percent for individual insurance policies sold by the insurer's Anthem Blue Cross subsidiary in California.
The Obama administration has criticized the hikes and used them to press its case for reform.
WellPoint operates Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in 14 states and Unicare plans in several others. It lobbied Congress, the
Congressional Budget Office and the National Economic Council in the October-December period.
Among those lobbying on WellPoint's behalf was Kim Zimmerman, whose previous jobs included legislative assistant to Sen.
Ben Nelson, D-Neb.; research analyst with the Department of Justice; and legislative correspondent and assistant to Sen. Tom
Harkin, D-Iowa.
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