Lobbying

Health insurer Aetna Inc. spent nearly $2.1 million in 2007 to lobby on health legislation and issues related to drug importation, generic drugs and Medicare payments.
The Hartford, Conn.-based company also lobbied on numerous other issues, including the tax status of health maintenance organizations, medical malpractice, children's health insurance program and the security of electronic health data.
The company spent about $872,000 in the second half of 2007 to lobby Congress, the White House and other agencies, according to a disclosure form posted online Feb. 4 by the Senate's public records office.
It spent $1.2 million in the first six months of 2007 to lobby on largely the same issues.
Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995.