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| Home > News > SNHPA News Release - June 17, 2008 |
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Rx Advocacy Group Announces New Legislative Team
Former Carolyn McCarthy Chief of Staff and former Judy Biggert
Health
Care Advisor assume top roles in advocacy organization
(Washington, D.C.) As the battle over prescription drug prices and health care reform heats up on Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail, an advocacy organization representing hospitals that provide pharmaceutical care to low income patients has bolstered its legislative team from both sides of the political divide.
Safety Net Hospitals for Pharmaceutical Access (SNHPA), an organization representing more than 400 hospitals participating in the federal 340B drug discount program has hired two Capitol Hill veterans to lead their legislative initiatives.
Rob Recklaus, SNHPA’s new Director of Government Relations, has spent the past six years on the staff of U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) in a variety of capacities, most recently as Chief of Staff. As Chief of Staff, Recklaus oversaw such accomplishments as McCarthy’s ascension to the Chair of the House Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities and passage of her legislation to improve criminal background checks for gun buyers.
Jaimie Vickery, the organization’s new Policy and Advocacy Manager, comes to SNHPA from the American Cancer Society’s National Government Relations Department where she served as the Society’s liaison to Congress. She previously served as a health care advisor to U.S. Reps. Judy Biggert (R-IL) and Steve Horn (R-CA).
“I am excited to join the SNHPA team,” said Recklaus. “This is a great organization that is a leader in finding solutions to the one of the most important challenges facing Congress, access to affordable prescription drugs.”
“SNHPA represents the hospitals serving our most underserved populations,” said Vickery. “I am very much looking forward to contributing to this advocacy effort and making sure these hospitals and their patients have a voice in Washington.”
Recklaus and Vickery will be working to extend discount pricing to patients who are admitted into hospitals for an overnight stay. Currently, discounts are only available provided to patients who are treated on an outpatient basis. They will also be working to stop any regulatory or legislative initiatives intended to weaken or threaten the 340B program, including a recent proposal by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to restrict the number of patients eligible to receive discounted drugs.
“We are really excited to have two Capitol Hill veterans joining our team,” said Ted Slafsky, SNHPA’s Executive Director. “With the strength of the pharmaceutical companies in this town, it is never easy to accomplish our goals. However, Rob and Jaimie bring a tremendous amount of experience and skills that will strengthen our ability to help hospitals improve pharmaceutical care to our most vulnerable patients.”
Also, completing SNHPA’s new Government Relations team is new Advocacy and Outreach Coordinator Bonnie Weintraub, who earned a Master’s Degree in Sociology from American University last month. Weintraub is no stranger to Capitol Hill having completed an internship in U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s (D-CT) office in 2006.
SNHPA, which was originally named the Public Hospital Pharmacy Coalition, was formed in 1993 to increase the affordability and accessibility of pharmaceutical care for the nation’s poor and underserved populations. When Congress was creating the 340B program, SNHPA took the lead role in ensuring that hospitals were included in the program and the organization has been representing the interests of 340B hospitals ever since. SNHPA monitors, educates, and serves as an advocate on federal legislative and regulatory issues related to drug pricing and other pharmacy matters affecting safety net providers. SNHPA is dedicated to educating its members and others about the 340B program and is creating new opportunities for members to save on pharmaceuticals and improve access to pharmaceutical care.
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