DMAA Taps Baker, Donelson as Legislative Counsel
For Major Advocacy Campaign

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the Disease Management Association of America (DMAA) announced that it has retained the services of Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell. The firm's Washington-based Public Policy Practice has extensive private and public sector experience and includes such former senior federal officials as former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger, former Deputy Administrator - Federal Aviation Administration Linda Daschle and former Undersecretary - Department of Energy John Tuck.

Dan Boston, Senior Public Policy Advisor with Baker, Donelson, will be working closely with the DMAA and its membership to help ensure an effective voice in the federal healthcare debates. Mr. Boston is a Capitol Hill veteran with extensive lobbying, legislative and public relations experience. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Legislation & Political Affairs for the Federation of American Hospitals, which represents the nation's for-profit hospital community. Prior to this, he served nearly 10 years on Capitol Hill on the Majority Staff of the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee, and the Offices of Congresswoman Kelly (R-NY), Congressman Knollenberg (R-MI) and Senate Majority Whip McConnell (R-KY). In addition, Boston served on the Department of Health & Human Services Transition Advisory Team for President-Elect George W. Bush.

Over the past few months, DMAA has been increasingly active in its advocacy efforts both with Members of Congress, as well as the federal agencies. Hosting a series of Hill visits in February, March and April, the Association and its members met with more than two-dozen Members and Senior Staff responsible for oversight of the Medicare program and leading the charge for Medicare reform. Specifically, DMAA has met with all three committees of jurisdiction - House Energy & Commerce, Senate Finance and House Ways & Means, as well as key Member Offices, including: Senate Majority Leader Frist (R-TN), Chairwoman Johnson (R-CT), Senate Majority Whip McConnell (R-KY), Senate Republican Policy Committee Chair Kyl (R-AZ), and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Pryce (R-OH).

Recent comments from both House and the Senate leaders have been quite encouraging. A sampling follows:

• Secretary of Health & Human Services Thompson - "We can improve the quality of health care for... beneficiaries by providing an environment where doctors and hospitals can coordinate... care."
• Senate Majority Leader Frist (R-TN) - "The beneficiaries who have more chronic conditions cost the most…This (disease management) is the answer at the end of the day...."
• House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee Chair Johnson (R-CT) - "Medicare beneficiaries with chronic disease should benefit from advances in care management and advances in the science of medicine. It is unconscionable Medicare cannot incorporate these changes automatically…We need to explore and implement alternatives that provide the best care to seniors..."
• Senator. Breaux (D-LA) - "The traditional Medicare program lags behind the private sector in providing this sort of cost-effective, preventative health care."
• The efforts of many DMAA members, and in particular those of the DMAA Government Affairs Committee under the leadership of Christobel Selecky of LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, over the past 3 years have significantly advanced the understanding of legislators and regulators alike with respect to the importance and value of disease management programs," said Robert Stone, DMAA President. Stone added, "Given the intense debate currently underway with respect to Medicare modernization and a prescription drug benefit, and the importance of DM to both of these efforts, it was essential that the Association be a as effective as possible. We are delighted to have been able to retain Baker, Donaldson to guide us in this effort and have been highly impressed with their work on our behalf."

The DMAA 2003 advocacy campaign is funded through membership dues and an unrestricted educational grant from Sanofi Synthelabo.

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DMAA is a nonprofit, voluntary membership organization founded in March of 1999, which represents all stakeholders of the disease management community.

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