The Senate Finance Committee has asked the Obama administration for an accounting of advertising and PR spending related to the Affordable Care Act.
Committee chair Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) in a letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services acting administrator Andrew Slavitt requested a break down of PR and ad spending at the agency dating back to fiscal 2011. Hatch also wants an accounting "as to why each advertising decisions [sic] was made and the source of the funds."
The request comes just weeks after the Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee kicked off a probe of the federal government's estimated $1B in outside pacts for PR and advertising.
"In this era of fiscal contraint, it is imperative that agencies make smart budgetary decisions and use taxpayer funds wisely," wrote Hatch. "Increased transparency on government spending on advertising will improve accountability and help ensure that the taxes from hardworking Americans are not squandered and wasted on ineffective or misguided government programs."
The Obamacare-related ad spend has come into focus as the Affordable Care Act enters its third enrollment period. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Obama admininstration will spend $35M on an ad buy related to health insurance sign-ups.
Porter Novelli and Weber Shandwick are among the top PR contractors for the Affordable Care Act since its passing in 2010.
Husch Blackwell Strategies has added FleishmanHillard alum Michael Slatin as a principal in its public affairs group.
Rory Cooper, a veteran Republican operative and policy specialist, has joined Teneo’s Washington office as senior managing director in its strategy & communications practice.
Brian Fallon, who served as national press secretary for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential run, is signing on next month as Vice President’s Kamala Harris’ campaign communications director.
TikTok is nothing more than a Chinese propaganda tool that poses “a grave threat to America’s national security and, in particular, impressionable children and young adults,” say two Congressmen who want the platform registered as a foreign agent.
Public Strategies Washington has added Abbie Sorrendino, a former aide to now Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
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