In addition to announcing that it will start releasing the names of White House visitors going forward, the Obama administration on Friday also released new details about recent visits by health industry executives.
Both actions were taken in response to Freedom of Information Act lawsuits filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
It's been known that health industry executives like Billy Tauzin and Karen Ignagni had visited the White House repeatedly, but we didn't always know who they were meeting with. The Excel spreadsheet released by the administration discloses who Tauzin et al met with on their visit.
"We're thrilled by the White House's decision to put all the records online and it's a great contribution," said CREW executive director Melanie Sloan.
CREW put together a more readable list, available here (PDF). Check it out:
Bill Tauzin (President and CEO, Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America):
• March 5 (meeting with president)
• May 19 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
• June 2 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
• June 24 (meeting with Clare Gallagher)
• July 7 (meeting with Jim Messina)Karen Ignagni (President and CEO, America's Health Insurance Plans):
• March 5 (meeting with president)
• March 6 (meetings with Elizabeth Bafford and Larry Summers)
• March 11 (meeting with Jennifer Cannistra)
• June 30 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
• July 24 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)Richard Umdenstock (President and CEO, American Hospital Ass'n.):
• February 4 (meeting with Tina Tchen)
• February 23 (meeting with president)
• March 5 (meeting with president)
• March 25 (meeting with Jennifer Cannistra)
• March 30 (meeting with Ezekiel Emanuel)
• April 6 (meeting with Tina Tchen)
• May 22 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)J. James Rohack (President-elect, American Medical Ass'n.):
• March 25 (meeting with Ezekiel Emanuel)
• June 22 (meeting with president)
• June 24 (meetings with Clare Gallagher and president)
William Weldon (Chairman and CEO, Johnson & Johnson):
• May 12 (meeting with president)Jeffrey B. Kindler (Chairman and CEO, Pfizer Inc.):
• March 5 (meeting with president)
• May 6 (meetings with Sarah Fenn and Elizabeth Bafford)
• June 2 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
Stephen J. Hemsley (President, CEO, Director, UnitedHealth Group, Inc.):
• May 15 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
• May 22 (meeting with Peter Orszag)
• July 14 (meeting with Aneesh Chopra)
Angela Braly (President, CEO, Director, WellPoint, Inc.):
• February 13 (meeting with president)
George Halvorson (Chairman and CEO, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan):
• March 27 (meeting with Keith Fontenot)
• June 5 (meeting with Peter Orszag)
• July 23 (meeting with Kathleen Sibelius)
• July 24 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
Jay Gellert (President and CEO, Health Net, Inc.):
• February 10 (meeting with Tina Tchen)
• March 11 (meeting with Jennifer Cannistra)
• March 20 (meeting with Matt Flavin)
• July 24 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
Thomas Priselac (President and CEO, Cedars-Sinai Health System):
• April 3 (meeting with Ezekiel Emanuel)
Richard Clark (Chairman, President and CEO, Merck):
• March 24 (meeting with Ezekiel Emanuel)
Wayne T. Smith (Chairman, President and CEO, Community Health Systems):
• June 4 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
Rick Smith (Sr. Vice President, Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America):
• May 19 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
• June 2 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
• July 7 (meeting with Jim Messina)
• July 24 (meeting with Sarah Fenn)
The White House's decision has been praised widely by good-government groups. Still, there are a few quibbles. The Sunlight Foundation noted that the White House has given itself some wiggle room and can redact names of certain guests, and that there could be a 90 to 120-day delay from the date of a visit to its disclosure in a monthly report.