Health Care czar sits on the boards of at least three healthcare companies!

POLITICO - By KENNETH P. VOGEL & CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN 3/2/09

President Obama’s newly-named health care czar sits on the boards of at least three healthcare companies likely to be affected by Obama’s healthcare plans, setting up possible conflicts with the administration’s strict ethics policy. Nancy-Ann DeParle, a veteran of the Clinton administration, sits on the boards of Cerner, Medco Health Solutions and Boston Scientific – medical technology companies with a keen interest in Obama’s healthcare reforms.

The company, for which DeParle has served as a director since 2001, is a leading developer of electronic medical record systems. It saw its share price rise nearly 10 percent in the past three months, as Obama touted his plan to computerize health care records. The $787 billion stimulus package Obama signed into law included $19 billion for modernizing health care records, which he predicts will save money by reducing medical errors and duplicative testing. DeParle likely will be involved in implementing the initiative, a key part of Obama’s reform efforts. Medco administers prescription drug claims for pharmacies – an industry that also would seem likely to be impacted by Obama’s plans to make health care records electronic. Boston Scientific develops and manufactures medical devices used in cardiology, urology/gynecology and pain management. DeParle also has served as a director of Triad Hospitals and DaVita, a dialysis service provider. (Read Full Story here...)