Health-Reform Foes Draw Industry Donations
By Dan Eggen
A study out today on health-care contributions provides new evidence for an old saying: Money talks.
The analysis by the Public Campaign Action Fund found that federal lawmakers who voted against proposed reform legislation this year received 65 percent more money from the health and insurance sectors than those who voted 'yes' on the bills. The votes so far have come along party lines, with Republicans aligned against the measures.
What's more, the study found, the 193 House and Senate lawmakers who sit on the key committees considering health-care reform have accepted an average of nearly $1 million each in political contributions from hospitals, insurers and other health-related donors over the course of their congressional careers.
The study offers another perspective on the dramatic influence of the health-care sector, which ranks as one of the biggest campaign and lobbying forces in Washington. The industry is spending well over $1 million a day on lobbying as Congress wrestles with President Obama's proposed health reforms. Leading the charge are hundreds of former congressional staffers who are now employed by health firms to press the industry's case on Capitol Hill.
Public Campaign Action Fund is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy group which favors public financing of political campaigns. The group analyzed campaign finance data for current members of the five key committees in the health-care debate: Senate Finance; House Energy and Commerce; Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP); House Ways and Means; and House Education and Labor.
The latter three have approved health-care bills. The study broke down health industry donations for each committee based on yeas and nays, finding "an unquestionable pattern" in the results, according to a summary of the findings. On Senate HELP, for example, the nays on average received more than $2.2 million from health and insurance interests over their congressional careers; the yeas received less than half that much.
The study's authors acknowledge there are many factors that contribute to contribution patterns and voting decisions. Nonetheless, the group writes, the study suggests that "members follow the infamous bank robber Willie Sutton’s advice to go to 'where the money is' – the industries regulated by their committees. That only makes the public more skeptical that policy is for sale."
By
Dan Eggen
|
July 27, 2009; 10:56 AM ET
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Posted by: MomentsNotice | July 27, 2009 5:27 PM | Report abuse
The American Medical Association (AMA) knows firsthand the devastating effects of our broken health care system. As the nation's largest physician organization, we feel it is imperative to take this opportunity to formally reiterate to you our commitment to meaningful health system reform. Progress has been made and common ground exists, but there are still difficult issues that must be resolved. We believe it is time for results, not rhetoric. America's patients and physicians deserve better. More information can be found at our health system reform resources community at www.ama-assn.org/go/reform.
Posted by: AMA2009 | July 28, 2009 11:11 AM | Report abuse
When huge, wealthy special interest groups are slinging their money around Washington and buying legislation, what chance does an unemployed construction worker have when he thinks he might have skin cancer? Or when his child gets sick? How far would all these lobbying dollars go to help pay for universal health-care? How about the $23-$31 BILLION a year that is spent on paperwork? Doctors need to employ billing staffs just to get paid. The current system is a wasteful administrative juggernaut. It seems some just can't see the forest for the trees.
Posted by: Zirantonus | July 28, 2009 1:01 PM | Report abuse
Lobbying should be made illegal and then, maybe, the politicians we have put in office might do their jobs and work for the voters, the American People, instead of prostituting themselves to every lobbyist that comes to them with the bucks in hand. The next reform we should work on (if we ever get the health legislature completed) is lobbying. Our elected officials are selling out the people of this great country.
Posted by: bigfrog1 | July 29, 2009 3:31 PM | Report abuse
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FINALLY!!! The most critical information behind the debate on health care reform! MONEY ALWAYS WINS! The members of the House both democrat and republican MUST LEGISLATE with their "hand-in-cap." The health industry (INSURANCE COMPANIES) drive around Washington year round dropping the most money into the outstretched caps held out by congress men and women seeking campaign contributions for their brief two-year terms! From a legislative perspective two years is barely enough time to wage a good re-election fund raiser. Thus the Congressional "hand-i-cap" of fighting for their contributors! Constituents whom are in need of health care be damned. MONEY TALKS AND THE REST OF YOU BUMBS CAN WALK!!!