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http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/6/22/85542.shtml?s=us
Report Details Healthcare Lobbying Spending
NewsMax.com Wires Friday, June 22, 2007
WASHINGTON -- Massive spending by the healthcare industry is swamping the
nation's political process, according to the findings of a new report issued
today. It coincides with the premiere of Michael Moore's new documentary
"SiCKO," a searing indictment of the U.S. healthcare system which opens
nationwide June 29.
The research was compiled by the California Nurses Association/National
Nurses Organizing Committee's research arm, the Institute for Health and
Socio-Economic Policy, based on a comprehensive analysis of publicly
available and custom data sets from the Center for Responsive Politics.
CNA/NNOC released the report today as Moore joined nurses and doctors from
around the U.S. in a New Hampshire town hall meeting on healthcare with
undecided voters. "SiCKO" describes the heartbreaking, systemic denial of
care by healthcare industry giants, and links it to escalating profits and
the industry's hefty clout in Congress.
"These staggering sums have a crushing impact on policy and are drowning out
the voices of patients and other ordinary Americans who can't begin to match
the financial clout of the big drug companies, insurers, and other
healthcare industry giants," said CNA/NNOC President Deborah Burger, RN.
The avalanche of cash has a direct impact on healthcare policy in Washington
and influences positions on healthcare reform taken by candidates for public
office, asserts CNA/NNOC.
"That political influence produces huge financial benefits for the
healthcare industry," Burger noted. They include blocking bills to protect
patients from HMO, hospital, or nursing home abuses, provide greater public
oversight of insurers, or permit the re-importation of cheaper prescription
medications from Canada or Europe.
Additionally, most healthcare "reform" proposals directly benefit the
biggest political spenders, from the insurers to the drug companies to the
commercial banks and investment firms now promoting Health Savings Accounts
and tax-credits to buy insurance.
In federal lobbying alone, healthcare spending exceeded $2.2 billion the
past decade, during which healthcare surpassed all other industry sectors in
lobbying expenditures.
Healthcare industry contributions have also become a significant factor in
the 2008 presidential contest as well, according to the report.
Political action committees for drug and insurance companies, doctors,
hospitals, dentists, and nursing homes are lavishing millions of dollars on
both Democratic and Republican candidates, the report found. Democratic Sen.
Hillary Clinton and Republican Sen. John McCain together received over 40%
of healthcare industry contributions among the 18 major party declared
candidates.
Overall, healthcare contributions to the 18 currently announced Republican
and Democratic presidential candidates total an aggregate $12.8 million
since 1989, over $3.7 million of that amount just in the first quarter of
2007 alone.
"No wonder that in the midst of an escalating healthcare crisis, most of the
candidates are unwilling to confront the corporate giants and support reform
that takes profiteering out of our healthcare system," Burger said.
A breakdown by industry shows that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is
the top recipient of pharmaceutical contributions and money from banks and
securities and investment firms which are becoming increasingly powerful
players in healthcare and political contributions, especially with the rapid
growth of Health Savings Accounts and other reform plans that rely on
financial institutions. HSAs are typically linked to high deductible health
plans, and are a main feature of the Massachusetts health plan that Romney
promoted while governor.
Sen. Christopher Dodd, whose home state houses corporate offices for many
insurance corporations, is the top beneficiary of insurance and HMO
donations. Clinton leads among donations from health professionals and
lobbyists.
In Congress, the huge sums spent on lobbying have paid huge dividends for
the healthcare industry, Burger noted. One example is the April 2007 vote in
the Senate, after heavy lobbying by the pharmaceutical and insurance
industry, to kill a bill to amend the 2003 Medicare drug benefit law to let
Medicare use its bulk purchasing power to negotiate lower prescription drug
prices for seniors.
During the debate on the original bill, pharmaceutical and insurance
companies spent so much that they could hire a different firm to lobby each
key member of a critical committee (New York Times, Aug., 2005). Not
surprisingly, the final bill requires seniors to go through private insurers
to qualify for the drug benefit and barred the government from bargaining
discounted prices.
As a result, drug prices in the U.S. continue to be 35% or more higher than
in other Western nations. "Every day nurses see the consequences," said
Burger. "We see families who share prescriptions so none of them get their
needed dosage, and individuals who cut pills in half or run out of pills
before the end of the month, ask the physician to prescribe a less effective
generic drug or, worst of all, simply never fill the prescription due to its
cost."
Report Details Healthcare Lobbying Spending
NewsMax.com Wires Friday, June 22, 2007
WASHINGTON -- Massive spending by the healthcare industry is swamping the
nation's political process, according to the findings of a new report issued
today. It coincides with the premiere of Michael Moore's new documentary
"SiCKO," a searing indictment of the U.S. healthcare system which opens
nationwide June 29.
The research was compiled by the California Nurses Association/National
Nurses Organizing Committee's research arm, the Institute for Health and
Socio-Economic Policy, based on a comprehensive analysis of publicly
available and custom data sets from the Center for Responsive Politics.
CNA/NNOC released the report today as Moore joined nurses and doctors from
around the U.S. in a New Hampshire town hall meeting on healthcare with
undecided voters. "SiCKO" describes the heartbreaking, systemic denial of
care by healthcare industry giants, and links it to escalating profits and
the industry's hefty clout in Congress.
"These staggering sums have a crushing impact on policy and are drowning out
the voices of patients and other ordinary Americans who can't begin to match
the financial clout of the big drug companies, insurers, and other
healthcare industry giants," said CNA/NNOC President Deborah Burger, RN.
The avalanche of cash has a direct impact on healthcare policy in Washington
and influences positions on healthcare reform taken by candidates for public
office, asserts CNA/NNOC.
"That political influence produces huge financial benefits for the
healthcare industry," Burger noted. They include blocking bills to protect
patients from HMO, hospital, or nursing home abuses, provide greater public
oversight of insurers, or permit the re-importation of cheaper prescription
medications from Canada or Europe.
Additionally, most healthcare "reform" proposals directly benefit the
biggest political spenders, from the insurers to the drug companies to the
commercial banks and investment firms now promoting Health Savings Accounts
and tax-credits to buy insurance.
In federal lobbying alone, healthcare spending exceeded $2.2 billion the
past decade, during which healthcare surpassed all other industry sectors in
lobbying expenditures.
Healthcare industry contributions have also become a significant factor in
the 2008 presidential contest as well, according to the report.
Political action committees for drug and insurance companies, doctors,
hospitals, dentists, and nursing homes are lavishing millions of dollars on
both Democratic and Republican candidates, the report found. Democratic Sen.
Hillary Clinton and Republican Sen. John McCain together received over 40%
of healthcare industry contributions among the 18 major party declared
candidates.
Overall, healthcare contributions to the 18 currently announced Republican
and Democratic presidential candidates total an aggregate $12.8 million
since 1989, over $3.7 million of that amount just in the first quarter of
2007 alone.
"No wonder that in the midst of an escalating healthcare crisis, most of the
candidates are unwilling to confront the corporate giants and support reform
that takes profiteering out of our healthcare system," Burger said.
A breakdown by industry shows that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is
the top recipient of pharmaceutical contributions and money from banks and
securities and investment firms which are becoming increasingly powerful
players in healthcare and political contributions, especially with the rapid
growth of Health Savings Accounts and other reform plans that rely on
financial institutions. HSAs are typically linked to high deductible health
plans, and are a main feature of the Massachusetts health plan that Romney
promoted while governor.
Sen. Christopher Dodd, whose home state houses corporate offices for many
insurance corporations, is the top beneficiary of insurance and HMO
donations. Clinton leads among donations from health professionals and
lobbyists.
In Congress, the huge sums spent on lobbying have paid huge dividends for
the healthcare industry, Burger noted. One example is the April 2007 vote in
the Senate, after heavy lobbying by the pharmaceutical and insurance
industry, to kill a bill to amend the 2003 Medicare drug benefit law to let
Medicare use its bulk purchasing power to negotiate lower prescription drug
prices for seniors.
During the debate on the original bill, pharmaceutical and insurance
companies spent so much that they could hire a different firm to lobby each
key member of a critical committee (New York Times, Aug., 2005). Not
surprisingly, the final bill requires seniors to go through private insurers
to qualify for the drug benefit and barred the government from bargaining
discounted prices.
As a result, drug prices in the U.S. continue to be 35% or more higher than
in other Western nations. "Every day nurses see the consequences," said
Burger. "We see families who share prescriptions so none of them get their
needed dosage, and individuals who cut pills in half or run out of pills
before the end of the month, ask the physician to prescribe a less effective
generic drug or, worst of all, simply never fill the prescription due to its
cost."
