Health care industry gave $3.7 million to presidential candidates in 2007

[Guest guest]

Healthcare Industry Contributions to Presidential Candidates Top $3.7

Million in 2007, Study Says

 

At New Hampshire Press Conference With Michael Moore, Nurses Say Money

Influencing Candidates to Promote Insurance-Based Reform

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MANCHESTER, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Democratic and Republican candidates have

accepted more than $3.7 million in campaign contributions this year from

healthcare industry sources, with more than 45% of it going to just two

candidates, Sen. Hillary Clinton and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney,

according

to a new report issued Friday.

Overall, healthcare contributions to the 18 currently announced Republican

and Democratic Presidential candidates total an aggregate $12.8 million since

1989 – with 29% of that total donated just in the first quarter of 2007

alone.

Clinton topped the recipient list with $868,722, 23% of all the healthcare

money donated to candidates this year. Romney was a close second at $833,385,

22% of the total dollars. The other frontrunners followed. Sen. Barack Obama,

with $574,268, 15%; Sen. John McCain, $423,751, 11%; former New York Mayor

Rudy Giuliani, $408,822, also 11%; and former Sen. John Edwards, $222,950, 6%.

Political donations are just part of the story. Healthcare money also swamps

Congress. In federal lobbying, healthcare spending exceeds $2.2 billion the

past decade, during which healthcare surpassed all other industry sectors in

lobbying expenditures.

“From the campaign trail to Capitol Hill, the healthcare industry has a

choke hold on legislation and the debate on healthcare reform,†says Michael

Lighty, public policy director for the California Nurses Association/National

Nurses Organizing Committee whose research arm, the Institute for Health and

Socio-Economic Policy, did the study.

CNA/NNOC compiled the research report in concert with the release of Michael

Moore’s “SiCKO,†a searing indictment of the healthcare industry.

“The avalanche of healthcare industry cash is corrupting public policy on

healthcare,†said Lighty. “It leads to legislation that benefits the

healthcare lobbyists – such as the recent vote in the Senate killing a bill

to enable

the federal government to use its bulk power to garner discount prescription

drug prices for Medicare recipients. It also encourages Presidential

candidates to promote solutions that expand the reach and wealth of the

insurance

industry.â€

Lighty noted most of the Presidential candidates favor insurance-based

reforms, such as requiring everyone to buy insurance, or taxing employers to buy

insurance, or enacting more tax credits for buying insurance. “It is no

surprise that the virtually none of the candidates who receive this money

advocate

the elimination of private health insurance.â€

In New Hampshire press conference Friday, CNA/NNOC and Moore called on all

the candidates to reject healthcare industry contributions, part of a four

point pledge that also urges the candidates to support for guaranteed,

comprehensive healthcare for life; eliminate the role of private insurers in

health

coverage; and stronger regulation of the drug industry.

Continued at

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(My comment: So it looks like the corporations have selected Hillary and

Romney as our choices for president.)