Analysis reveals who hired health care lobbyists
Filed under: Government, Health care reform, Public records
The Center for Public Integrity has put together an interesting analysis and graph of what interests were lobbying on health care reform in Congress in 2009.
Information to create the chart is drawn from an analysis of Senate lobbying disclosure forms. The analysis found that “more than 1,750 companies and organizations hired about 4,525 lobbyists — eight for each member of Congress — to influence health reform bills in 2009.”
Trade, advocacy and professional organizations led the lobbying push, with hospitals, insurance companies and manufacturers behind them.
Some interesting tidbits:
- AARP deployed 56 in-house lobbyists and two from outside firms
- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce had 47 lobbyists, all but eight from outside firms
- The American Medical Association had 33, 11 from outside firms.
- Some unexpected organizations, including Americans for the Arts and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, also had lobbyists trying to influence health care legislation.
House reform bill includes serious disclosure rules
Filed under: Health care reform, Health data, Health journalism, Health policy, Hot Health Headline, Member news, Pharmaceuticals
The health care reform bill to be considered by the House of Representatives (1018-page pdf) includes strict disclosure requirements regarding “financial relationships between manufacturers and distributors of covered drugs, devices, biologicals, or medical supplies under Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP and physicians and other health care entities” (see “Physician Payments Sunshine Provision” on pages 635 through 653).
All such entities would be required to file annual disclosure reports. Exemptions include investments, goods intended for charity care, short-term equipment loans and payments or transfers of value of less than $5.
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