(For the most up-to-date chart included in this blog post, check out our health care tools page.)

(The numbers on the chart on this page were updated on August 12, 2009, to include 2009 second quarter campaign contributions and lobbying expenditures.)

If you’ve been following the money in the public health care debate with us for the last month, you’ve probably got a pretty good sense now where it leads. As Congress continues debating the issue, we’re making it even easier for you to keep track of the money by comparing the views of the big industries involved and some of the key players in each industry.

Check out how much money they’ve spent on lobbying expenditures in 2008 and in the first three months of 2009, the total they’ve given to lawmakers’ candidate committees and leadership political action committees since the start of the 2008 election cycle and which party they’re bankrolling.

CRP Senior Researcher Douglas Weber, Lobbying Researcher Matthias Jaime and Communications Intern Aaron Kiersh contributed to the chart below. Webmaster Hector Rivera produced the graphic.

Players Lobbying,

2008 and 2009 Contributions

2008 and 2010 cycles Democrats Republicans Policy Positions PHARMACEUTICAL/HEALTH PRODUCTS $370,440,214 $33,622,476 51% 49% Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA) $33,280,000 $348,609 51% 49% Supports individual mandate to buy insurance.

Opposes public health insurance plan. Biotechnology Industry Association $11,400,000 $253,979 48% 52% Has not endorsed or opposed public health insurance plan. Pfizer $23,900,000 $2,138,668 52% 48% Represented by PhRMA Eli Lilly & Co. $19,515,000 $1,267,073 50% 50% Opposes public health insurance plan.

Opposes taxing health care benefits.

Supports expanding Health Savings Accoungs (HSAs). INSURANCE $144,738,590 $22,870,936 54% 46% Blue Cross/Blue Shield $25,089,912 $3,164,955 52% 48% Supports individual mandate to buy insurance.

Opposes public health insurance plan. America’s Health Insurance Plans $11,440,000 $754,820 43% 57% Supports individual mandate to buy insurance.

Opposes public health insurance plan.

Proposed ending practice of charging higher premiums to people with a history of medical problems. MetLife Inc. $7,760,000 $1,278,886 59% 41% Represented by AHIP UnitedHealth Group $7,330,000 $1,601,466 61% 39% Represented by AHIP HEALTH PROFESSIONALS $117,291,855 $105,848,099 53% 47% American Medical Association $29,025,000 $1,990,418 56% 44% Opposes public health insurance plan.

Opposes 21 percent cut in Medicare fees to doctors.

Supports malpractice reform. American Dental Association $2,970,398 $2,658,490 55% 45% Supports funding for community-based prevention measures and the recruitment of dentists.

Supports improving the Medicaid dental program, especially for low-income adults. American Nurses Association $1,960,386 $866,891 79% 21% Supports single-payer system in which the government finances medical coverage. American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons $2,809,000 $1,588,853 50% 50% Opposes increasing Medicare payments to general practitioners only, especially if it means it would be paid for by reducing payments to specialists. HOSPITALS/NURSING HOMES $151,880,681 $26,600,830 63% 37% American Hospital Association $28,599,860 $2,560,016 65% 35% Supports individual mandate to buy insurance.

Opposes public health insurance plan.

Opposes cuts to reimbursements to hospitals. Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care $3,176,246 $68,00 65% 35% Opposes reducing senior citizen’s Medicare funding. American Health Care Association $2,598,000 $1,701,440 65% 35% Opposes reducing senior citizen’s Medicare funding. Federation of American Hospitals $4,305,000 $696,287 53% 47% Opposes public health insurance plan.

Supports co-op option. ADVOCACY American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) $37,280,000 $56,172 90% 10% Has not endorsed or opposed public health insurance plan.

Supports more “comparative effectiveness studies.” Health Care for America Now $150,000 $500 100% 0% Supports public health insurance plan. Families USA Foundation $57,000 $87,735 100% 0% Supports public health insurance plan. BUSINESS (PACS only) $2,826,028,184 $433,053,147 49% 51% U.S. Chamber of Commerce $117,921,000 $294,657 31% 69% Opposes employer mandate. Wal-Mart $10,770,000 $2,446,543 43% 56% Supports employer mandate. National Federation of Independent Business $5,530,402 $866,797 16% 84% Opposes employer mandate. LABOR (PACs only) $53,624,397 $92,802,666 92% 8% AFL-CIO $4,920,000 $1,542,318 91% 9% Supports public health insurance plan.

Opposes taxing employer-provided health benefits. SEIU $3,853,950 $2,821,103 95% 5% Supports public health insurance plan.

Opposes taxing employer-provided health benefits. AFSCME $3,240,000 $2,826,504 99% 1% Supports public health insurance plan.

Opposes taxing employer-provided health benefits. Blue font indicates that this organization is among the top 20 groups to spend money on lobbying since 1989 Red font indicates that this organization is an all-time top contributor since 1989, designated as one of CRP’s “Heavy Hitters”

Return to “Diagnosis: Reform” series

CRP in the News

Pay to Play The Health Care Way (NPR, July 9, 2009)



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