Do big dollars buy quality time with politicians and government?

Absolutely — at least according to documents written by a health-related special interest group and obtained by OpenSecrets Blog.

“In politics money = access,” a donation solicitation from the Physician Hospitals of America states as one of five reasons to financially support the organization’s political action committee. “We need access to our politicians to educate them about who we are, what we provide, why we exist and how we benefit patients, physicians, communities and the healthcare industry.”

Such a statement bluntly underscores a philosophy that many special interest groups ostensibly subscribe to but rarely advertise.

Corporations, unions and special interests spent a combined $3.5 billion on lobbying efforts in 2010 — up 123 percent since 2000’s $1.56 billion lobbying total, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics. And they’ve spent hundreds of millions of dollars more on campaign contributions through their political action committees and employees.

The documents obtained by OpenSecrets Blog include an email from Physician Hospitals of America’s interim executive director, Keri Bolte-Talcott, which boasted of the organization’s 168 meetings with members of Congress and eight fund-raising events targeting health care reform repeal advocates.

“Nearly 70 PHA members came to Washington, D.C., on March 1 and 2 for the first PHA fly-in of the new Congress. It will not be the last as supporters of physicians-owned hospitals push to reverse the punitive legislation enacted as part of health care reform,” the email stated.

Bolte-Talcott did not return multiple phone calls and emails from OpenSecrets Blog.

The Physician Hospitals of America doesn’t limit itself to efforts in Washington either.

Bolte-Talcott’s email advertised an “industry event” in the small city of Tyler, Texas, with members of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

The March event was billed as featuring Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). Invitations asked for contributions between $2,500 and $30,400, equating to the membership to the “Silver Spurs” and “Majority Makers,” respectively.

“Even though they are still in the minority in the Senate, the Republicans have narrowed the gap and will have substantial impact on any legislation coming out of the Senate. They can be a real ally to PHA and physician ownership!” Bolte-Talcott’s email stated.

OpenSecrets Blog also obtained a sample solicitation letter from hospital owners to doctors requesting funds for the Physician Hospitals of America’s PAC. The sample letter states: “There is strength in numbers and the PAC allows us to pool our resources and influence public policy.”

Bolte-Talcott’s email to Physician Hospitals of America members and associates also discussed the possibility of future events with Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Why these congressmen?

“Any legislation on physician owned hospitals will pass through these committees before being voted on in the House,” the email stated.

Camp and Upton have previously received money from the PAC.

Camp received $3,500 during the 2010 election cycle and $7,000 during the 2008 election cycle from the group’s PAC, according to the Center’s research. Meanwhile, Upton benefited from the group’s PAC to the tune of $2,500 during the 2010 election cycle and $1,000 during the 2008 election cycle.

The Physician Hospitals of America “offers support, advocacy and educational services” to the for-profit physician-owned hospital industry, according to its website. The organization also lists one of its goals as “advocat[ing] for the interest of physician owned hospitals on the federal level … while encouraging members to become or remain politically engaged.”

If remaining “politically engaged” involves contributing to political candidates, the group has been highly successful. The top donors to the PAC during the 2010 elections have almost all been doctors. Physicians and surgeons account for most donors who contributed the maximum legal limit of $5,000 per year.

The Physician Hospitals of America PAC doled out more than $323,000 in contributions to federal candidates during the 2010 election cycle, 52 percent of whom were Republicans and 46 percent of whom Democrats, according to the Center’s research.

Recipients included ideologically varied members including Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), founder of the House Tea Party Caucus, and then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Also true to its goals, the organization has created notable lobbying inroads.

In 2010, Physician Hospitals of America totalled more than $228,000 on lobbying expenditures, down from about $359,000 in 2009, according to the Center for Responsive Politics’ research. Since 2005, the group has spent more than $1.3 million on federal lobbying.

Physician Hospitals of America contrasts itself with its “biggest opponent,” the American Hospital Association, in the documents obtained by OpenSecrets Blog.

Citing Center research, the Physician Hospitals of America notes that the number one reason to donate to their PAC is to counter the American Hospital Association’s fundraising prowess. (See document here: phapdf.pdf )

The American Hospital Association contributed nearly $1.9 million during the 2010 election cycle, with a majority of that money benefiting Democrats. Republicans only received 32 percent of the AHA’s contributions, down from 56 percent in 2004 and 2006, according to Center research.

Asked for comment on its political activity, American Hospital Association spokeswomen Marie Watteau emailed a one-line statement to OpenSecrets Blog indicating it “strongly supported the provision that bans self-referral to new physician-owned hospitals, a practice that drives up health costs and can jeopardize access to needed services for all members of the community.”

The American Hospital Association did not return follow-up questions seeking comment specifically about its lobbying and political influence efforts.



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