Health Care Lobbyists Break Records In Spending Spree
When it comes to health care reform, health care lobbyists have put their money where their mouth is – literally.
According to a USA Today report, health care lobbyists are on track to set new spending records and some companies have nearly doubled their investment compared to previous years. For example, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) spent nearly $7 million on lobbying from July through September, bringing their total outlay through 2009 close to $20 million – nearly as much as the group spent in the entire year 2008.
In the first six months of 2009 alone, drug/biotech companies and their trade associations have spent more than $110 million or $609,000 per day on lobbying effectors. Big health-care spenders in the third quarter of 2009 included Pfizer Inc.with $5.42 million; the American Hospital Association with $3.8 million, the American Medical Association with $3.95 million, Amgen Inc. ($3 million); Bayer Corp. ($2.45 million) and America’s Health Insurance Plans ($2.4 million).
Additionally, it seems that drug company expenditures do not just end with lobbying, either – last year Amgen shelled out $5 million in an apparent nod to former Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy, who backed a House Amendment which extended the number of years biologics companies can avoid competition from generic drugmakers from five years to 12. Kennedy, whose home state was home to many biotech firms, ushered similar legislation through the Senate Health, Education, labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. Amgen proceeded to donate $5 million to a nonprofit educational institute being built in Kennedy’s honor. (Source: Tumulty, K. and Scherer, M., "How Drug-Industry Lobbyists Got Their Way On Health Care," Time.com Oct. 22, 2009.)
