More than 350 lobbyist working the corridors in Washington for various healthcare companies were either elected officials or members of a congressional office, The Washington Post reported Monday.
Lobbyists include former members of Congress, such as Richard Armey and Richard Gephardt, both of whom now work for a pharmaceutical firm from New Jersey.
Fifty of the 350 former Washington insiders now working for the industry were employees of members of the Senate Finance Committee, led by Sen. Max Baucus D-Mont., the newspaper said.
The push for influence includes a big boost in spending, with healthcare businesses now spending about $1.4 million a day on lobbying efforts, the newspaper said.
Scott Mulhauser, a spokesman for Baucus's office, said the Finance Committee "has been praised … for its uniquely inclusive and transparent healthcare reform process."
But others disagree.
"The revolving door offers a short cut to a member of Congress to the highest bidder," said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics.
"It's a small cost of doing business relative to the profits they can garner."
Copyright 2009 by United Press International.
We’re now at a point where
We’re now at a point where almost everyone are suffering from insufficient finances, that's why it is important that we invest in preventive and wellness programs that save us money and help live healthier lives. Health care is a huge national concern. There's a lot of talk about health care reform, and the industry does need it, especially since so many people that are only after the most basic of care have to get emergency cash loans to cover something as simple as a simple antibiotics script, and a full third of the nation is without health insurance. The lead researcher for the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, Elliot Fisher, a practitioner for over 20 years, has pointed out that areas that spend more on health care interestingly spend more on unnecessary procedures, and have higher mortality rates. So why do we need payday cash advances for health care that is worse when more expensive?
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