Health care interests spent $445 million on federal lobbying in 2007--more than any other sector of the economy--to finish as the top spender for the second consecutive year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, HealthBeat reports.
In 2007 pharmaceutical and medical products companies rank first with $227 million in spending, while health insurance companies spent the second-most at $138 million. Hospitals and nursing homes spent $91 million, ranking fifth; while health professionals spent $70 million, ranking 15th; and HMOs/health services spent $52 million, ranking 19th.
Among specific organizations or companies, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America spent the third-most at $22.1 million, the American Medical Association spent the fourth-most at $22.1 million and the American Hospital Association was fifth, spending $19.7 million.
According to the CRP, the pharmaceutical industry has spent $1.3 billion on federal lobbying in the last decade, more than any other industry. In addition, the drug industry's reported lobbying increased by 25% from 2006 to 2007.
Lobbying firm, Patton Boggs, whose clients include Bristol-Myers Squibb and Hoffman-La Roche, reported $41.9 million in 2007 revenue—an increase of 20% over 2006--and the most among Washington, D.C.-area firms.
What can we say, except that hopefully a new administration will take some power away from those who blatently put obscene profits before the health care needs of the public.
3 comments:
Maybe if pharmaceutical companies didn't spend so much on lobbying their prescriptions would be cheaper.
Egregious health care, food and fuel industry behavior will continue until the voting public uses its vote to clean Washington of pac money politicians.
$445 million spent on federal lobbying in 2007 is a depressing number when one considers all of the people who died last year because they could not afford adequate healthcare.
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