Supporters of Breaux Plan Rack Up Most HealthDollars
Supporters of Breaux Plan Rack Up Most HealthDollars
Senate and House members of the National Bipartisan Medicare Commission received a total of $745,000 from the pharmaceutical and health services industry — $448,000 from pharmaceutical interests and $297,000 from the health services industry. These totals include contributions to Senators over the last six-year election cycle (1993-1998) and contributions to House members in the 1997-1998 cycle.
Contributions to members of the Medicare Commission from these industries went overwhelmingly to members supporting the Breaux plan. Of the total $745,000 contributed by these two industries, $686,000 (92%) went to those supporting the Breaux plan, while those opposing the Breaux plan collected just $59,000 (8%).
Pharmaceutical interests contributed a total of $448,000 to Members of the Commission — $397,000 (89%) to those supporting the Breaux plan and $51,000 (11%) to those against. The health services industry contributed a total of $297,000 — $289,000 (97%) to those supporting the Breaux plan and just $8,000 (3%) to those opposing the Breaux plan.
| PAC and Individual Campaign Contributions to Senate and Congressional Members of the Medicare Commission* | |||
|
Pharmaceutical Industry |
Health Services Industry/HMOs |
Total Amount |
|
| Senator John Breaux |
$66,000 |
$66,000 |
$132,000 |
| Senator Bill Frist |
$160,000 |
$76,000 |
$236,000 |
| Senator Phil Gramm |
$28,000 |
$6,000 |
$34,000 |
| Senator J. Robert Kerrey |
$61,000 |
$73,000 |
$134,000 |
| Rep. Michael Bilirakis |
$34,000 |
$13,000 |
$47,000 |
| Rep. Bill Thomas |
$48,000 |
$55,000 |
$103,000 |
| Senator John Rockefeller IV |
$6,000 |
$5,000 |
$11,000 |
| Rep. John Dingell |
$37,000 |
$2,000 |
$39,000 |
| Rep. James McDermott |
$8,000 |
$1,000 |
$9,000 |
| Total |
$448,000 |
$297,000 |
$745,000 |
* Figures derived from Federal Election Commission reports and by the Center forResponsive Politics (www.crp.org). Figures for Senators include PAC and individualcontributions over the last six-year cycle (1993-1998); figures for House Members are forthe 1997-1998 election cycle. “Health Services Industry” includes all HealthMaintenance Organizations (HMOs) and other outpatient health services.
| PAC and Individual Campaign Contributions to Senate and Congressional Members of the Medicare Commission* | |||
|
Pharmaceutical Industry |
Health Services Industry/HMOs |
Total Amount |
|
| Supporting Breaux Plan |
$397,000 |
$289,000 |
$686,000 |
| Opposing Breaux Plan |
$51,000 |
$8,000 |
$59,000 |
| Total |
$448,000 |
$297,000 |
$745,000 |