[It's like they have a second government directly on their payroll -- just this one industry]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/05/AR2009070502770.html
Monday, July 6, 2009
Washington Post
Familiar Players in Health Bill Lobbying
Firms Are Enlisting Ex-Lawmakers, Aides
By Dan Eggen and Kimberly Kindy
Washington Post Staff Writers
The nation's largest insurers, hospitals and medical groups have
hired more than 350 former government staff members and retired
members of Congress in hopes of influencing their old bosses and
colleagues, according to an analysis of lobbying disclosures and
other records.
The tactic is so widespread that three of every four major
health-care firms have at least one former insider on their lobbying
payrolls, according to The Washington Post's analysis.
Nearly half of the insiders previously worked for the key committees
and lawmakers, including Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Charles E.
Grassley (R-Iowa), debating whether to adopt a public insurance
option opposed by major industry groups. At least 10 others have
been members of Congress, such as former House majority leaders
Richard K. Armey (R-Tex.) and Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.), both of
whom represent a New Jersey pharmaceutical firm.
The hirings are part of a record-breaking influence campaign by the
health-care industry, which is spending more than $1.4 million a day
on lobbying in the current fight, according to disclosure records.
And even in a city where lobbying is a part of life, the scale of
the effort has drawn attention. For example, the Pharmaceutical
Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) doubled its spending
to nearly $7 million in the first quarter of 2009, followed by
Pfizer, with more than $6 million.
The push has reunited many who worked together in government on
health-care reform, but are now employed as advocates for
pharmaceutical and insurance companies.
A June 10 meeting between aides to Baucus, chairman of the Senate
Finance Committee, and health-care lobbyists included two former
Baucus chiefs of staff: David Castagnetti, whose clients include
PhRMA and America's Health Insurance Plans, and Jeffrey A. Forbes,
who represents PhRMA, Amgen, Genentech, Merck and others.
Castagnetti did not return a telephone call; Forbes declined to
comment.
Also inside the closed committee hearing room that day was Richard
Tarplin, a veteran of both the Department of Health and Human
Services and the Senate, where he worked for Christopher J. Dodd
(D-Conn.), one of the leaders in fashioning reform legislation this
year. Tarplin now represents the American Medical Association as
head of his own lobbying firm, Tarplin Strategies.
"For people like me who are on the outside and used to be on the
inside, this is great, because there is a level of trust in these
relationships, and I know the policy rationale that is required,"
Tarplin said in explaining the benefits of having government
experience.
But public interest groups and reform advocates complain that the
concentration of former government aides on K Street has distorted
the health-care debate, and that it further illustrates the problem
posed by the "revolving door" between government and private firms.
"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, which compiled some of the data used
in The Post's analysis. "It's a small cost of doing business
relative to the profits they can garner."
Aides to Baucus and other lawmakers bristle at any suggestion of
special treatment for former staff members. Baucus spokesman Scott
Mulhauser said the senator "remains committed to working with a
variety of stakeholders" as the Finance Committee attempts to come
up with a bill this summer.
"The senator and his staff meet daily with individuals, nonprofits
and interests from across the health-care spectrum, and are proud
that all interests are treated equally and that no one receives
special treatment of any kind," Mulhauser said. "As a result, the
Finance Committee has been praised by members of Congress and the
media for its uniquely inclusive and transparent health-care reform
process."
The Post examined federally required disclosure reports submitted by
health-care firms that spent more than $100,000 lobbying in the
first quarter of this year. It used current and past filings to
identify former lawmakers, congressional staff members and executive
branch officials.
The analysis identified more than 350 former government aides, each
representing an average of four firms or trade groups. That tally
does not include lobbyists who did not report their earlier
government experience, such as PhRMA President W.J. "Billy" Tauzin,
a former Republican congressman from Louisiana. Federal law does not
require providing such detail.
Overall, health-care companies and their representatives spent more
than $126 million on lobbying in the first quarter, leading all
other industries, according to CRP and Senate data. PhRMA led the
pack in spending and employs 49 former government staff members
among its 136 lobbyists, according to The Post's analysis. Dozens of
other former insiders are employed as lobbyists by Pfizer, Eli
Lilly, the AMA and the American Hospital Association, each of which
spent at least $3.5 million on lobbying from January through March.
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Full at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/05/AR2009070502770.html
Michael