Who is Really Shilling for the Insurance Industry?
Monday, August 10th, 2009 By Marc KilmerIt’s a common talking point by those pushing health care “reform” that those who are oppose the legislation making its way through Congress are merely shills for the health insurance industry. This contention, as Tim Carney points out in a few different places, ignores a few things. One, the health insurance industry is pushing hard to enact health care reform and essentially supports the legislation that is emerging from Congress. Two, the health insurance industry is giving campaign contributions heavily to those who are authoring the reform:
The insurance industry gave 60% of its money to Democratic candidates in 2008 and so far has given 65% of its money to Democrats in the 2010 cycle, according to OpenSecrets.org.
The top recipient of health insurance PAC money this cycle is Henry Waxman, chief author of the House “reform bill,” who is tied with Harry Reid for that honor.
In 2008, the top recipient of HMO money was Barack Obama, and the top non-presidential recipent was Max Baucus, chief Senate author of “reform.”
Maybe any liberals who are in favor of this “reform” can post a comment or two about how they feel being patsies for the health insurance lobby.
Tags: Health care, health insurance
August 10th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Offer accepted! I think that the debate is about whether to have a government option. Insurance companies are against it, some Dems are for it. Since the Dems are calling the shots, all the players are donating to them.
In fact, this has been all about the Dems. Liberal Dems who want a government option, Blue Dog Dems who do not, a Dem running the Congressional Budget Office telling the truth about funding, and of course, the Dem in the White House herding all the Democratic cats towards some sort of bill.
Whither the Republicans? The new “Party of No!” They are out of this, and are reduced to telling lies about the government coming to euthanize grandma.
That’s fine. The Dems are having an open debate, dealing with the hard questions, and the Republicans are sitting it out. Fair enough. I think that something will pass, and that the voters will reward the Dems for that in the next elections. The Republicans are betting that it will go the other way. Fine–elections matter–and the Dems have just won big.
August 11th, 2009 at 9:42 am
[...] Who is Really Shilling for the Insurance Industry? It’s a common talking point by those pushing health care “reform” that those who are oppose [...]
August 11th, 2009 at 11:59 am
TL, thanks for the reply. I don’t really think the debate is about the government (aka, “public”) option. That’s pretty much dead, as few Blue Dogs will accept it. And there are likely no GOP members of the Senate who will accept it, although the idea of a co-op could essentially be a government-run health insurance program.
So I don’t really see the debate as being about the government option. Any bill that passes Congress will likely contain a mandate that individuals must have health insurance, subsidies for low- and middle-income individuals to purchase that insurance, an expansion of Medicaid, and heavy regulation on the insurance industry. Those are all things the health insurance industry has endorsed.
Liberals out there who are fighting so hard for “reform” are essentially trying to enact legislation that will fatten insurance companies’ bottom lines and that will do little for either the uninsured or those with insurance. None of the proposals that are likely to pass will fix the problems inherent in our system. Health insurance companies will still be unresponsive, the cost of premiums will go up (probably substantially), health care spending will only accelerate, states will be burdened with even more Medicaid spending, and an entitlement program that should be reined in (Medicaid) will grow even larger.
Frankly, liberals should join forces with conservatives to try and stop this corporate welfare legislation. The government option is dead and if they support legislation such as I described above, it’s pretty clear they have sold out their principles in order to support President Obama’s political fortunes (much as conservatives did when they supported No Child Left Behind or the expansion of Medicare under Bush). The legislation that is likely to emerge will certainly be labeled as “reform” and it may well boost the Democrats’ vote share, but it’s hard to see how any bill being considered without a government option is “progressive.”
August 11th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
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August 12th, 2009 at 9:35 am
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