Senate Democrats Opposing Public Option Get Most Cash from Insurers

2 years ago

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Washington Reporter

Several amendments that proposed public insurance options to the health care reform bill currently in markup in the Senate Finance Committee went down in flames Tuesday. And according to a slew of numbers posted at OpenSecrets, a Web site operated by the Center for Responsive Politics, all of the senators who voted against the amendments receive significantly more campaign cash from insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

A few highlights:

The 15 lawmakers to vote against Rockefeller's version of the public option have collected $69,137 more, on average, from insurers (including HMOs and health services and health and accident insurers) through their candidate committees and leadership PACs since 1989 than the eight who voted for his amendment ($297,089 versus $227,952).

The 13 lawmakers who voted against Schumer's version of the public option have collected $93,177 more, on average, from insurers (including HMOs and health services and health and accident insurers) through their candidate committees and leadership PACs since 1989 than the 10 who voted for his amendment ($313,553 versus $220,376).

At $675,350, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the committee's chairman, has since 1989 collected more from health insurance companies, including HMOs and health services and health and accident insurers, than all but one other member of the committee -- Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).

Much more here.

Filed Under: Senate, Democrats, Health Care

Tagged: daily guidance, DailyGuidance, health care, health care reform, HealthCare, HealthCareReform, public option, PublicOption

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