White House, Corporate Players Cooperated on Campaign to Sell Health Reform

Aides to President Obama and Sen. Max Baucus met with corporate players in the health industry in April to create a multimillion-dollar ad campaign that helped boost public support for health care reform, a Politico exclusive revealed Friday. The previously undisclosed meeting led to two separate front groups that have spent tens of millions of dollars on TV ads supporting health care reform. The groups operate independently of the White House and Senate Democrats, and both sides insist no quid pro quo was involved.

Deputy White House Chief of Staff Jim Messina made the pitch to industry officials at the meeting, but attendees say he made no explicit demands. Instead, he laid the groundwork for the coalition, and an outside Democratic consultant followed up to secure industry involvement and bring the ad campaign to life. The groups that came together at the meeting included PhRMA, the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society, AARP and a number of trade groups. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and America's Health Insurance Plans, both of whom now vigorously oppose the health care bill, were notable attendees who opted not to participate.

Scattered ethics complaints have been made, but most of the players at the meeting say it was a voluntary matter that did not involve pressure to participate. One group's representative said anonymously that the setting made it difficult to say no to the coalition. Several of the corporate participants stand to gain significantly from health care reform and have independently spent large sums to support the legislation.