Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

People

      The New York Times on Wednesday examined how "hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from doctors, hospitals, drug manufacturers and insurers" to the re-election campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), are an indication that "Mrs. [Rodham] Clinton has moderated her positions from more than a decade ago." According to separate analyses conducted by the Times and the Center for Responsive Politics, Rodham Clinton has received $854,462 from the health care industry in 2005-2006, more than all other congressional candidates except Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), who received $977,354. "The financial support is an intriguing turn of events" for Rodham Clinton, who as head of the Task Force on National Health Care Reform formed by former President Bill Clinton in 1993 "provoked a fierce reaction from the industry," the Times reports. In addition, during her Senate campaign in 2000, Rodham Clinton criticized her opponent for his acceptance of donations from pharmaceutical companies, and in 1993 she accused pharmaceutical companies and health insurers of "price gouging" and "unconscionable profiteering," according to the Times. Rodham Clinton recently has introduced legislation that would increase Medicare reimbursements to health care providers, reduce the cost of medical malpractice insurance and promote the implementation of health care information technology.

Comments
Charles Kahn -- who served as executive vice president of the Health Insurance Association of America in 1993 and 1994, when the organization criticized the health care plan that Rodham Clinton proposed -- currently works with her on several issues as president of the Federation of American Hospitals. He said that his previous disagreements with Rodham Clinton are "ancient history," adding that "she is extremely knowledgeable about health care and has become a congressional leader on the issue." Frederick Graefe, a health care attorney and lobbyist, said, "People ... are contributing to Sen. [Rodham] Clinton today because they fully expect she will be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2008." He added, "If the usual rules apply," early donors will "get a seat at the table when health care and other issues are discussed." Tracey Schmitt, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, said, "This reveals that Hillary [Rodham] Clinton is a politician more concerned with campaign contributions than policies she claims to support" (Hernandez/Pear, New York Times, 7/12).