The healthcare industry spent less on federal lobbying in the first half of 2026 than it did a year earlier, though the pullback was uneven across sectors, according to a Washington Post analysis of federal disclosures published July 21.
The 100 biggest spenders reported close to $285 million combined in the first half of the year, down from roughly $293 million a year earlier. Drugmakers remained on top, hospitals retreated and device and lab companies pushed their spending higher.
Pharmaceutical companies and related groups made up the largest bloc, with 42 in the top 100. Only four of the 11 hospital groups in the top 100 increased their spending more than a year earlier. The AHA reported more than $10.5 million for the first half of 2026, a 20% decline.
Importantly, some companies told the Post that year-to-year swings can reflect when trade association dues happen to be paid rather than any real change in activity.
The 15 biggest spenders in the first half of 2026:
1. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA): $19.57 million, down 6%
2. American Medical Association: $13.1 million, up 1%
3. American Hospital Association: $10.55 million, down 20%
4. AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans): $8.33 million, down 6%
5. AARP: $7.94 million, down 32%
6. Eli Lilly: $7.03 million, up 16%
7. CVS Health: $6.89 million, up 31%
8. Merck: $6.42 million, down 15%
9. Pfizer: $6.3 million, down 21%
10. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PBMs): $6.28 million, down 17%
11. Cigna: $5.61 million, up 4%
12. Genentech: $5.59 million, up 10%
13. Novartis: $5.34 million, up 5%
14. Amgen: $5.02 million, down 19%
15. Johnson & Johnson: $4.95 million, up 13%
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