Democratic presidential candidates including Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., former Vice President Joe Biden and New York Mayor Bill De Blasio have all railed against payers in the debates, Ms. Khazan reports. However, she notes, this narrative has left out another major contributor to the problem: hospitals and physicians.
Why have Democrats glossed over providers? One likely reason is the money, Ms. Khazan suggests. The American Hospital Association is a huge lobbying organization, she writes.
The American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association are, in fact, the fifth and sixth biggest spenders on lobbying of any organization over the past decade, according to data from MapLight, a nonpartisan research organization. In 2019 alone, the AMA has spent $11.5 million on lobbying and the AHA has spent nearly $10.2 million. Meanwhile, MapLight data shows America’s Health Insurance Plans has spent $5.1 million so far in 2019, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association spent $3.5 million, and UnitedHealth Group spent nearly $2 million. The spending of those payer organizations combined is roughly equal to that of the AHA.
Notably, Mr. Sanders recently pledged to reject donations from political action committees related to pharmaceutical and insurance companies and asked all Democratic contenders to do the same. He did not mention donations from organizations representing hospital or physician interests.
Read the full Atlantic article here.
More articles on leadership and management:
Ex-HHS leader Dr. Tom Price wants to shift old campaign funds to healthcare policy nonprofit
Texas Health Resources ‘isn’t in tune with our needs,’ community hospital physician says
5 hospital layoffs in July
At Becker's 4th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, taking place November 2–5 in Chicago, more than 1,500 hospital and health system executives tackle decisions that determine whether organizations thrive or merely survive: protecting margins under cost pressure, choosing where to grow, renegotiating payer relationships, stabilizing the workforce and proving real ROI on technology. This is where leaders work through them together, face-to-face. Apply for complimentary registration now.