Health Care Money May Be Shaping Reform Debate

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- President Obama is out campaigning for health care reform again Wednesday, as leaders in Congress continue to wrangle over what that reform should look like.

KCBS Cover Story: The Money Trail

It's no secret that health care reform is the hottest issue in Congress right now, so it makes sense that those with a vested interest in how the system changes should focus their time and money on persuading Congress to write a bill that's favorable to them. So if you follow that money, you will see that the pharmaceutical industry has spent $134 million in just the last six months lobbying Congress, that's more than any other sector, with insurance companies coming in third, at $81 million.

Dave Levinthal, with the Center for Responsive Politics, says they are giving tens of millions more in direct campaign contributions.

"A lot of them are very high-ranking officials, leaders of committees, people who are often-times senators or congress people who obviously have sway over which way this debate is going to go," said Levinthal.

KCBS has used the center's site, opensecrets.org, for years, and their data show a lot of cash flowing into the pockets of Bay Area lawmakers at the center of this debate.

For example, East Bay Congressman Pete Stark, who has been closely associated with health care for years, has received $1.7 million in health care donations in the last 20 years.

Peninsula Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, has accepted almost as much, the majority of it from the biotech companies in her district.

House Minority Leader John Boehner, who disagrees with a public insurance option in the health care reform bill, ranks second only to Barack Obama in the amount of money received from health insurance companies, who desperately oppose such an option.

"We believe that money has some influence," said Levinthal. "To get into the corridors of influence, you have to be able to get through the door at first, and often you have to be able to come to the door with money in your hand for it to open."

Congresswoman Eshoo and others tell KCBS their votes are not for sale, and their decisions are made independently of campaign contributions.

(MGO)