Big Fat Story
She was on the fence, but the promise of hundreds of millions of dollars pushed Sen. Mary Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, onto the Democratic side. At first the amount of extra aid to her state was pegged at $100 million, but the senator wanted to correct that number. “I am not going to be defensive," she said last month. "And it's not a $100 million fix. It's a $300 million fix." As Dana Milbank pointed out, the new amount was 20 times that of the Louisiana Purchase. The haul was just enough to secure the votes needed to get the Senate’s health care debate underway. It could cost a whole lot more to get the bill to the president’s desk.
Big debates in Washington mean big spending. At least 166 former congressional staffers now working as health-industry lobbyists got their old bosses to give their new bosses big breaks in the pending health-care reform legislation, according to a new report. In addition to the former aides, at least 13 former lawmakers are registered to represent a total of 338 health-care clients since the beginning of last year. Since then, those clients spent $635 million lobbying. And since January, at least 1,000 organizations involved in the effort on health-care reform have spent money on lobbying firms. Only 505 groups did so in the same period last year.
Over at Hot Air, they’re calling it a bailout—$1.2 billion to expand Medicaid coverage in a few particular states. And while people expected Nebraska to gain some last-minute stimulus, with its senator, Ben Nelson, playing the role of the Senate’s chief foot-dragger, the bouquets thrown to Massachusetts and Vermont were more surprising. Vermont will get $600 million in payments over the next 10 years while Massachusetts will see $500 million. The cash should fund Medicaid expansions, which are already under way in the two states.
Health Care Payola
Sure, Harry Reid’s got 60 senators signed on to say ‘yea’ in a Christmas Eve vote. But wait till you see what it'll cost. From the $300 million “Louisiana Purchase” to the $100 million “Cornhusker Kickback,” The Daily Beast's guide to health-care pork.
If more than half the country is unhappy with the latest health-care bill, there’s a pocket of relief for the Democrats in the 2,900 residents of Libby, Montana. The mining town suffered from asbestos-related sickness and now will have access to expanded Medicare benefits thanks to the muscling of Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus. For 10 years, Baucus has been trying to help the town out. The ballooning health-care bill gave him the chance.
Holdout Ben Nelson scores big for Nebraskans on Medicaid.
Being the last Democratic Senate holdout on health care appears to have its advantages: Ben Nelson of Nebraska was rewarded handsomely. The federal government will pay for all new Medicaid enrollees in Nelson’s state—forever. But at $100 million over the next decade, that concession is hardly the most costly. The Nebraskan also made sure that non-profit insurers would be excluded from the legislation’s $6 billion annual excise tax on insurers. Fellow Democrats are defending the payout, but not without revealing a hint of jealousy.
Photo: Harry Hamburg / AP Photo
The inclusion of $300 million in local aid to Louisiana and a promise to pay for new Medicaid enrollees in Nebraska (forever!) caused quite a fuss. Well, that’s small potatoes compared to the amount of pork that was packed into earlier versions of the health-care bill. The Boston Globe reported this summer that as much as $1.6 billion had been tucked away for streetlights, jungle gyms, and farmers’ markets in one version of the bill. “How can Democrats justify the wasteful spending in this bill?’’ one Republican senator asked. “This isn’t just about health insurance,’’ said one official, defending the spending. “This bill is about creating a healthier country.’’
Holdout Ben Nelson scores big for Nebraskans on Medicaid.
For being the last Democratic Senate holdout, Ben Nelson of Nebraska was rewarded handsomely. The federal government will pay for all new Medicaid enrollees in Nelson’s state—forever. But at $45 million over the next decade, that concession is hardly the most costly. The Nebraskan also made sure that nonprofit insurers would be excluded from the legislation’s $6 billion annual excise tax on insurers. Fellow Democrats are defending the payout, but not without revealing a hint of jealousy.
Big debates in Washington mean big spending. At least 166 former congressional staffers now working as health-industry lobbyists got their old bosses to give their new bosses big breaks in the pending health-care reform legislation, according to a new report. In addition to the former aides, at least 13 former lawmakers are registered to represent a total of 338 health-care clients since the beginning of last year. Since then, those clients spent $635 million lobbying. And since January, at least 1,000 organizations involved in the effort on health-care reform have spent money on lobbying firms. Only 505 groups did so in the same period last year.
The inclusion of $300 million in local aid to Louisiana and a promise to pay for new Medicaid enrollees in Nebraska (forever!) caused quite a fuss. Well, that’s small potatoes compared to the amount of pork that was packed into earlier versions of the health-care bill. The Boston Globe reported this summer that as much as $1.6 billion had been tucked away for streetlights, jungle gyms, and farmers’ markets in one version of the bill. “How can Democrats justify the wasteful spending in this bill?’’ one Republican senator asked. “This isn’t just about health insurance,’’ said one official, defending the spending. “This bill is about creating a healthier country.’’
Sen. Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana, may have been the most influential Democrat in shaping the health-care bill, which emerged through the Senate Finance Committee that he chairs. Baucus has the war chest to prove it. From January 2003 to January 2008—the latest figures available—$3.4 million made its way to Baucus through groups and individuals employed by the health-insurance, pharmaceutical, and medical industries. That comes to over $1,800 a day, an amount that surely grew into 2009 as the health-care debate heated up. By mid-summer 2009, the senator quietly stopped accepting money from health-industry groups, The Washington Post reported, although lobbyists and executives continued to give to Baucus as individuals. Baucus received one-quarter of all campaign donations during that period from health-industry members. As a comparison, Sen. Edward Kennedy, a vocal supporter of reform, received only 7.5 percent of his campaign fundraising from the same groups during the same period.
Photo: Scott J. Ferrell / Getty Images
From the Senate floor, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) said that $3.3 million has been dished out by both sides of the debate to try to sway her in a procedural vote last month. Arkansas isn’t the only state to benefit from the advertising boom that comes with having a senator on the fence on health care. Television advertising on health care alone is approaching $200 million, concentrated in the key legislators’ home states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Connecticut, Virginia, Alabama, Maine, Indiana and North Dakota. More than $44 million was spent in the last weeks before the Christmas Eve vote in the Senate.
The top 10 members of the House and Senate received a total of $5.5 million from health insurers, drug makers, and their employees from 2005 to 2009. “The concern here is that money is buying influence and policy changes that help the industry but hurt the American people," said one government watchdog. "They want a policy that requires Americans to buy their product." The leader of pharmaceutical industry lobbying group, former Republican Rep. Billy Tauzin, said his group was just investing in its principles. "We do what most people do in political systems: We support people with whom we agree and with whom we believe in," Tauzin said. "We also support other people who don't always agree with us but are honest and fair and open-minded."
She was on the fence, but the promise of hundreds of millions of dollars pushed Sen. Mary Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, onto the Democratic side for a procedural health-care vote last month. At first the amount of extra aid to her state was pegged at $100 million, but the senator wanted to correct that number. “I am not going to be defensive," she said. "And it's not a $100 million fix. It's a $300 million fix." As Dana Milbank pointed out, the new amount was 20 times that of the Louisiana Purchase. The haul was just enough to secure the votes needed to get the Senate’s health-care debate under way. It could cost a whole lot more to get the bill to the president’s desk.
octavio
November/24/2009;01:30 A.M.
The stinky USA Health Care Industry is going to be reformed
( medical costs will come down ) very soon.
If the unethical medical doctors and unethical dentists are still
interested in making giant salaries.These greedy crooks are going to have to become basket-ball players or they will probably have to become crooked USA senators like Baucus.
The USA hospitals are going to be surprised when they realize that their gravy-train is going to stop.These fraudulent hospitals are finally going to stop abusing the sick and they will have to stop the screwing of the USA taxpayers,
( 1 ) Pass the Public Health Care Bill
( 2 ) Prosecute all lobbyists.
( 3 ) As the time goes by ----> Just copy one of the
excellent single
payer health care
system from other
countries.
The USA needs to stop being corrupted and backwards.Other-
wise we will continue going down the toilet.
Grimmace
You got it Octavio! All of these unethical medical doctors and unethical dentists making these giant salaries are the reason for our healthcare ills. And of course we can't count out those fraudulent hospitals that are abusing the sick either. It's all an evil conspiracy and only Big Government can solve these problems.
The only solution to corruption is putting Government in charge of it all! Proletariats Unite!
Natural-Selection
Has TDB lost its mind? A negative rant on a democrat backed plan? I think I just saw a flying pig?
bcaldwell
Soooooo your solution is to make physicians civil service types???? Make them totally beholden to the government for their livelihoods? Wow, AFSCME will be licking their chops, and when they become overworked because you feel it is your right to access them for each and every pain you have that lasts more than a day or for every cold, etc, then they ask for more money and the government can' t pay...whatcha gonna do, act like Reagan and force them back to work? When they do strike, whatcha gonna do demand they go back to work or else risk being fired???? O would never go for that. The reason for the QUALITY of healthcare in this country - despite our constant attempts at lifestyles that wreck it- is that physicians can make a buck.
Octavio, do you have any idea of what it costs just to get that MD after your name? How much earning potential is lost in the 4-6 years after college where a student is in med school/residency? Of course you don't, you want all the goodies, but you want someone else to pay for it....God forbid that you actually WANT to pay for it yourself.
TwainsYankee
'The reason for the QUALITY of healthcare in this country - despite our constant attempts at lifestyles that wreck it- is that physicians can make a buck.'
'The reason for the lack of QUALITY of healthcare in this country - despite our constant attempts at lifestyles that wreck it- is that physicians can make a buck.'
There fixed it
bcaldwell
Oh, so Physicians , if they worked for a salary mandated by.....I don't know , the new medical pay czar would make better decisions because there's no money in it for them? So how much should a doctor get paid? If you smoke, is that somehow the doctor's fault? What about all of the chicken nuggets people eat full of saturated fat? is that the doc's fault too ?
When you need a heart bypass, where you gonna go....Mexico? Canada? What about when you need that new hip replacement? You going to wait until a slot opens up in the Netherlands and fly over there?
Come on freeloaders, use of talent costs you money, convenience costs you money. Quality costs you money and make no doubt, as someone who has experienced European healthcare-which is not bad, I much rather care in a US hospital- try it and compare.
Utaneus
You're a real jerk if you think it's the doctors that are crooked.
franjen
yeah! Lets' get those horrible doctors and dentists! I was just talking to my brother-in-law a few days ago. He's really for the goverment health care program just like you. He couldn't say enough good things about it. A few hours passed and we were still talking, but the subject had changed several times. His father was a life long military man and he began to tell how his mom and he would never to go the base dentist because the wait was too long and how the commercial dentists was far superior. I could only smile.
neverlate
Add to it:
1. $250 billion "doctor fix" to AMA for their support
2. Agreement to leave big pharma with big profits for their support
3. Higher premiums to young people to AARP for their support
4. New pool of low risk customers to insurance companies for playing the villain
To the American Tax Payer:
The tab for all this hubris and crony capitalistic shanadigans.
Ozone69
William Jefferson got 13 years for a $100,000 bribe. What will Landrieux get for this bribe?
admiralj
Re-elected!
sonofloud
Government by blackmail......it's the American way.
downbytheriver00
As I watched the news in the days after the vote on Saturday I was struck by how many of the talking heads in one breath said, "Wow, $300M for Louisiana and Mary Landrieu, but that's how politics is done and my hat is off to her." How the hell did we get so screwed up that we would collectively ADMIRE and SALUTE what Sen Landrieu did and the crappy system that created this monster?
This ain't no Democrat versus Republican thing. This whole system is totally broken and the well being of our children is the price we will pay for what is turning out to be perhaps the worst democracy from a GOVERNING perspective on the face of the earth. I am ashamed.
diamondgirl
They are all crooks, both sides are guilty. I never paid that close attention to the dealings before, but now with the internet so into everything, its getting harder for them to hide what they have all done. Bush Admn was just as guilty as Obama Admn is.And look who is paying for the taxes on this corruption
I know people say that a third party is never going to work because it takes away from either side depending on the election. But if they keep doing this I think it could happen.
Sajwert
diamondgirl, I find myself surprised that I agree with what you have written, as usually I don't.
However, I really don't think a 3rd party is going to be the answer to this congressional horror show we are watching. A few years back, a bunch of libertarians or something similar decided they would come to NH, take over all the minor political roles, get a foothold into NH politics, and eventually remake the state more in their political image. Well, didn't happen. Those that ran for alderman, etc. got stomped on for the most part, and the state of NH goes along nicely with the largest legislative body in the USA and a Democrat for governor.
I am about as disillusioned as I've ever been, and since I am 77, you have to realize that says a lot considering how disillusioned I've been over the past number of years.
sophia5
The Year 1803 - The Louisiana Purchase . . $ 15 Million
The Year 2009 - The Mary Landrieu Purchase . . $ 300 Million
It's like a credit card commercial :
Louisiana Purchase $ 15 Million.
Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu selling out . . . Priceless.
DakLak
Take away the tax breaks for such activities and criminalise such activity.
The problem is the recipients are the self-serving lawmakers.
memo02
Bery smart buy politicians with tax payers money !,..
daddyo
Does the US healthcare system have problems? Absolutely. But the federal government does not have the authority granted to it by the Constitution to pass any laws to "reform" healthcare. No where in the Constitution is that power spelled out. No where!
And no, the 'general welfare' phrase in the Preamble does not grant specific power or authority. The only authority and power granted to the feds are those enumerated in the body of the Constitution.
If you want reformed healthcare talk to your state legislators and governors. That's the only place where the authority to reform healthcare resides. Just because the feds have inserted themselves into some facets of healthcare (i.e. Medicare) doesn't mean they should have or that they have that authority.
jbuzz1
Hold on, you mean Democrats are being bought? And here I thought it was just the "Repugs" who were beholden to lobbying cash and pork, e.g. the Health Insurance companies and their endless flow of cash...at least that's what all the lefties on this site indicate all the time.
spotted
"Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made."
Otto von Bismarck
gnorrigh
and yet you trust "big gummit" with trillions of dollars for national defence? and airports? and postal service? etc., etc. but leave private enterprise to look after your health care? love private enterprise but never forget it HAS to make a profit. if they ever privatized the military, there'd be no money for anything else. (we'd all be signing up!)
octavio
bcaldwell,neverlate forgot to watch 60 minutes.Sunday Nov/22/2009.The reporters explained very clearly how the
unethical medical doctors and fraudulent hospitals are
screwing the taxpayers.
As soon as they notice that a patient is going to die or is dying.Teams of specialists ( sharks ) 25 or more medical doctors;each start ordering a large number of laboratory tests for this dying patient.E,g; why a dying 81 year old woman need a pap smear? et cetera.
These medical doctors ( crooks ) have only one goal .To screw the USA taxpayers as much as possible.There are teams ( groups of medical doctors ) they become partners and form hospitals with the major goal ----> to screw the taxpayers.These crooks are stealing the tax payers money in the billions of dollars.
Do not believe the crap that medical school is hard,because they had to stay up all night studying for a test.Even the hospital janitors wet to school.These crooked doctors are happy to see peolple making $ 8 per hour,while they make giant salaries like Barack Obama makes.
If after the Public Health Care Bill passes and these crooked ( unethical ) medical doctors do not want to become honest and retire.Then we will allow ethical,honest doctors and dentists from other countries come to work ( practice their trade ) in the USA.
We need to make medical schools and medical text books free to whoever is ready,willing and able to attend medical school.
Barac Obama needs to grow bigger balls and start prosecuting these crooked medical practicioners.
If a young black breaks into a house and steals $ 300 in silver coins.If he is caught ----> right away he is giving 30 years in jail.Once in prison the other prisoners ( and sometimes the prison guards with the knowledge of their boss ) rape him and make him a homosexual.The crooked " medical professionals " are stealing billions in tax payers money and nobody is prosecuting them.This has been going on for more than 40 years and nobody is doing anything.Where is Barack Obama when we need him?
neverlate
Another problem not being dealt with by the politicians.
bcaldwell
Oh I got you now, ,you don't think they should make any money for taking care of your ass for the stupid things you do to yourself. If being an MD is so damned easy, why don't you go to your local ER and announce, "I, Octavio the benevolent am here to render my services free of charge to all of you, I have no training other than what I have seen on ER and the First 48, but being a doctor is so easy for me, Octavio. I will clamp your bleeding arteries, I will remove the bullet from your chest. I will place that stint in you, for I Octavio know that you don't really need all that education and training to be a doctor. I Octavio am pure of heart, unlike these ne'er do wells who actually do this for a living and put up with your blood, your mucous, and sputum along with the abuse. I Octavio, former broom pusher can save you. Money???? do not think of it, because, I, Octavio, rely solely on the government to provide me with my nourishment and roof over my head and my health care (yeah, docs pay insurance too). I am altruistic and I am smart. I can treat your cancer as well , because I, Octavio read a book on how to do it."
What are you , some sort of simplistic asshole? Of course there are crooked doctors like there are crooked politicians and lawyers and community activists. Octavio, if doctors should not make a nice chunk of change, pray tell who should in all of your wisdom and magnificense? Hmmmmm? I suppose you think it is cheap for a doctor to rent out space, empoy a staff and buy equipment like eyescanners in an opthamologist's office or an EKG in a cariologists or an ultrasound in an OB- GYN- yeah just go down to Wal-Mart for those -huh? Yes it's cheap to pay for the malpractice insurance that they HAVE to buy because of predatory ambulance chasing plaintiff lawyers. I suppose the utilities in their office are cheap. Oh and lest I forget, a lot of these guys like OB's get rousted out of their sleep in the middle of the night just so they can deliver your offspring , O, benevelont one....but you don't want to pay for it. Naaaaah it's your right, you have a right to the fruits of someone else's labor.
So tell me Octavius, how much should physicians get paid? You opened this up. Come on, tell me, smart guy.
timeflies
Re: doctor culpability. Yes and no.
The U.S. would long ago have enjoyed a workable, affordable excellent health system were it not for the AMA cutting the reform process off at the knees for the past 50 years.
neverlate
As long as even mediocre doctors are driving high-end Mercedes versus three series Beamers we will not have affordable health care. This is made possible courtesy of the strongest Union in the world _ The AMA
daddyo
The AMA actually represents only about 17% of all doctors, and those are for the most part docs teaching in med schools and in administration. The vast majority of docs that actually treat patients are NOT members of the AMA. The AMA is nothing more than a liberal political organization trying to pass themselves off as representative of the medical profession as a whole.
Its so damn easy for some of you guys to blame those evil doctors who drive luxury cars. There's absolutely nothing wrong with people with specialized training and gifts to be well rewarded for doing what they do. Yes, the truly crooked ones should be fined, lose their licenses, or be put away for what they do that's illegal. But you cannot simply lump all doctors, wealthy or not, into those categories. You want them all to provide free services? There would soon be no doctors left to treat your sorry ass.
pulmanomancer
Salaries for MDs makes up about 25% of the cost of health care - so if you cut their salaries in half, you'd save about 10%... not all that dramatic. About 1 year's medical inflation ...
veralani
When will those greedy, crooked fools in D.C. realize and understand that the dollars they're tossing to others left and right isn't there's to give away? And are they blind and deaf to what Americans are telling them? Soon as they get elected they forget who they work for. Shameless good for nothings....
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