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Yesterday Sen. Blanche Lincoln, from Arkansas, became the first Senate Democrat to state that she was opposed to a public option plan in a health care reform bill. “I would not support a solely
government-funded public option. We can’t afford that,” Lincoln said. As my colleague Paul Blumenthal writes, Lincoln also happens to be the second top recipient of campaign contributions from the health industry among senators this year, with $330,850.
In many ways its a familiar story. Lincoln has a tough reelection fight in 2010, so she needs to collect as much campaign cash as possible. (In the 2008 elections, the average Senate winner spent $8.5 million.) WIth the health care reform debate raging, the industry is more than happy to spread around some cash to key lawmakers. Because of her seat on the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the bill, Lincoln is exactly that.
Among Lincoln's top contributors this year is Blue Cross/Blue Shield, whose PAC and executives have given her campaign and leadership PAC $29,500. Blue Cross/Blue Shield and its parent company Wellpoint are vocal opponents of the inclusion of a public option plan in any health care reform bill. Blue Cross/Blue Shield is the dominant insurer in Arkansas holding a 75 percent market share.
Blumenthal's research shows that Lincoln has other ties to the company. Elizabeth Barnett worked for Lincoln from 2000 to 2007 before leaving to become the top Democratic lobbyist for Blue Cross Blue Shield. Earlier this year, Barnett left Blue Cross to work for Avenue Solutions, where she retains Blue Cross Blue Shield as a client.
Avenue Solutions’ profile of Barnett notes that she “had primary responsibility for representing[Blue Cross Blue Shield] and its 39 member plans before the Senate Finance Committee, Senate Democratic Leadership, and other key Senate committees and offices.” Barnett also represents other health industry
organizations including UnitedHealth Group, Aetna, Bravo Health, Healthcare Leadership Council, Medco and the National Health Policy Group.
Blumenthal also points out that Barnett is not the only former Lincoln staffer working as a lobbyist for the health industry. Lincoln’s former chief of staff Kelly Bingel is a lobbyist specializing in health care at Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti Inc, the lobbying firm of Sen. Max Baucus’ former chief of staff David Castagnetti.
Bingel represents a who’s who of the health care industry including America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and Pharmaceutical Researchers & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). AHIP and PhRMA have been largely supportive of health care reform this year. PhRMA, in particular, has supported the current legislation with positive advertising after receiving concessions from the White House and the Senate Finance Committee. Bingel also represents the Business Roundtable, a group that has voiced opposition to health care reform.
Last but not least, Lincoln has benefited from countless fundraisers thrown by lobbyists. The Party Time database lists one fundraiser thrown by health care lobbyists for Lincoln. On July 24, Ernst &
Young feted Lincoln with a fundraiser hosted by health care lobbyists Nick Giordano (formerly of Sen. Baucus’ staff), Dick Meltzer (since moved on to Speaker Pelosi’s staff), LaBrenda Garrett-Nelson, Holly Bode, Francis Grab, Dave Koshgarian and Jeff Petrich. To see all the parties for members of the Senate Finance Committee, click here.
