Healthcare financing
Affordable health care has taken on a new meaning with recent news regarding campaign contributions in relation to presidential campaigns, specifically $20 million bestowed upon Barack Obama’s presidential bid, directly related to the health care industry. The amount of $20,175,303 is nearly three times the amount presented to rival John McCain, who came in a distant second at $7,758,289, according to a report in Raw Story.
These latest figures in financial development were provided in an exclusive analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan/nonprofit group that tracks political money, and is the most comprehensive information available to date on Obama’s financial ties to the health care industry; and ultimately with the healthcare bill. This information also helps explain vast differences between campaign promises and professional courtesies.
While there are some who will suggest those healthcare resources were funneled toward Obama’s camp based strictly on life expectancy, others will argue the actions were simply determined by who was expected to win. Imagine, for a moment, Sarah Palin attempting to handle health care reform.
Compensation
Paybacks come in many forms, and nowhere has that been more obvious than in the healthcare debate of 2009. According to the Raw Story report as well as the Center’s website, Obama received $19,462,986 from a variety of components within the health sector. These include health professionals ($11.7m), hospitals/nursing homes ($3.3m), pharmaceuticals/health products ($1.4m), and health services/HMOs ($1.4m). Another $712,317 (this number derived from the site’s insurance and finance sector) came from health insurance industry contributions. Miscellaneous health donations (unavailable on the site) of $860,411 are also factored into the total amount.
Although no one would ever suggest fraud, one has to ask why these numbers are being reported now, instead of nine months ago. A legitimate follow-up question would be how much influence over public policy will $20 million get you?
Evidently quite a bit. Long gone from the president’s hope and change library are the chants of healthcare reform and in their place we now hear healthcare insurance reform. With political performance during the last quarter of 2009 bordering on abysmal, affordable healthcare for many was destined for the trash bins.
Consider the $20 million as performance pay. Meanwhile, professional athletes are barred from betting on sports.
