Sen. Baucus receiving large health industry contributions

A joint study by two political watchdog groups has found that Sen. Max Baucus has received major contributions from lobbyists linked to health care groups.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics and the Sunlight Foundation, Congress members working on health care reform are receiving more money from the health industry than people realize.

Baucus collected $121,000 from the health care industry during the first six months of this year, according to the CRP. The Montana Democrat ranks 17th in donations from the health care industry, among the nearly 200 House and Senate members handling healthcare legislation.

Health care interests historically have been among Baucus’ most generous donors. Various divisions of the health care lobby make up four of the top 12 business sectors that have contributed during his 30 years in the Senate, collectively donating more than $2.8 million, according to CRP data.

The $121,000 that Baucus received so far this year from the industry represents about 24 percent of the $511,787 in total donations he received from Jan. 1 through June 30, according to the Federal Election Commission.

As the heath care reform debate intensifies in Congress, health care sector contributions to lawmakers are on the rise.

In the first six months of the year, health care interests donated $19.7 million to federal lawmakers. More than 40 percent ($8.1 million) went to the campaign and political action committees of lawmakers overseeing healthcare reform.

Craig Holman, of the watchdog group Public Citizen, said the donations allow health care lobbyists “to get one-on-one time with officeholders” as lawmakers craft legislation.

Among those giving to Baucus during that six-month period were political action committees representing pharmaceutical companies, doctors, nurses, health insurers and medical device manufacturers, federal records show.

A spokeswoman for Baucus, who is striving for a bipartisan compromise on health care, said the contributions have no bearing on his vote.