Podhorzer M
Citizens Fund, Washington DC 20036, USA.
Int J Health Serv. 1995;25(3):393-401. doi: 10.2190/WUQK-3VLT-RT0H-JWCD.
Health and insurance interests have substantially increased their contributions to members of Congress in response to the debate over national health care. During the 21 months from January 1, 1993, through September 30, 1994, campaign contributions from the health and insurance industries reached $37.9 million, a 51 percent increase over the same time period in the last election cycle. Health- and insurance-related large donor contributions ($200 or more) increased at the fastest rate, although both health- and insurance-related large donor and political action committee (PAC) contributions increased far faster than contributions by other industries. Contributions from health interests increased the fastest. The American Medical Association PAC was the leading contributor among health and insurance PACs. In the Senate, Republican incumbents received an average of 22.5 times as much from health and insurance interests as their Democratic challengers. No Democratic challenger was favored over an incumbent Republican. Democratic incumbents averaged only 3.5 times as much as their Republican challengers. Health and insurance interests favored seven of the nine Republicans seeking open Senate seats. Of course, one of the two Democrats favored was Jim Cooper, a leading opponent of comprehensive reform.
鉴于全国医疗保健问题的辩论，健康与保险行业大幅增加了对国会议员的捐款。在1993年1月1日至1994年9月30日的21个月期间，健康与保险行业的竞选捐款达到3790万美元，比上一选举周期的同一时期增长了51%。与健康和保险相关的大捐赠者捐款（200美元或以上）增长速度最快，尽管与健康和保险相关的大捐赠者及政治行动委员会（PAC）的捐款增长速度都远远快于其他行业的捐款。健康行业的捐款增长最快。美国医学协会政治行动委员会是健康与保险政治行动委员会中的主要捐款者。在参议院，现任共和党人从健康与保险行业获得的捐款平均是其民主党挑战者的22.5倍。没有哪位民主党挑战者比现任共和党人更受青睐。民主党现任议员平均获得的捐款只是其共和党挑战者的3.5倍。健康与保险行业支持了寻求参议院空缺席位的九名共和党人中的七人。当然，得到支持的两名民主党人之一是吉姆·库珀，他是全面改革的主要反对者。
