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July 6, 2009

Report: Health Industry Employing Hundreds of Ex-Gov. Officials
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Here in the United States, the Washington Post is reporting the nation’s
heath care industry has hired more than 350 former government officials
and members of Congress to sway health care reform efforts on Capital
Hill. According to lobbying records, three out of every four major
health care companies have at least one former government insider on the
payroll. Nearly half held positions under key committees and lawmakers
including Senators Max Baucus and Charles Grassley. Bacaus is chair of
the Senate Finance Committee which is largely steering health care
reform efforts. Baucus’s aides recently held a meeting with a group of
lobbyists that included two of his former chiefs of staff. The
Washington Post says the health care industry is now spending $1.4
million dollars a day on lobbying, totaling $126 million dollars in the
first fiscal quarter.



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