GREASING THE WHEELS: The principal negotiators of the Medicare bill – a bill which provides a windfall to the HMOs and drug industry – are Sens. Charles Grassley (R-IA), Max Baucus (D-MT) and John Breaux (D-LA) and Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA).
http://www.opensecrets.org/navasp/whosgetting_response.asp Not surprisingly, these members of Congress are among the largest recipients of HMO and drug industry cash. All told, the health industry, including HMOs and the big drug lobby, has given those four principal negotiators $2.36 million starting with the 2000 election cycle. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Rep. Thomas leads the way, having accepted almost half of those funds - a whopping $1,021,920.
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/indus.asp?CID=N00007256&cycle=2002Sen. Grassley took in $573,678.
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/sector.asp?CID=N00001758&cycle=2004Sens. Baucus reaped $646,450 respectively, with a giant fifth of Baucus's health care money coming from the drug industry.
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/sector.asp?CID=N00004643&cycle=2004and Breaux $118,612 respectively with a giant fifth of Baucus's health care money coming from the drug industry.
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/sector.asp?CID=N00005385&cycle=2004