Health Industry Workers Contribute Millions to Candidates, Campaigns

During the last two election cycles, employees at California's hospitals, health plans and medical groups contributed millions of dollars to political action committees and candidates for federal office, Payers & Providers reports.

Payers & Providers reviewed campaign disclosure reports from more than 300 health systems, health plans, hospitals and medical groups around the state. The findings are part of a white paper titled, "Follow the Money: The Healthcare Industry and Campaign Finance in California."

Key Findings

According to the review of campaign disclosure filings, health care workers who identified their workplace gave $2.05 million during the 2008 campaign and $1.35 million during the 2010 campaign, with most of the largest contributions coming from CEOs.

Among the most generous contributors to candidates and political action committees were employees of Kaiser Permanente, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Heritage Provider Network.

In the 2010 midterm elections, California's largest contributors in the health care sector gave Democrats more than $255,000 and Republicans $85,400, according to the filings.

The Payers & Providers analysis also found that:

• Kaiser Permanente employees made $465,014 in contributions during the 2008 campaign and $219,727 in contributions during the 2010 election;
• President Obama's 2008 campaign took in nearly $146,000 from the largest California health care organization contributors, while Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign collected less than $48,000;
• California hospital employees' average political contributions were $3,790 in 2008 and $2,171 in 2010; and
• The California Hospital Association received $120,689 in 2008 and more than $99,000 in the 2010 campaign (Payers & Providers, 10/13).