Kerry statement on Bush's Healthcare/pharma cronies

Kerry Campaign Statement on Ties Between Bush and Pharmaceutical Industry


May 10, 2004

For Immediate Release

Kerry campaign spokesperson Chad Clanton issued the following statement in response to the Associated Press report today that the Bush administration has accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from companies who received contracts to administer the new prescription drug card program.  


“Under this president, the cost of health insurance and prescription drugs have gone sky-high. He's taken money from the drug companies hand over fist and put protecting their profits before cutting costs for consumers.”

The facts below detail the ties between the Administration and drug companies.

Major GOP Corporate Donors Selected to Provide Medicare Cards

Aetna
$25,925 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.
$510,000 to the Republican National Committee between 1999 and 2002.

AmeriHealth HMO, Inc.

$2,750 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

Anthem Inc.

$45,650 to the Republican National Committee between 1999 and 2002.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association/ Highmark Inc.

$12,500 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.
$317,000 to the Republican National Committee between 1999 and 2002.

Caremark

$3,000 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.
$10,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2000.

Catalyst Rx

$2,000 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

Computer Sciences Corporation
$6,750 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.
$30,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2001.

Elder Health HMO

$2,000 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

First Health Services Corporation

$250 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004. .

Keystone Health Plan East, Inc.

$25,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2001.

Medco Health Solutions

$5,750 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc

$5,000 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

Preferred Care Partners Inc.

$2,000 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

Quality Health Plans, Inc.

$1,000 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

Sierra Health and Life Insurance Co. (Sierra Health Services)
$15,700 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.
$50,000 to the President's Dinner Committee in 2001/2002.

Tenet Healthcare Corporation

$11,500 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

United Healthcare Company
$20,000 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.
$199,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2001/2002.
$45,000 to the Republican Leadership Council in 2003. < AP, 3/5/04>

UPMC

$2,000 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

Well Care HMO

$31,000 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

WellPoint Pharmacy Management (Wellpoint Health Networks)

$16,641 to the Bush-Cheney Campaigns of 2000 and 2004.

Bush has raised at least $1.5 million from the following people:

Aetna

Mark Holman is a Bush/Cheney 2004 Pioneer.  He is a senior partner at Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley, a DC lobbying firm. Holman is registered as a lobbyist for Aetna.

Anthem

L. Ben Lytle is a Bush/Cheney 2004 Pioneer. He is a Chairman Emeritus and Presiding Director for Anthem. 

Allan B. Hubbard is a Bush/Cheney 2004 Pioneer.  He is on the board of directors at Anthem and is the president of E&A Industries.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Inc.

Michael Hightower is a Bush/Cheney 2004 Pioneer.  He is the vice president of government relations for BCBS of Florida.

Caremark/Advantage PCS & Express Scripts

Andrea and Dean McWilliams raised at least $100,000 for Bush/Cheney 2000 as pioneers. Andrea McWilliams has been the Texas registered lobbyist for Express Scripts since 1999 and has received at least $200,000 from the company. Dean McWilliams has been a Texas registered lobbyist for AdvancePCS since 2000, receiving at least $250,000 from the company.

Express Scripts, Inc.

Samuel K. Skinner pledged to raise at least $100,000 for the Bush/Cheney re-election campaign in 2004.  He is a member of the board of directors of Express Scripts. Most recently the chairman, president and chief executive officer of USF Corporation until his May 2003 retirement, Mr. Skinner served in the administration of President George H.W. Bush as Secretary of the Department of Transportation and White House Chief of Staff.

First Health Services

Tom Loeffler raised at least $100,000 for the Bush/Cheney 2000 campaign and is a Bush/Cheney 2004 Ranger. He is the founder of the lobbying firm Loeffler, Jonas & Tuggey. He is also a registered lobbyist for First Health Services.

Independence Blue Cross, Inc.

David Metzner raised at least $100,000 for the Bush/Cheney 2000 campaign and is a Bush/Cheney 2004 Pioneer. He is a managing director for the lobbying group American Continental Group.  He was formerly registered as a lobbyist for Independence Blue Cross, Inc.

Long Term Care Pharmacy Alliance

James Neir is a Bush/Cheney 2004 Pioneer. He is managing partner at the law firm Winston & Strawn. The law firm lobbies on behalf of Long Term Care Pharmacy Alliance.

Medco Health Solutions

Kirk Blalock is a Bush/Cheney 2004 Pioneer. He is a name partner in the lobbying firm Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock and former Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock is registered as a lobbyist group for Medco Health Solutions.

United Healthcare

William W. McGuire, M.D. , of Wayzata, MN, is a Bush-Cheney 2004 Pioneer. He is Chairman, CEO, & Director for United Healthcare Corp.  United Healthcare Insurance Company is a subsidiary of United Healthcare Corp. http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/113/113137.html >

UPMC Health Plan

Ronald Kaufman pledged to raise $100,000 for the Bush/Cheney 2000 campaign and is a pioneer for the Bush/Cheney 2004 campaign. He is a senior managing partner at the lobbying firm, Dutko Group, and a former lobbyist for UPMC Health Plan.

Well Care HMO

David Hart , of Land O' Lakes, FL , is a Bush-Cheney 2004 Pioneer. He is Finance Director for Well Care HMO, Inc.

Todd S. Farha , of Tampa , FL , is a Bush-Cheney 2004 Pioneer. He is President and CEO for Well Care HMO, Inc.

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but when Kerry does something about these issue, none of those people seem to care

so they say.