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Thursday, October 01, 2009
Meet the Fockers II
To recap: the five Democrats who voted against the Jay Rock public option amendment to the Baucus health reform bill in the Senate Finance Committee: Max Baucus of Montana, Tom Carper of Delaware, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, and Bill Nelson of Florida.What's the insurance market like in those five senators' states?
NORTH DAKOTA -- 89% controlled by Noridian/Blue Cross Blue Shield North Dakota
ARKANSAS -- 75% controlled by Blue Cross Blue Shield Arkansas
MONTANA -- 75% controlled by Blue Cross Blue Shield Montana
DELAWARE -- 42% controlled by CareFirst/Blue Cross Blue Shield
FLORIDA -- 30% controlled by Blue Cross Blue Shield Florida
NOTE: The U.S. Department of Justice defines a "highly concentrated" market as one where a company controls at least 42% of the market share.
An analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics found that those Senate Democrats who opposed the public option amendments got more cash from insurers than those who supported it:
* The Democrats who voted against the Rockefeller amendment have collected $97,472 more on average from insurance companies since 1989 than the Democrats who voted for it -- $325,424 compared to $227,952.
Hat-tip: Chris Kromm & Sue Sturgis of Facing South
Labels: corporate power, health care, Max Baucus, Senate Blue Dogs
