4,525 Healthcare Lobbyists for 535 Members of Congress
April 20, 2010 | Terry Sharrer
For the battle over healthcare reform, some 1,750 companies and organizations deployed 4,525 lobbyists to argue their points before Members of Congress. That’s eight lobbyists for every Representative and Senator. 207 clients were hospitals; 106 insurance companies; 85 manufacturers. The AARP sent out 58 lobbyists; US Chamber of Commerce, 47; the AMA, 33. While this might seem like an excessive display of undue influence, the greater the number and diversity of lobbyists, the more they reflect counter-balancing interests. MORE