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Health-Care, Insurance Companies Give $1.5 Million to Florida Republicans

Posted on: Tuesday, 17 January 2006, 15:00 CST

By South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Jan. 17--TALLAHASSEE -- The health-care and insurance industries pumped almost $1.5 million into Florida's Republican Party even as Gov. Jeb Bush and the GOP-controlled Legislature launched dramatic changes to the way the state cares for poor, elderly and disabled patients, campaign finance reports show.

A review of the reports by the Orlando Sentinel showed that no other industries contributed more to the Republican Party than health care and insurance, both of which were at the center the controversial plan to revamp Medicaid.

Spurred on by Bush, the Legislature last month approved a plan to give managed-care organizations a bigger role in health care for the poor. Supporters said the changes -- which will begin with 210,000 low-income people in Broward and Duval counties and which backers hope eventually to spread statewide -- will help hold down spending on Medicaid, a $15 billion a year program that absorbs a quarter of the state's $63 billion budget.

Under the Republican governor's plan, money the state pays directly to doctors and hospitals who provide service to Medicaid patients would instead be parceled out largely through HMOs and other networks.

Many of the companies that gave to the GOP are expected to compete for new, Medicaid-related contracts.

Major health insurers contributed heavily to the Republican Party before, during and after the changes were made.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida wrote the GOP a pair of checks totaling $50,000. Humana Inc. made three contributions worth $40,000 altogether. WellCare Health Plans gave $30,000.

HCA, the nation's largest for-profit hospital chain, donated $60,000 through a trio of committees.

Mike Fernandez, a Coral Gables-based health-care entrepreneur, gave the party a $50,000 check on Dec. 6 -- the second day of the four-day special session.

The report shows that the bulk of donations came from insurance companies or health-care providers such as hospitals.

The extensive contributions concerned some critics of the Medicaid overhaul, many of whom have argued that the changes will benefit health-care companies more than patients.

"The insurance and health-care industries are in business to make money," said Karen Woodall, a lobbyist who represented low-income Floridians in the Medicaid debate. "They obviously thought it might be beneficial to them to give to the party with all the changes taking place. Apparently Florida's ... Medicaid recipients didn't get their contributions in on time."

People and businesses with a stake in another piece of legislation approved in December -- rules for slot machines in Broward County -- also contributed heavily over the past three months.

Pari-mutuels, a horse-racing political committee and the Seminole Indian Tribe, which operates casinos around the state, combined to give the GOP more than $265,000.

On Wednesday, Bush was among those downplaying any connection between campaign dollars and the decisions made in December.

"I'd be concerned if you could prove a direct link between policy and giving," Bush said. "Suggesting is not good enough. You've got to prove it."

By Jason Garcia and John Kennedy

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Copyright (c) 2006, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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