Health Care Discussed At Fundraiser For GOP Senators On Finance Committee

Members of the Senate Finance Committee -- the last committee still wrangling over health care reform legislation -- have raised eyebrows lately with their talent for raising cash from industries directly affected by the legislation. Quarterly filings with the Federal Election Commission show that committee chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) raised $219,000 from health and insurance political action committees between April and June.

Quarterly filings are well and good, but the Huffington Post is on an ongoing mission to actually see this money handed over in real time -- to witness the proverbial shaking of the money tree. And to that end, HuffPost visited a Thursday morning breakfast fundraiser at Charlie Palmer Steak for Finance Committee member Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), featuring "special guest" Chuck Grassley.

The invitation, obtained by the Sunlight Foundation and posted on its website, www.politicalpartytime.org, lists the price of admission as a campaign contribution ranging from $2,000 to $500 to Roberts' campaign committee. (The event might be the very last fundraiser in D.C. before the Senate adjourns for its August recess.)

Standing by the door at the start of the event, Grassley declined to say who might be attending. "You'll have to ask Senator Roberts," he said before walking inside.

Guests politely declined to identify themselves as they arrived. But one, a lobbyist representing the American Association of Crop Insurers, forgot to remove his name tag when he left (Sen. Roberts sits on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry).

Asked what was discussed during the breakfast, the man said it was health care. He said Sen. Grassley did not discuss his upcoming meeting with other Finance Committee members -- the so-called "Gang of Six" -- and President Obama later in the day.

HuffPost was robbed of its chance to ask Sen. Roberts about the guest list. This reporter and colleague Laura Dean had two exits covered as we waited for breakfast to wrap up. But the senators found a third way out. Guests who left the way they came in said nice things about the coffee and eggs but declined to share details about the conversation.

Additional reporting by Laura Dean.

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Comments

[schatsie]

If we have to settle for a PUBLIC OPTION, then let us also have a CANADIAN OPTION for the people who live in the border states,,, We need affordable healthcare NOW, when the economy is in the DUMPSTER...

Funny how our boy George Bush was for single payer in IRAQ paid for either the OIL MONEY OR the US TAXPAYERS MONEY.......

[Dale Larson]

It's time to end our "risky experiment" of "For-profit health insurance". It's a proven failure.

Support HR676. It's a Single Payer system that is proven, pro-business and pro-people:

* Slashes at least 30% of costs off the top by removing private insurance overhead.
* Companies take health care expenses off their books. Stock value increases. Better able to compete internationally.
* Small companies could have access to higher skilled workers because previously they couldn't compete in the labor market by offering similar benefits.
* More entrepreneurial ventures will launch since they have more money and less unrelated risk.
* Dramatic drop in bankruptcies.
* Dramatic drop in lawsuits. Most of these lawsuits are simply to obtain money to cover health care if something interrupts their coverage.
* Reduced system complexity. Greater efficiency due to fewer regulations.
* Savings from employees not having to fight with their insurers during work hours.
* HSA and MSA dollars redirected back into the economy for goods and services.
* Additional money to spend from not having to carry "uninsured motorist coverage" on your auto policy.
* Contract employment is more viable for workers since they are guaranteed access to health care.
* People are covered when unemployed. No chance of being wiped out financially if you lose your job.
* Health care providers (doctors, hospitals, therapists...) see increase in business with much less administrative expense.

[mcmchugh99]

Grassley may well be done in the nxt election in Iowa. He's been there too long, and is too corrupt.

[mcmchugh99]

I lived in Iowa, and I tried to warn them about Grassley. He was never a "yes" vote for anything the Democrats want in health care reform.

[One more Thing]

Cheap: Get a congressman by the balls for only 42,000.00 to $500.00!

[nini516]

Discuss this:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/06/denied-claims-placed-at-h_n_253160.html

[mikerobjohn]

Bush's tax cuts gave the top one percent of earners over $700 billion in tax breaks over ten years, which didn't exactly stimulate the economy for everyone else. The proposed surtax, which would have no effect on 98.8 percent of Americans, would require them give a portion of that unearned money back, while raising significant revenues for health insurance reform.

[aboveparr]

No amount of money can stop us from getting change when we have the right plan.

All of us who support single payer don't have to wait for everyone to be under single payer.
We could do two things to make a difference with people who care to:

1) Restrucrure how doctors are paid through Medicaid. Instead of fee-for-sevice just pay the doctors and hospitals a flat rate to take a certain number of medicare patients. Give them a budget for presciption drugs and let them negotiate with the drug cartels

2) Adopt The 5 Dollar Revolution for the uninsured. This plan raises 40 billion dollars in direct contributions from people with no insurance and companies who don't currently provide it for their employees. Check out The5DollarRevolution.com for more details.

Neither plan raises taxes, adds to the deficit or leaves anyone out.

Both single payer plans only effect those who fall under them.

The upside: run these plans the right way and insurance companies will have to change their antics or lose their shirt trying to compete with the public option.

Downside, keep beating the all or nothing dead horse and nobody wins.

[HST]

"Health Care Discussed At Fundraiser For GOP Senators On Finance Committee"
Thwarting Healthcare Reform Discussed At Fundraiser For GOP Senators On Finance Committee.
There, I fixed your headline.

[alice09]

This is news?
Did we think Repubs were not governed by loyalty to corporate greed over the needs of the people?

[Jack45]

It appears that Dems can be just as hungry and thirsty for the benefits of loyalty to the health insurance lobby and industry. This truly makes me sick.

[Grannysue]

Pigs at the trough!

[Wallysmom]

WATCH THIS...You will see why so many In-Their-Pockets GOP lawmakers and lobbyists do not want healthcare reform. Hope you have good coverage because this will make you sick....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKI9be55N00

[comicpro]

$500-$2000 for coffee and eggs....Unreal. Grassley must go Iowa. He is the dirtiest pol out there and his blatant money grabbing special interest cronies are going to do us all a favor by continuing to give him money!

[CTtransplant]

People, we can no longer afford to stand by and do nothing! The only way to get solid health care/health insurance reform is to continue to push for it - and not let up! To this end, I have set up a petition to have paid health care removed from our representatives in Congress until such time as they reform
health care - to include a strong public option - for 'we the people' who they are supposed to represent.

If you agree with what I am doing - I am going to ask you to do what I have been
asking others to do...sign it, then spread the word to anyone and everyone you know!

I am but one person - and cannot make a difference on my own...but there is
strength in numbers and, if we work together, with assistance and determination, all things are
possible! Please do what you can to help us further the cause of health care with a strong public option! Thank you!

http://www.petitiononline.com/PubOp676/petition.html

[WinterParkMom]

Health care was most definitely NOT discussed.....more than likely it was how to water down a bill to be basically useless then assure their masters they would not vote on it.

Stop this bipartisan crap and get the real deal done NOW!!! Grassley is an out of touch baboon who has spent too many years on the public dole. Iowans voted in large numbers for Barak Obama, I certainly hope they elect a progressive dem to replace Grassley next year.