The staggering $713.6 million spent in 2020 grew by more than 70% when compared with the $358.2 million the sector spent in 2000.
The nation's healthcare sector – including payers, providers, pharma, and health product manufacturers -- spent a combined $713.6 million to influence federal healthcare policy in 2020, a new report shows.
When compared with lobbying expenditures in 2000, the 2020 expenditures represent 70% growth across four areas of healthcare including $308.4 million from pharma and manufacturers, $287 million from providers, $80.6 million from payers, and $37.7 million by "other firms," according to the report, which was published Thursday in JAMA Health Forum.
"These findings reveal that spending from pharmaceutical and health product manufacturers and providers, including their associated trade organizations, comprise the majority of lobbying expenditures from the healthcare sector," say the report's researchers from Cornell University's Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College, and Penn's Perelman School of Medicine.
The spending was highly concentrated, with the top 10% of healthcare firms accountable for 70% of spending among payers and manufacturers, and 59% for providers.
"Lobbying activities also were not distributed uniformly, with a small number of firms responsible for the majority of expenditures," the report says.
Spending among the "other firms" was less concentrated, with the top 10% of donors accounting for 38% of spending.
The figures are based on healthcare sector federal lobbying records from 2000 to 2020, filed with the Senate Office for Public Records, and obtained from Open Secrets, a nonpartisan nonprofit that tracks money in politics.
The report notes that lobbying expenditures could be considerably higher because their research does not include state-level and grassroots lobbying, although the growth in spending has tapered off since the early 2000s amid efforts to influence the Affordable Care Act.
“These findings reveal that spending from pharmaceutical and health product manufacturers and providers, including their associated trade organizations, comprise the majority of lobbying expenditures from the healthcare sector.”
JAMA Health Forum
John Commins is a content specialist and online news editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
That 70% growth was seen across four areas in 2020, including $308.4 million from pharma and manufacturers, $287 million from providers, $80.6 million from payers.
The spending was highly concentrated, with the top 10% of healthcare firms accountable for 70% of spending among payers and manufacturers, and 59% for providers.
The report notes that lobbying spending could be considerably higher because their research does not include state-level and grassroots lobbying.
The growth in spending has tapered off since the early 2000s and efforts to influence the Affordable Care Act.