Monday, September 22, 2008

Big Business Behind SCHIP Expansion

By Marc Kilmer

Categories: SCHIP

The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report has this interesting item:

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America has contributed $11.3 million to the advocacy group America's Agenda: Health Care for Kids for advertisements supporting SCHIP expansion, CQ HealthBeat reports. The ads will appear in at least 25 lawmakers' states and congressional districts. The ads do not name SCHIP specifically but commend lawmakers who supported a bill (HR 3963) that would have expanded SCHIP. President Bush vetoed the bill, citing cost concerns.

Those of us who advocate for free market health care solutions are often accused of being in the pocket of Big Business (or am I the only one?). Stories like this indicate the reality: big business likes government health care programs. Medicaid, Medicare, SCHIP, etc., are an easy source of money for them.

So the next time advocates of expanding government programs accuse you of doing the bidding of Big Business, ask them where their money comes from.