The Cost of Favor

As the vote over national health care looms in the Senate, a list of concessions made to secure votes from senators and the support of interest groups and industry was published in this morning's Dallas Morning News. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska got an exemption from the annual fees proposed in the legislation. Also in Nebraska, a physician owned hospital was exempted from the annual "fees" that will be charged to future hospitals. Senator Baucus, D-Montana, secured exemption for 2,900 residents of Libby, Montana allowing them to sign up for medicare. Senator Dodd, D-Conn. made out better. He was able to obtain $100 million for a new hospital in his state. Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., made out equally well, securing $100 million in federal money for her state. Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who provided a key vote on the legislation, perhaps made out best of all. He was able to obtain $10 billion for community health centers in his state. The list goes on, and the total goes up.

Interest groups also made out well. Longshoremen were able to obtain protection from new taxes proposed on high risk professions in exchange for their support. Bio tech drug manufacturers won a 12 year exemption from competition, as well as protection from cheaper, generic foreign drugs: an odd concession for a bill that its supporters claim will lower the cost of prescription drugs. Many other exemptions, tax breaks, and loopholes for various industries and professions given to secure their support lay obscured in the Health Care Bill under consideration.

Clearly, votes are not cheap in Washington. Neither is support from industries and professions affected by legislation. It sometimes takes a lot of money to get people to do the right thing. It sometimes takes even more money to get senators to do the right thing; especially if the right thing is a matter of contention. There are many professions where people are paid incentives for their favor: some respectable, some not so respectable. It is disturbing to think Congress is one.

It would be wonderful if someday Congress decided to publish an addendum with each bill after it became law. The addendum would itemize the costs and outlays, if any, of securing the votes of the individual members who supported the bill. It would certainly make for interesting reading as well as help posterity understand the sometimes quixotic behavior of congressmen.