Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Max Baucus and Liz Fowler
Conducting the nation’s business on Capitol Hill involves more than just the members of Congress. Behind every senator and representative are staffers upon whom lawmakers rely heavily to make decisions on important issues, such health care reform. In the Senate, one of the most important members is Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), chair of the Senate Finance Committee, which passed the reform plan on Tuesday. Helping Baucus craft the plan is Liz Fowler, the committee’s senior lawyer—and former vice president of public policy for WellPoint, the nation’s largest health insurance company.
Although many polls show a majority of Americans favor a public option for health care to create competition for private industry, this component is not part of the Senate overhaul. Instead, Fowler has helped her boss and other senators push forward a plan that may increase insurers’ profits without enduring a government-run alternative.
Baucus’ connection with WellPoint doesn’t stop at Fowler. The senator’s top health advisor before Fowler was Michelle Easton, who left to join a lobbying firm that now counts WellPoint as a client.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
In Washington, Revolving Doors are Bad for Your Health (by Bill Moyers and Michael Winship, Buzzflash)
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