HEALTH CARE -- 47 AMENDMENTS IN FINANCE COMMITTEE AIM TO PROTECT HEALTH INSURERS' INTERESTS: On Thursday, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) speculated that "if there's anything which is clear, it's that the insurance industry is not running this markup, but it is running certain people in this markup." Indeed, in the last two and a half years, the health insurance industry has at least $585,725,712 lobbying Congress to protect its investments in Medicare Advantage, defeat competition from a public option (or even a cooperative), and preserve policies that allow it to attract a disproportionate number of healthy applicants. An analysis conducted by the Center for American Progress Action Fund of all 534 amendments identified at least 47 amendments that directly reflect the industry's wish list. While the information in the analysis does not demonstrate a direct quid-pro-quo between an insurer's contribution and a senator's amendment, it raises an important question: Why are some senators so intent on protecting an industry that is partly responsible for creating the current health care crisis? For instance, the industry's lobbying group, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), has stated, "We have strong concerns about the proposed funding cuts in Medicare Advantage." There are at least 14 amendments that protect the 14 percent subsidy private plans receive for participating in the program. AHIP declared that it had "strong concerns about the proposal for new, untested government-created health insurance cooperatives." Senators have offered at least nine amendments that eliminate the bill's network of cooperatives. Echoing similarly stated industry priorities, there are at least four amendments loosening new national benefit standards and at least eight protecting the industry from proposed fees. Download a complete copy of the report here.