Nursing home lobbyists
The Houston Chronicle has an article about the amount of money and influence that the nursing home lobbysit have in creating legislation to protect their industry. The American Health Care Association spent about $1.7 million lobbying the government last year on a variety of bills affecting health care. The AHCA, which represents nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, spent $860,000 in the first half of 2007 and $881,000 in the second half. The organization also paid Patton Boggs LLP $160,000 in the second half to lobby the government. The AHCA lobbied on a range of legislation including laws affecting Medicare and Medicaid, caps on damages, immunity for neglect and abuse, and compelling arbitration in nursing home cases.
