Congressional Contributions Increase Considerably From Health Care Lobbies

MEMBERS of Congress considering an array of proposals for reforming the nation's health care system are reaping a windfall in election-year contributions from industry groups most affected by the legislation, campaign records show.

Health care and insurance lobbies have contributed $579,352 to members of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee during the 1994 election cycle, according to a review by the Associated Press of campaign reports on file with the Federal Election Commission through March 31.

That represents a nearly threefold increase over the same period in the last election cycle, when the same 11 lawmakers got just $206,135 from health and insurance political action committees. It reflects the high stakes for those with an interest in health care as the reform bills - including the first, passed in March by the Ways and Means panel - begin to wind their way through Congress.