Top Baucus staffer worked for health insurance giant

[Newsjock]

Source: Billings Gazette

HELENA - Sen. Max Baucus' top staffer on health reform, Liz Fowler, formerly worked for the nation's largest private health insurer.

That fact is prompting critics of his efforts to say it is another example of insurer influence on the Baucus health reform bill.

Baucus, a Montana Democrat, and his other staffers adamantly reject that suggestion, saying it is a cheap shot at one of the hardest-working and most talented employees of the U.S. Senate.

... Fowler, an attorney who also has a doctorate in public health from Johns Hopkins University, was Baucus' top health care aide from 2001 to 2005 and left in 2006 to become an executive at WellPoint, the nation's largest private insurer.

Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_d02f40b6-b618-11de-9916-001cc4c03286.html

[babylonsister]

1. It gets worse...

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/10/10/lobbyists/

Bill Moyers/Michael Winship: Washington's revolving doors are bad for your health

snip//

If you've been watching the Senate Finance Committee's markup sessions, maybe you've noticed a woman sitting behind Committee Chairman Max Baucus. Her name is Liz Fowler.

Fowler used to work for WellPoint, the largest health insurer in the country. She was its vice-president of public policy. Baucus' office failed to mention this in the press release announcing her appointment as senior counsel in February 2008, even though it went on at length about her expertise in "healthcare policy."

Now she's working for the very committee with the most power to give her old company and the entire industry exactly what they want -- higher profits -- and no competition from alternative nonprofit coverage that could lower costs and premiums.

A veteran of the revolving door, Fowler had a previous stint working for Sen. Baucus -- before her time at WellPoint. But wait, there's more. The person who was Baucus' top health advisor before he brought back Liz Fowler? Her name is Michelle Easton. And why did she leave the staff of the committee? To go to work -- surprise -- at a firm representing the same company for which Liz Fowler worked -- WellPoint. As a lobbyist.

more...

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/10/10/lobbyists/

[LeftishBrit]

3. Arrrrggghhh. And such conflicts of interest are legal??

[patrice]

5. AND the woman who replaced her at Wellpoint was previously

a Congressional staffer.

They have the complete circle goin' on.

[Hepburn]

6. Didn't you mean....

...a complete circle jerk?

:hi:

[patrice]

8. That's appropriate, what with the SOLE purpose being unending greedy auto-erotic climaxe$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Barack_America]

2. She's the one who wrote his bill.

I remember downloading it and checking "about this document". She was listed as the author.

[Hepburn]

7. Quelle surprise ~~ NOT ~~

that the bill is a POS! :eyes:

[Oceansaway]

4. K&R...n/t