I expect I will catch heat from my Democrat friends who think we shouldn’t say anything negative about Hillary because it will damage her chance of defeating Trump if she wins the primaries. I disagree. These issues need to be revealed to Democratic voters now, while they can still vote for someone better in the primaries. People who don’t learn about these issues may vote for the wrong candidate.
Today I won’t say anything negative about Hillary, but focus instead on the healthcare and insurance industry corporations that paid the Clintons $6,017,000 for speeches between 2013 and 2015.
(c) 4/7/2016 Brenda Grantland, Truth and Justice Blog
In my first blog of this series, “Hillary: About those speaker fees… Part 1,” I gave an overview of what I found out about the groups that paid the Clintons six-figure speaking fees to perform one-hour speeches between 2013 and 2015. If you did not read that, you might want to read that one first. Part 2 delved into the details (and record of misconduct) of the banking and finance groups the Clintons took speaking fees from.
Today I am going to cover the healthcare and insurance industry groups. I grouped them separately even though there was a bit of overlap, because the insurance industry corporations included all kind of insurance, not just health insurance. But because they include health insurance, they are important in seeing the economical influences on Hillary’s healthcare reform policies.
Healthcare industry – doctors, pharma – $4,791,500
Insurance – $1,225,500
Total – $6,017,000
I have divided the companies by subcategory, and within each subcategory I grouped them with the corporations with the most troubling records first.
Insurance industry companies
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee | industry |
| 10/24/2013 | Swiss Re | New York, NY | Bill | $250,000.00 | reinsurance company |
| 5/13/2014 | Target Markets Program Administrators | Baltimore, MD | Bill | $275,000.00 | insurance |
| 6/10/2014 | Castlight Health | New York, NY | Bill | $250,000.00 | insurance IT |
| 6/10/2014 | Insurance Accounting and Systems Association | Indianapolis, IN | Bill | $225,000.00 | insurance |
| 10/13/2014 | Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers | Colorado Springs, CO | Hillary | $225,500.00 | insurance trade assn. |
It seems odd that Bill Clinton gave two speeches in one day in two separate places – New York and Indianapolis – totaling $475,000, but that data is from records released by the Clintons. I guess it can be done if he had a private jet and the speeches were several hours apart.
Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd. (“Swiss Re”) – 1 speech $250,000
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 10/24/2013 | Swiss Re | New York, NY | Bill | $250,000.00 |
Swiss Re, established in 1863, is a Zurich, Switzerland-based reinsurance company, the second largest reinsurer in the world. It is involved in the health insurance market as well as other types of insurance. It grew by acquiring competitors Barclays Life Insurance Company Ltd. in 2008, and HSBC Life in 2014. Warren Buffet invested $2.6 billion. Berkshire Hathaway owns 3%. In 2010 Swiss Re obtained a $1 billion line of credit from JPMorgan.
In 2007 Swiss Re settled SEC charges of illegally shorting stock by paying $95,000 in penalties and $457,606 in disgorgement and interest.
In 2010 Swiss Re was fined by the Swiss stock exchange for failing, in 2008, to properly disclose the risk exposure of bonds from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae ($10 billion dollars’ worth). Instead of disclosing the risk to everyone simultaneously, it made the disclosures initially in its report for the first quarter of 2008, without notifying the public separately. When Swiss Re finally did disclose the details, it “notified only selected analysts and investors and posted a notice on their homepage, but did not notify according to the ad hoc publicity rules.”
Swiss Re fined by Swiss stock exchange, Insurance Post, 1/28/2010.
In 2013 Swiss Re was under investigation by New York’s insurance regulator for issuing coverage on trades with Iran, likely in violation of the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012. I wasn’t able to find the outcome of that investigation. Swiss Re, Lloyd’s Among Insurers Probed by N.Y. on Iran Sanction, Insurance Journal, 7/1/2013.
In 2014 Swiss Re, Zurich Insurance Group, and JPMorgan had a rash of high ranking executive suicides — years after the financial crisis was supposed to have been over. One financial analyst explained that maybe the crisis wasn’t over. “The underlying concern is that we still cannot get a clear assessment of global financial risks because of what we can’t see: the interconnectedness of global banking; offshore banking; off balance sheet vehicles; and regulatory arbitrage where U.S. financial institutions move high risk operations to foreign locales with light-touch regulators.” The article notes a number of financial ties between the three corporations.
Swiss Insurers and JPMorgan Have More than ‘Suicides’ in Common, Wall Street on Parade, 3/11/2014.
Also in 2014, Swiss Re’s chairman criticized US authorities for imposing multi-billion fines, saying “In practice, you cannot challenge these fines in a due process…. From a rule of law point of view, that is a problem.” Swiss finance heavyweight slams BNP Paribas fine, SWI Swissinfo.ch 7/2/2014
Castlight Health – 1 speech for $250,000
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 6/10/2014 | Castlight Health | New York, NY | Bill | $250,000.00 |
Castlight Health is a healthcare information service that allows employees of large corporations (companies that subscribe to its services) to compare health care plans and find the best one for their purposes. In 2012 it obtained $100 million in investments, and it had its IPO in 2014, giving the company a value of $3 billion. The IPO was criticized in one article Most overpriced IPO of the century:
Castlight Health (CSLT), a company that offers health information via the Internet to inform medical choices and reduce insurance costs. Sounds like a pretty good idea, and Castlight says it has helped some of its corporate customers reduce their health costs by more than 10% a year.
Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and other lead underwriters priced Castlight’s shares at $16, above an already raised expected range of $13 to $15, giving the company a valuation of $1.4 billion. That’s billion with a “b.” Last year, Castlight had $13 million of total revenue. That’s million, with an “m.”
Then the stock opened on Friday at almost $40, giving it a valuation of over $3 billion!
Another critic said:
Castlight’s (NYSE:CSLT) premise isn’t a bad one. The goal of cutting through health-care clutter to empower consumers to make better, cost-saving health-care decisions could indeed prove a big and growing market.
However, it could be years before that market opportunity justifies the nosebleed-inducing $2.5 billion valuation awarded Castlight on its first week of trading — particularly if insurers like WellPoint (NYSE:ANTM) and Aetna (NYSE:AET) that provide the data powering Castlight’s product pull the plug in favor of their own services.…
Castlight’s data crunching analytics benefit self-insured companies most. The product gives major employers like Wal-Mart the option to make health care cost and quality information available to employees. That information can be used by employees to select physicians based on how highly they’re ranked, or how little they cost, resulting in savings for both the employee and the employer.
The company has leveraged that potential win-win to build up an impressive client list that includes not only Wal-Mart but industrial heavyweight Honeywell and government pension mammoth CalPers, California’s public school pension fund.
Castlight charges these corporate customers on a per-employee basis, which means the company’s sales will climb as its clients ramp up staff. That model may work during periods of economic expansion, but may expose the company to risk during recession….
Wal-Mart is the nation’s biggest employer and the company’s largest account.
“Here’s What You Need to Know About Castlight Health, Inc., The Motley Fool.
The other insurance industry corporations the Clintons took speaking fees from were insurance trade groups:
Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers – 1 speech for $225,500
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 10/13/2014 | Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers | Colorado Springs, CO | Hillary | $225,500.00 |
The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers (“CIAB”) is an international trade association of commercial insurance and employee benefits professionals and companies. “Council members are market leaders who annually place 85 percent of U.S. commercial property/casualty insurance premiums and administer billions of dollars in employee benefits accounts.”
Lobbies lawmakers to promote the interests of insurance companies. The front page of its website has a prominent ad urging people to oppose single pay healthcare legislation.
CIAB has a PAC. According to CIAB’s website, “CouncilPAC is The Council’s political action committee. Contributions to CouncilPAC enable The Council to support candidates who understand and share our common goals and interests. PAC contributions certainly don’t buy legislators’ votes, but they do give us additional opportunities to get their attention and help The Council’s lobbyists cultivate relationships on Capitol Hill.… CouncilPAC does NOT support lawmakers who do not share our fundamental views – it’s as simple as that.”
The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers Political Action Committee has a record of contributions to candidates and lobbying, going back to 1990. It has spent at least $1 million on lobbying every federal election cycle since 2010. Source: Open Secrets.org.
Insurance Accounting and Systems Association – 1 speech $225,000
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 6/10/2014 | Insurance Accounting and Systems Association | Indianapolis, IN | Bill | $225,000.00 |
IASA is an educational and trade association for the insurance industry – the industry’s largest. It includes companies that insure all types of things – health insurance, property & casualty, life, as well as the financial industry. According to its website it is comprised of 1,049 member companies and thousands of individuals, and is “most recognized as a premier conference organizer.” Among other things, its conferences tout “inclusive networking opportunities.”
Target Markets Program Administrators – 1 speech $275,000
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 5/13/2014 | Target Markets Program Administrators | Baltimore, MD | Bill | $275,000.00 |
According to its website, Target Markets Program Administrators is a trade association for Program Specialists. “The TMPAA defines Program Business as insurance products targeted to a particular niche market or class, generally representing a book of similar risks placed with one carrier. Administration is done through Program Specialists who have developed an expertise in that market or class.”
It was founded in 2001. “Beginning in 2004, the Association doubled its commitment to provide the contacts, education and resources necessary for its members to achieve greater profitability and excellence in program business, by adding an East Coast Mid Year Meeting to the annual Summit in Arizona.”
A 2013 article reported: “Pegged at $ 24.7 billion in premiums in 2011, program administration is a huge business. The estimated size of the market rose 9 percent from $22.6 billion in 2010.”
Big pharma, medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical trade associations
Novo Nordisk
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 2/17/2014 | Novo Nordisk | Mexico City, Mexico | Hillary | $125,000.00 |
The only speech Bill or Hillary gave to individual Big Pharma drug manufacturers during this period was Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical manufacturer, maker of diabetes care medications and devices, hemostasis medications, growth hormones and hormone replacement drugs. It employs 40,000 people and sells products in 180 countries.
In 2002 the clinical trials conducted in India for Novo Nordisk’s new diabetes drug code named NN622 had to be suspended after it was found to cause cancer in rats and mice. The testing participants took the drug for six or seven months before finding out the possible risks. The corporation was criticized for testing it on humans before knowing its full effects on lab animals.
In 2010 it breached ABPI’s code of conduct by failing to provide information about the side effects of Victoza and by promoting it prior to obtaining authorization.
In 2013 Novo Nordisk paid the Danish tax authorities 3.6 billion DKK for transfer mispricing. Also in 2013, some batches of NovoMix 30 FlexPen and Penfill insulin were recalled after a small percentage of samples fell below the strength specifications. Also in 2013, Novo Nordisk suspended its relationship with its spokesperson Paula Deen, who came under fire for making racist comments.
In 2014, Public Citizen asked the FDA to recall Novo Nordisk’s drug Victoza, saying it ran too high a risk of acute pancreatitis. After studies linking Victoza with pancreatic cancer, the FDA conducted its own studies and dismissed the claims, finding no increased risk of cancer. Later in 2014, the FDA approved Victoza for treatment of obesity. Source.
On the plus side, Novo Nordisk has been praised for its efforts toward sustainability – reducing water usage, energy consumption and CO2 emissions, etc.
Advanced Medical Technology Association
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 10/8/2014 | Advanced Medical Technology Association | Chicago, IL | Hillary | $265,000.00 |
AdvaMed is a medical device trade association, made up of medical technology companies such as manufacturers of medical devices and diagnostic products and health IT systems. It currently represents 80% of the medical tech firms in the U.S., annually producing nearly 90% of the medical technology sales in the U.S. and more than 40% of the medical technology sales in the world.
According to its website http://advamed.org/ “AdvaMed advocates for a legal, regulatory, and economic climate that advances global health care by assuring patients can have access to the benefits of medical technology.” In 2010, AdvaMed “called for the creation of a new White House office dedicated to promoting U.S. innovation” and asked for a requirement that federal agencies “provide an innovation impact statement for all major policy decisions or regulations.… AdvaMed supports the repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s tax on medical devices.”
AdvaMed has spent $2,270,777 on campaign contributions since 1992 and $56,527,233 on lobbying since 1998. In 2014 it spent $338,400 on campaign contributions from PACs and $24,500 from individuals – more on Republicans. Source: OpenSecrets
Biotechnology Industry Organization
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 6/25/2014 | Biotechnology Industry Organization | San Diego, CA | Hillary | $335,000.00 |
Biotechnology Industry Organization is the largest biotechnology trade association in the world, including pharmaceutical drug manufacturers, biofuels, industrial enzymes and genetically modified crops (GMOs). In 2013 its members included 1,000 companies, employing 1.61 million people. That same year BIO spent $1.98 million on lobbying.
The BIO lobbies heavily on tax issues affecting the biotech industry, patent protection for biotech innovations (probably increasing the length of biotech innovators’ monopoly against generic drug competition), and legislation favorable to GMOs (probably including no consumer labeling).
London Drugs, Ltd.
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 11/4/2013 | London Drugs, Ltd. | Mississauga, ON | Hillary | $225,000.00 |
London Drugs is a Canadian drug store chain. In 2014 it had 78 stores in four provinces.
In 2014, the chain was criticized for charging customers for flu shots, which are provided free through universal health care. A company spokesman said the public supply wasn’t available until November and the company brought in a small supply for the snowbirds (apparently who would be traveling to warmer climes before the public supply was available) or students outside the public healthcare system. Also in 2014 a member of London Drugs staff falsely accused Andy Fiore of theft. Fiore, an award-winning documentary filmmaker who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, said the incident caused him to relapse. Source.
National Association of Chain Drug Stores
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 8/12/2013 | National Association of Chain Drug Stores | Las Vegas, NV | Hillary | $225,000.00 |
Robert J. Bolger, the first president of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, serving from 1972 to 1987, set the political identity of the trade association, stressing the importance of involvement in legislative and government affairs to press its agenda.
The top story on its website in February, 2016 was: “Alabama, Idaho & Illinois – Are you registered to vote? Primary voter registration deadlines for Alabama & Idaho are February 12th; Illinois is February 16th. Don’t wait! Register and express your pharmacy voter opinions at the polls.”
In February its Rx Impact page said:
“Hundreds will plan to attend this ground-breaking event on March 16-17, 2016 that will bring over 350 advocates from across the nation to Washington, DC to educate Members of Congress about the importance of pro-patient, pro-pharmacy policy and key issues related to healthcare reform!
“Whether a CEO, CFO, pharmacy operator, pharmacist, pharmacy school Dean, student pharmacist or executive representing front or back end interests, advocates are gearing up to participate in NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill. This event reviews the secrets of influential communication, explains how an “issue of the day” impacts the pharmacy community, and provides the unique opportunity to meet with Members of Congress and their staff to discuss important issues.
“Your involvement demonstrates the community is dedicated to advancing pharmacy and quality patient services. The more you participate in this annual event, the more Capitol Hill will understand pharmacy and welcome our positions on important health policy issues. “
Its Twitter feed said: “Illinois: Don’t miss expressing your opinion. Primary voter registration deadline is Feb 16.”
In 2014, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores spent $2,320,000 on lobbying and $459,700 on contributions. In 2013 it spent $2,200,000 on lobbying. Source: OpenSecrets.org
Drug Chemical and Associated Technologies
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 3/13/2014 | Drug Chemical and Associated Technologies | New York, NY | Hillary | $250,000.00 |
DCAT is a non-profit trade group for pharmaceutical manufacturing and development companies. According to its website,
“DCAT is a “global business development association whose unique membership model integrates both innovator and generic drug manufacturers and suppliers of ingredients, development and manufacturing services, and related technologies. … Founded in 1890, DCAT has been providing a life-long collegial community for industry representatives for over 125 years.”
To its credit, DCAT’s has an anti-trust policy:
“It is the established policy of the Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association and all of its operating committees to conduct their operations in strict compliance with the antitrust laws of the United States of America. The DCAT antitrust policy prohibits any discussions which imply any agreement concerning: prices, discounts or terms of conditions or sale; profits, profit margins or cost data; market shares, sales territories or markets; allocation of customers or territories; selection, rejection or termination of customers or suppliers; restricting the territory or markets in which a company may resell products; restricting the customers to whom a company may sell; or any matter which is inconsistent with the proposition that each member company of DCAT must exercise its independent business judgment in pricing its service or products, dealing with its customers and suppliers and choosing the markets in which it will compete.”
National Community Pharmacists Association
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 10/14/2013 | National Community Pharmacists Association | Orlando, FL | Bill | $260,000.00 |
The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) represents pharmacist owners, managers and employees of over 22,000 independent community pharmacies, which are responsible for dispensing nearly half of the retail prescriptions in the U.S. Its website’s Federal Advocacy page describes the NCPA’s position on various pending or proposed legislation.
NCPA has a PAC – NCAPAC – according to its website, because “it takes political contributions to be successful in Congress. We also know we are in a fight for our survival. … The NCPAPAC motto rings true today: ‘Get into politics or get out of pharmacy.’ Here are just some of the reasons: PBM regulation, Any Willing Pharmacy Legislation, Medicaid cuts, and negotiating rights for pharmacists and other independent health care providers.”
Pharmaceutical Care Management Association
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 3/13/2014 | Pharmaceutical Care Management Association | Orlando, FL | Hillary | $225,500.00 |
The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) is an American trade association representing “pharmacy benefit managers” (PBMs) – companies that claim to improve affordability of prescription drugs through innovations such as mail-service pharmacies, promotion of generic drugs and electronic prescribing. According to its website “PBMs administer prescription drug plans for more than 253 million Americans with health coverage provided through Fortune 500 employers, health insurance plans, labor unions, and Medicare Part D.”
Archival press releases on its website show PCMA has been active in lobbying for generic biosimilar drugs, urging quick FDA approval, and standing up against the Big Pharma companies to urge more competition among drug manufacturers.
Healthcare providers and trade associations
Beaumont Health System
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 11/6/2013 | Beaumont Health System | Troy, MI | Hillary | $305,000.00 |
Beaumont Health System, a medical school and hospital, was the only direct healthcare provider among the groups that paid the Clintons speaking fees.
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWBSM) is the medical school for Oakland University (OU), located in Rochester, Michigan. It also has hospital facilities in Royal Oak, Troy, Grosse Pointe, and treatment and rehabilitation centers in Detroit.
Though a non-profit, Beaumont’s CEO made $2,905,188 in 2014, quite a hefty salary in financially troubled Detroit. Source.
American Dental Association
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 10/31/2013 | American Dental Association | New Orleans, LA | Bill | $300,000.00 |
The American Dental Association (ADA) has over 155,000 members. It has spent $27,992,979 in political contributions since 1990 and $23,600,398 on lobbying since 1998. Source: OpenSecrets.org.
California Medical Association
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 4/11/2014 | California Medical Association | San Diego, CA | Hillary | $100,000.00 |
California Medical Association represents over 41,000 individual physicians in California. It’s lobbying efforts include legislative, regulatory, legal, economic and social advocacy.
It advocated against tobacco use and advocated for the healthcare needs of HIV and AIDS patients.
In the 1960s, it lobbied for legislation to regulate HMOs.
In the mid-1970s it lobbied for legislation to bring down malpractice insurance rates, resulting in the Medical Injury compensation Reform Act, which set a cap on non-economic damages (e.g. pain and suffering) in medical malpractice cases.
In 2000 the CMA filed a civil RICO (Racketeering) lawsuit against several for-profit HMOs, alleging fraud and other activities interfering in the physician-patient relationship. Eventually 800,000 physicians and 19 state and county medical association joined the suit as plaintiffs, making it the largest class action health care lawsuit in U.S. history. Six of the 10 defendants settled, including Anthem, Wellpoint, and Blue Cross (which have since merged) agreeing to pay $585 million and to abide by agreements regarding the way they do business.
According to its website, it advocates for universal health care coverage, and against Medicare and Medi-Cal cuts.
National Council for Behavioral Healthcare
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 5/6/2014 | National Council for Behavioral Healthcare | Washington, DC | Hillary | $225,500.00 |
The National Council for Behavioral Healthcare is a non-profit association of 2,500 community mental health and addiction treatment organizations, serving more than eight million people living with mental illness or additions.
California Association of Physician Groups
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 6/7/2013 | California Association of Physician Groups | Los Angeles, CA | Bill | $275,000.00 |
CAPG is a group with approximately 160 members, all of which are large managed care corporations like Kaiser Permanente, employing thousands of doctors each. It lobbies for the HMO model instead of representing the needs of individual physicians.
Heart Rhythm Society
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 5/8/2013 | Heart Rhythm Society | Denver, CO | Bill | $200,000.00 |
HRS is a non-profit organization for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and patients. As of 2009 it had over 5,100 members.
Virginia Cardiovascular Associates
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Group |
| 4/26/2013 | Virginia Cardiovascular Associates | Tyson’s Corner, VA | Bill | health |
Virginia Cardiovascular Associates is a chain of cardiovascular clinics with locations in Warrenton, Woodbridge, Manassas and Richmond, Virginia.
A brochure for the Bill Clinton keynote speech called it the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute and says it was cosponsored by the Virigina Cardiovascular Foundation.
Premier Health Alliance
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 1/27/2014 | Premier Health Alliance | Miami, FL | Hillary | $225,500.00 |
According to its website, “Premier, Inc. (Nasdaq: PINC) is a healthcare performance improvement alliance of approximately 3,600 U.S. hospitals and 120,000 other providers.” It has created comprehensive databases of “actionable data, best practices and cost reduction strategies.”
According to Bloomberg Business, “offers group purchasing and supply chain services, clinical and operational performance measurement, benchmarking, and insurance programs to its members and clients.”
Premier Inc. has spent millions on lobbying, starting in 1998, and including lobbying the White House. Source: OpenSecrets.org.
American Society for Clinical Pathology
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 9/18/2013 | American Society for Clinical Pathology | Chicago, IL | Hillary | $225,000.00 |
The American Society for Clinical Pathology is a professional association of over 130,000 pathologists and laboratory professionals.
It spends hundreds of thousands on lobbying every year since 1998 including lobbying at the White House. Source: OpenSecrets.org.
Healthcare consulting groups and information technology companies
Press Ganey
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 11/18/2013 | Press Ganey | Orlando, FL | Hillary | $225,000.00 |
| 11/3/2014 | Press Ganey | Orlando, FL | Bill | $225,000.00 |
Press Ganey is a for-profit company that helps the healthcare industry measure “patient satisfaction” through rigorous statistical surveys. Its website says “understanding patients’ social, cultural and emotional needs, in addition to their clinical needs, could improve care and reduce claims.” “Through the use of integrated data, advanced analytics and strategic advisory services, we are helping clients transform their organizations to deliver safer, high quality, patient and family focused care.”
There has been criticism of the validity of Press Ganey’s statistical analysis, as well as the appropriateness of measuring healthcare providers by patient satisfaction. See 2+2=7? Seven things you may not know about Press Ganey Statistics, Emergency Physicians Monthly; A Death Knell for Press Ganey? Emergency Physicians Monthly; and Why Rating Your Doctor is Bad for Your Health, Forbes, 1/2/2014.
Press Ganey spent $130,000 on lobbying in 2014, $90,000 in 2013, $55,000 in 2012 and $40,000 in 2011. In 2005 it spent nearly $1.1 million on lobbying, and in 2004 it spent close to $660,000. Subsequent years totaled $200,000 or less.
In 2012 it donated to the presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney ($7,750) and Barak Obama ($5,500).
Press Ganey went public in 2015 (listed as “PGND” on NASDAQ).
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 3/6/2013 | Health Information and Management Systems Society | New Orleans, LA | Bill | $200,000.00 |
Clintons’ spreadsheets called it Health Information and Management Systems Society, there was no listing for that exact name in my web search – it was called Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). HIMSS is a nonprofit membership organization for healthcare information technology professionals and corporations. It has over 50,000 individual members, 570 corporate members, and 225 nonprofit organizations. Its annual conference is the industry’s largest health IT educational program.
Cardiovascular Research Foundation
| Date | Corporation | Place of speech | Speaker | Speaker fee |
| 9/15/2014 | Cardiovascular Research Foundation | Washington, DC | Hillary | $275,000.00 |
On its website the Cardiovascular Research Foundation describes itself as an “independent, academically focused nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the survival and quality of life for people with cardiovascular disease through research and education.”