NARR: Lobbyists for New Mexico health care firms out number the state’s Congressional delegation by about six to one. Last year they also spent more than a million dollars to be heard in Washington. For example Albuquerque’s American Society of Radiologic Technologists dropped more than four hundred thousand dollars on lobbyists. Melanie Sloan is the head of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

SLOAN3 "There are so many lobbyists because it is so effective. Lobbying dollars are some of the best money a company can spend and there are studies and studies that show that there is a great return on your investment for lobbying. It is very effective." (:13)

Critics say all the money gives corporations a bigger voice than average voters. Take Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico. When it announced a nearly twenty five percent rate hike on individuals, the state’s delegation was up in arms. But the health care proposals in Congress still wouldn’t give the government power to stop those increases in the future. New Mexico Democrat Ben Lujan supported the bill.

LUJAN1 “Well I can tell you, you know, this is not the bill that I wanted to see to begin with and I was very vocal on other provisions that emphasized consumer protections. But we’re very clear in that we want to take away pre-existing conditions, the notion that health insurance companies can deny care. That’s a big consumer win.” (:17)

It’s not just the health care companies that use lobbyists to compete though. The Roswell Regional Hospital spent sixty thousand dollars on two different D-C firms. Officials were concerned about potential changes to Medicare and Medicaid funding.

From Capitol News Connection, For K-U-N-M, I’m Matt Laslo