Congressman Darrell Issa Launches Investigation into Backroom Health Care Deals

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Rep. Issa Begins Probe of Special Interest Deals on Healthcare Bill

WASHINGTON D.C. – Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Darrell Issa, today announced the beginning of an investigation into reports of secret special deals the Obama Administration has made to advance the President’s government healthcare expansion plan. Letters to six organizations – the American Medical Association, the AFL-CIO, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AARP, the American Hospital Association, and PhRMA – ask that they identify any action (or inaction), “expressly or implicitly agreed to by your organization or its agent during any meeting with White House or Congressional leadership regarding health care reform.” Organizations that did not negotiate are asked to respond with a certification that it did not participate.

“The true costs of health care deals struck behind closed doors are still unknown,” said Rep. Issa. “The White House’s broken promise on transparency in the health care debate doesn’t change the public interest of knowing the details of what’s happened. There has to be some accountability.”

The six letters are only the beginning of efforts – Rep. Issa expects to send other such inquiries to organizations that may have engaged in closed door deal making with the White House. The letters notes, “The negotiations leading up to the finished health care reform bill and the consequences of the deals cut by the White House and Democratic leadership are likely to become the subject of Congressional oversight and scrutiny for years to come.”