Healthcare leaders send cash to Hillary Clinton, shun Donald Trump
Skip to main content
MDHC_Logotype_white
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • This Week's News
    • COVID-19
    • Providers
    • Insurance
    • Government
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Safety & Quality
    • People
    • Regional News
    • Digital Edition
    • vaccine shot injection_i_i.jpg
      11,900 COVID-19 vaccine doses ruined en route to Michigan
      New studies clarify which genes may raise breast cancer risk
      Biden signs executive orders to reverse, pause Trump-era rules
      Ohio pharmacy suspended after 890 vaccine doses wasted
    • vaccine shot injection_i_i.jpg
      11,900 COVID-19 vaccine doses ruined en route to Michigan
      Ohio pharmacy suspended after 890 vaccine doses wasted
      CHS' $1.8 billion bond offering another notch in slow turnaround
      As virus surges, states reporting shortages of vaccine
    • Louisiana gets reports vaccine providers are discriminating
      'We know this is real': New clinics aid virus 'long-haulers'
      The Check Up: Trenda Ray
      The Check Up: Trenda Ray of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
      Trenda Ray
      Q&A: Arkansas nursing leader looking for creative staffing solutions as COVID cases surge
    • UnitedHealthcare operating earnings fall by $2 billion in Q4
      CMS approves rule forcing insurers to ease prior authorization
      COVID-19 still a big uncertainty for insurers in 2021
      Health insurers' outlook boosted after Dems' Georgia win
    • Biden signs executive orders to reverse, pause Trump-era rules
      CMS finalizes blood-based colon cancer screening coverage
      As virus surges, states reporting shortages of vaccine
      New CDC director takes over beleaguered agency amid crisis
    • Providers await new HHS coronavirus grant reporting deadline
      Operation Warp Speed Dr. Moncef Slaoui, Pfizer Group President Angela Hwang, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel, CVS Health Executive Vice President Karen Lynch and McKesson CEO Brian Tyler participate in a panel discussion on the COVID-19 vaccine.
      Hospitals, drug companies strive to stand out virtually at JPM
      Intermountain, Trinity, Memorial Hermann behind $300M private equity fund
      Operation Warp Speed to bump up McKesson's stock price
    • A man in a room with servers.
      Momentum grows to outsource hospital tech functions in 2021
      5 things to know about Google's $2.1B Fitbit acquisition
      Providence bets on machine-learning, consolidating data centers
      Mental health treatment was most common telehealth service during COVID
    • As virus surges, states reporting shortages of vaccine
      Sticking to Mediterranean diet is good for the brain
      Chance of COVID-19 triage care looms over Arizona hospitals
      U.S. ramps up vaccinations to get doses to more Americans
    • Elizabeth Richter will serve as acting CMS administrator
      Providence names new chief financial officer
      Wisconsin's top health official departing for federal job
      Cone Health CEO, CFO to depart amid pending Sentara merger
    • Midwest
    • Northeast
    • South
    • West
  • Insights
    • ACA 10 Years After
    • Best Practices
    • InDepth Special Reports
    • Innovations
    • The Affordable Care Act after 10 years
    • New care model helps primary-care practices treat obesity
      doctor with patient
      COVID-19 treatment protocol developed in the field helps patients recover
      Rachel Wyatt
      Project to curb pressure injuries in hospitals shows promise
      Yale New Haven's COVID-19 nurse-staffing model has long-term benefits
    • Dr. James Hildreth
      How medical education can help fight racism
      Modern Healthcare InDepth: Breaking the bias that impedes better healthcare
      Videos: Healthcare industry executives describe their encounters with racism
      Michellene Davis
      Healthcare leadership lacks the racial diversity needed to reduce health disparities
      Hospital divided into multiple pieces
      Health systems may be warming to offshoring, a mainstay practice for insurers
    • A woman with a wearable sensor talking to her provider.
      Wearable sensors help diagnose heart rhythm problems in West Virginia
      self service station
      COVID-19 pushes patient expectations toward self-service
      Targeting high-risk cancer patients with genetics
      A nurse holds up a phone with a message to a family member saying surgery has started.
      Texting, tablets help hospitals keep family updated on patient care
  • Transformation
    • Patients
    • Operations
    • Care Delivery
    • Payment
    • Highmark Health inks six-year cloud, tech deal with Google
      Study: 1 in 5 patients report discrimination when getting healthcare
      HHS proposes changing HIPAA privacy rules
      Android health records app launches at 230 health systems
    • California hospitals prepare ethical protocol to prioritize lifesaving care
      Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Berkshire Hathaway disband Haven
      Digital pathways poised to reshape healthcare continuum in 2021
      Healthcare was the hardest hit by supply shortages across all U.S. industries
    • A woman with a wearable sensor talking to her provider.
      Wearable sensors help diagnose heart rhythm problems in West Virginia
      New care model helps primary-care practices treat obesity
      How hospitals are building on COVID-19 telehealth momentum
      Researchers: Hospital price variation exacerbates health inequities
    • MedPAC votes to boost hospital payments, freeze or cut other providers
      Most Next Gen ACOs achieved bonuses in 2019
      Congress recalibrates Medicare Physician Fee Schedule after lobbying
      CMS approves rule to encourage value-based drug pricing
  • Data/Lists
    • Rankings/Lists
    • Interactive Databases
    • Data Points
    • Health Systems Financials
      Executive Compensation
      Physician Compensation
  • Op-Ed
    • Bold Moves
    • Breaking Bias
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Vital Signs Blog
    • From the Editor
    • Wellstar CEO calls adapting for the pandemic her bold move
      Howard P. Kern
      Recognizing the value of telehealth in its infancy
      Dr. Stephen Markovich
      A bold move helped take him from family doctor to OhioHealth CEO
      Dr. Bruce Siegel
      Why taking a hospital not-for-profit was Dr. Bruce Siegel’s boldest move
    • Barry Ostrowsky
      Ending racism is a journey taken together; the starting point must be now
      Laura Lee Hall and Gary Puckrein
      Increased flu vaccination has never been more important for communities of color
      John Daniels Jr.
      Health equity: Making the journey from buzzword to reality
      Mark C. Clement and David Cook
      We all need to 'do something' to fight inequities and get healthcare right, for every patient, every time
    • Dr. Bruce Siegel
      By protecting the healthcare safety net, Biden can put us on the path to a stronger country
      Healing healthcare: some ideas for triage by the new Congress, administration
      Dr. Sachin H. Jain
      Medicare for All? The better route to universal coverage would be Medicare Advantage for All
      Connectivity: a social determinant of health that can exacerbate all the others
    • Letters: Eliminating bias in healthcare needs to be ‘deliberate and organic’
      Letters: Maybe dropping out of ACOs is a good thing for patients
      Letters: White House and Congress share blame for lack of national COVID strategy
      Letters: VA making strides to improve state veterans home inspections
    • Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      How blockchain could ease frustration with the payment process
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Three steps to better data-sharing for payer and provider CIOs
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Reduce total cost of care: 6 reasons why providers and payers should tackle the challenge together
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Why CIOs went from back-office operators to mission-critical innovators
  • Awards
    • Award Programs
    • Nominate
    • Previous Award Programs
    • Other Award Programs
    • Best Places to Work in Healthcare Logo for Navigation
      Nominations Open - Best Places to Work in Healthcare
      Nominations Open - Health Care Hall of Fame
      Nominations Open - 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
    • 100 Most Influential People
    • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
    • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
    • Health Care Hall of Fame
    • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
    • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
    • Top 25 Innovators
    • Top 25 Minority Leaders
    • Top 25 Women Leaders
    • Excellence in Nursing Awards
    • Design Awards
    • Top 25 COOs in Healthcare
    • 100 Top Hospitals
    • ACHE Awards
  • Events
    • Conferences
    • Galas
    • Webinars
    • COVID-19 Event Tracker
    • Leadership Symposium
    • Healthcare Transformation Summit
    • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
    • Workplace of the Future Conference
    • Strategic Marketing Conference
    • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
    • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
    • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
    • Top 25 Minority Leaders Gala (2022)
    • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
  • Listen
    • Podcast - Next Up
    • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
    • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
    • Video Series - The Check Up
    • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • Carter Dredge
      Next Up Podcast: Ready, set, innovate! Innovation and disruption in healthcare
      Next Up Podcast: COVID-19, social determinants highlight health inequities — what next?
      Next Up Podcast: Saving Rural Health
      Ceci Connolly
      Next Up Podcast: How to navigate the murky post-election waters
    • An older man wearing a mask receiving a vaccine.
      Beyond the Byline: Verifying information on the chaotic COVID-19 vaccine rollout
      doctor burnout
      Beyond the Byline: How healthcare supply chain struggles contribute to employee burnout
      Beyond the Byline: Covering race and diversity in the healthcare industry
      Beyond the Byline: How telehealth utilization has impacted investor-owned company earnings
    • Leading intention promote diversity and inclusion
      Introducing Healthcare Insider Podcast
    • The Check Up: Chip Kahn
      The Check Up: Chip Kahn of the Federation of American Hospitals
      The Check Up: Trenda Ray
      The Check Up: Trenda Ray of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
      The Check Up: Dr. Kenneth Davis
      The Check Up: Dr. Kenneth Davis of Mount Sinai Health System
      The Check Up: Dr. Thomas McGinn
      The Check Up: Dr. Thomas McGinn of CommonSpirit Health
    • Video: Ivana Naeymi Rad of Intelligent Medical Objects
  • MORE +
    • Advertise
    • Media Kit
    • Newsletters
    • Jobs
    • People on the Move
    • Reprints & Licensing
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Government
October 29, 2016 01:00 AM

Healthcare leaders send cash to Hillary Clinton, shun Donald Trump

Bob Herman
Shannon Muchmore
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    Healthcare leaders apparently don't think much of Donald Trump.

    A quarter of 100 prominent healthcare executives gave money to Trump's opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton. The rest have not donated to either Clinton or Trump, according to a Modern Healthcare analysis of federal election records. Not a single one financially backed Trump, even though many of them have a history of donating to conservative politicians and causes.

    The absence of support for the unconventional GOP candidate is not surprising, said Grant Reeher, a political science professor and director at Syracuse University's Campbell Public Affairs Institute. Trump's campaign, which has included charged rhetoric against minorities, has turned off many people who might otherwise support the Republican ticket. Most recently, he has come under fire for vulgar comments about sexual assault, prompting many in the party to disavow his candidacy.

    And since the outset of his campaign, Trump has eschewed the financial backing of other business elites. “He's only asked for the money after his political brand had become toxic,” Reeher said.

    The findings also are consistent with Modern Healthcare's second-quarter CEO Power Panel poll, which found many healthcare executives support the Affordable Care Act's insurance expansions and the law's goals to shift away from fee-for-service medicine.

    Clinton has emphasized improving the Affordable Care Act, while Trump has vowed to repeal President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law without a clear plan for replacing it.

    “I don't think most people in the healthcare sector want everything blown up,” said Theda Skocpol, a Harvard University professor of government and sociology who studies healthcare reform. “I think they want changes in healthcare policy, but they probably don't want chaos. And Trump didn't really have anything specific to offer except chaos.”

    Modern Healthcare analyzed Federal Election Commission filings for 100 healthcare CEOs and leaders, many of whom appeared on Modern Healthcare's 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare ranking for 2016. The Democratic nominee was the clear favorite. Twenty-five executives cumulatively plunked $74,655 into the Clinton campaign's piggy bank.

    MH Takeaways

    FEC filings suggest healthcare executives have complicated allegiances in this election cycle— except when it comes to Donald Trump.

    Five executives have donated the maximum $5,400 to Clinton: Geisinger Health System CEO Dr. David Feinberg; Independence Blue Cross CEO Daniel Hilferty; retiring Adventist Health System CEO Donald Jernigan; Centene Corp. CEO Michael Neidorff; and Duke University Health System CEO Dr. Eugene Washington.

    The law caps individual political contributions to $2,700 per election to a federal candidate, but that limit applies separately to primaries and the general election.

    Twenty-one of the 25 Clinton supporters have given at least $2,700 since the start of the campaign. Most of them are leaders of hospitals and integrated health systems and include Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard Tyson; Northwestern Memorial HealthCare CEO Dean Harrison; Dignity Health CEO Lloyd Dean; Memorial Hermann Health System CEO Dr. Benjamin Chu; and Montefiore Health System CEO Dr. Steven Safyer.

    Some Clinton donors—including Hilferty and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center President Dr. Ronald DePinho—also donated heavily to the re-election campaign of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), whose health policy views differ considerably from Clinton's. Ryan, like Trump, wants Congress to spike the ACA.

    Six executives who donated money to the Clinton campaign previously funneled cash to Republicans Jeb Bush, Chris Christie and John Kasich, who all lost to Trump in the primaries. Christie has since been a surrogate for the Trump campaign.

    Prime Healthcare Services CEO Dr. Prem Reddy and UPMC CEO Jeffrey Romoff both donated to Christie's bid before switching to Clinton. Centene's Neidorff, Providence St. Joseph Health CEO Dr. Rodney Hochman and Tenet Healthcare Corp. CEO Trevor Fetter each gave money to Bush's failed campaign before going with the Democratic nominee. Hilferty of Independence Blue Cross went with an all-of-the-above approach. He gave to Bush, Christie and Kasich—in addition to Clinton.

    Reeher said the change of heart for some executives shows people view their political donations as investments. “They want to back the winner because they want to have the positive relationship with the person in power,” he said.

    Fetter's about-face is perhaps most surprising, considering he gave $100,000 last year to Right to Rise USA, a “super” political action committee that supported Bush, another ACA critic. Before entering the race, Bush served as a board member at Tenet, a for-profit hospital chain that Fetter has led since 2003.

    A Tenet spokesman said Fetter was not available for an interview. Many other healthcare executives included in the analysis either declined an interview or were not available to discuss their donations.

    Bush attracted a lot of money from healthcare leaders during the primaries, when he was presumed to be the Republican standard-bearer. None of them redirected their support to Trump after Bush dropped out in February. Twelve of the 100 executives donated to Bush's presidential campaign, according to the analysis, and that included a few who followed in Fetter's footsteps by giving large sums of money to the Right to Rise USA super PAC.

    Jonathan Bush, CEO of electronic health record vendor Athenahealth and cousin of Jeb Bush, matched Fetter's $100,000 donation to that super PAC, which can accept unlimited amounts from people and companies. Dr. Roger Medel, CEO of physician outsourcing company Mednax, pitched in $50,000 to Right to Rise USA. Boston-based Steward Health Care System CEO Dr. Ralph de la Torre donated $25,000 to the same political group, and R. Milton Johnson, CEO of HCA Holdings, the largest for-profit hospital company in the U.S., gave $10,000.

    None of those four executives has sent funds to Trump's campaign coffers or any super PAC supporting him. Jonathan Bush, however, has given $2,700 to Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.

    Kasich, who dropped out of the Republican race in May, also was a popular candidate among right-leaning healthcare executives. Kasich received $1,500 from David Holmberg, CEO of provider and health insurance system Highmark Health; and $2,700 from John Lechleiter, retiring CEO of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly & Co. The Ohio governor also collected $2,700 from Athenahealth's Bush, making Bush one of the most politically active healthcare CEOs.

    Even former Republican nominee Dr. Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon who flamed out in March, has garnered more campaign funds from top healthcare executives than Trump. A $1,000 donation to Carson is linked to an address listed on other filings for HCA's Johnson.

    Many of the healthcare executives who have not donated to Trump this election cycle have long histories of giving to Republican members of Congress as well as to former GOP presidential candidates Mitt Romney and John McCain. Florida Blue CEO Patrick Geraghty, Select Medical Holdings Corp. CEO Robert Ortenzio, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association CEO Scott Serota, Pfizer CEO Ian Read and several others have each given thousands of dollars to leading anti-ACA Republicans such as Paul Ryan, former House Speaker John Boehner or Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

    Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini, who has steered cash toward numerous political candidates on both sides of the aisle over the years, donated $1,000 toward Clinton's senate re-election campaign in 2005. But he has not given anything to either major party candidate during this cycle.

    Clinton wasn't the first liberal choice for some healthcare leaders.

    Geisinger's Feinberg and Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, each donated to former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's campaign before he left the race. RoseAnn DeMoro, head of National Nurses United, endorsed and donated roughly $2,000 to the campaign of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who supports a single-payer system. DeMoro has since stayed on the sidelines.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    New CDC director takes over beleaguered agency amid crisis
    New CDC director takes over beleaguered agency amid crisis
    FCC Chairman Pai on funding telehealth, 5G and the digital divide
    FCC Chairman Pai on funding telehealth, 5G and the digital divide
    Sponsored Content
    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up for free enewsletters and alerts to receive breaking news and in-depth coverage of healthcare events and trends, as they happen, right to your inbox.

    Subscribe Today

    The weekly magazine, websites, research and databases provide a powerful and all-encompassing industry presence. We help you make informed business decisions and lead your organizations to success.

    Subscribe
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS
    • Instagram

    Stay Connected

    Join the conversation with Modern Healthcare through our social media pages

    MDHC_Logotype_white
    Contact Us

    (877) 812-1581

    Email us

     

    Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Editorial Dept
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Code of Ethics
    • Awards
    • About Us
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Modern Healthcare
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • This Week's News
      • COVID-19
      • Providers
      • Insurance
      • Government
      • Finance
      • Technology
      • Safety & Quality
      • People
      • Regional News
        • Midwest
        • Northeast
        • South
        • West
      • Digital Edition
    • Insights
      • ACA 10 Years After
      • Best Practices
      • InDepth Special Reports
      • Innovations
    • Transformation
      • Patients
      • Operations
      • Care Delivery
      • Payment
    • Data/Lists
      • Rankings/Lists
      • Interactive Databases
      • Data Points
    • Op-Ed
      • Bold Moves
      • Breaking Bias
      • Commentaries
      • Letters
      • Vital Signs Blog
      • From the Editor
    • Awards
      • Award Programs
        • 100 Most Influential People
        • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
        • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
        • Health Care Hall of Fame
        • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
        • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
        • Top 25 Innovators
        • Top 25 Minority Leaders
        • Top 25 Women Leaders
      • Nominate
      • Previous Award Programs
        • Excellence in Nursing Awards
        • Design Awards
        • Top 25 COOs in Healthcare
      • Other Award Programs
        • 100 Top Hospitals
        • ACHE Awards
    • Events
      • Conferences
        • Leadership Symposium
        • Healthcare Transformation Summit
        • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
        • Workplace of the Future Conference
        • Strategic Marketing Conference
        • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
      • Galas
        • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
        • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
        • Top 25 Minority Leaders Gala (2022)
        • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
      • Webinars
      • COVID-19 Event Tracker
    • Listen
      • Podcast - Next Up
      • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
      • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
      • Video Series - The Check Up
      • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • MORE +
      • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Newsletters
      • Jobs
      • People on the Move
      • Reprints & Licensing