WASHINGTON — Democratic candidates for president are outpacing Republicans in donations from the health-care industry in a reversal from past election cycles, even as the leading Democrats in the field offer proposals that have caused deep anxiety in some of its sectors.
Hospitals, drug makers, doctors and insurers gave candidates in both parties more than $11 million in the first nine months of this year, according to an analysis of campaign finance records done for The New York Times by the Center for Responsive Politics, anindependent group that tracks campaign finance.
In all, the Democratic presidential candidates have raised about $6.5 million from the industry, compared with nearly $4.8 million for the Republican candidates. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York has amassed the most of any candidate; her calls for broad changes to the health-care system could pose serious financial challenges to private insurers, drug companies and other sectors.
Clinton received $2.7 million through the end of September, far more than Mitt Romney, the Republican who raised the most from the health-care industry,with $1.6 million. The industry's drift in contributions toward Democratic candidates mirrors wider trends among donors, but the donations from this sector are particularly notable because of the party's focus on overhauling the health-care system.
People in the health-care industry say the giving reflects a growing sense that the Democrats are in a position to win the White House next year. It also underscores the industry's effort to influence the candidates, as Democrats push their proposals to address what many polls show is a top concern among voters.
"Everybody in the industry knows that health-care reform is on its way, and you have only two decisions: Sit on the sidelines or get on the field," said Kenneth Raske, president of the Greater New York Hospital Association who is involved in a national coalition seeking an overhaul of health care.
But the donations could expose the candidates, particularlyClinton, to accusations of being captive to special interests.
The donations have come as the health-care industry has been targeted by Democratic candidates. Clinton and other Democrats have proposed barring insurance companies from "cherry picking" only healthy customers and want to have Medicare negotiate lower drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry. And Sen. Barack Obama has called for actually limiting the profits of the insurance industry.
Phillip Blando, a political strategist who advises insurance and biotechnology companies, said the health-care contributions to Democratic candidates were "smart politics."
"For many people in the industry," Blando said, "these contributions are a defensive measure.Health care is the No. 1 domestic policy issue, and they want access, a seat at the table."
The major Democratic candidates have issued detailed proposals to expand coverage, rein in health-care costs, and hold down insurance premiums and drug prices. Contributions from the health-care industry have grown as the candidates talk more andmore about these ideas.
"I intend to be the health-care president," Clinton said at a debate last month in New Hampshire. "You see a lot of people with those stickers that say, 'I'm a health-care voter.' Well, I want to be the health-care president."
Some people donate because they like a candidate's platform. Others donate because they are worried about what the candidate wants to do and hope to mitigate the damage. But the Democratic presidential candidates are collecting more than Republicans from virtually every sector of the industry - pharmaceuticals, insurers and health maintenance organizations, doctors, hospitals, and nursing homes - according to the analysis.
Among all the candidates in both political parties, Obama, of Illinois, is the No. 2 recipient of donations from the health-care industry, having raised about $2.2 million, according to campaign finance records.
Two Republicans trail him in third and fourth place, Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, and Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, with $1.4 million.
Front Section, Pages 1, 6 on 10/29/2007