Key health care senators have industry ties

For the Yahoo presentation of the Associated Press report by Associated Press Writers, LARRY MARGASAK and SHARON THEIMER (6/11/09), click the title above. The report lists names of Senators (and, where relevant, their family members) who have serious conflicts of interest. I wonder whether the conflicts should require that they recuse themselves from the legislative process affecting health care, though recusal would throw the legislative process into complete and utter turmoil.

We won't have ethics in health care, or appropriate health care legislation, if we don't have ethics in Congress relating to health care legislation. Doctors, engaging in qualitatively similar behavior, might find themselves accused of Federal Stark Law violations, and face fines, litigation and loss of Medicare provider status and licensure.