It is no surprise that money played a big role in the Michigan Senate's needlessly rushed vote on the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan conversion last Wednesday.  According to Follow the Money.org (a resource by the National Institute on Money in State Politics), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is the largest campaign contributor to both the Senate Insurance Committee Chair Joe Hune and Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville.

But I still cannot understand why Michigan Senate Democrats so willingly went along with the vote.  After all, the legislation they voted for will likely increase Medicare premiums for Michigan's seniors by over $1.7 Billion in today's dollars, it will take away Medicare options for many Michigan seniors and individuals with disabilities, and it gives back less than $1 Billion to Michiganders for giving up this health coverage and the decades of tax breaks that BCBSM received.  Talk about a great campaign issue!

However, part of the explanation for the Senate Democrats' vote could also be money.  Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has given the Senate Democratic Fund $141,250 between 2004-2010 (BCBSM gave the Republican committee $146,800 over this same period).  Furthermore, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan was the biggest contributor to the only two Democrats on the Senate Insurance Committee, was the top contributor for half of the Senate Democratic Leadership, and was in the top three biggest contributors for all of the Senate Democratic Leadership.

Of the candidates in office, who has Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan given the most to?  That would be Attorney General Bill Schuette with $39,000 in campaign contributions (the third biggest contributor to his campaign).  Fingers crossed that he really is dedicated to protecting seniors as much as he claims.