Nursing homes come to Sen. Orrin Hatch's aid

WASHINGTON A traffic group representing nursing homes has given a Utah Republican Party $175,000 over a past year, income which could help Sen. Orrin Hatch stave off a tea party challenge as well as win re-election. If he does, as well as if a Republicans take over a Senate, Hatch stands to chair a committee which has jurisdiction over a tens of billions of Medicare as well as Medicaid dollars which flow annually to nursing homes. The traffic group's income was used to boost attendance at a state's neighborhood caucuses last month, as well as analysts contend a extended congress turnout enhanced Hatch's prospects for winning his party's nomination for a seventh Senate term. That's because a representatives elected to attend a state Republican Convention upon April twenty-one included more moderates as well as fewer of a tea party supporters who two years ago rejected former Utah Sen. Bob Bennett's bid for a fourth tenure in 2010. Nursing homes weren't alone in attempting to help Hatch, now a senior Republican upon a Senate Finance Committee as well as likely to be its authority next year if a GOP takes control from Democrats in a Nov election. A domestic movement committee representing radiologists has spent about $77,000 supporting his candidacy through print ads as well as other activities conducted independently of a Hatch campaign. The contributions uncover how some interest groups are demonstrating their await for Hatch over a $10,000 limit which domestic movement committees must abide by when contributing directly to a candidate's campaign. Such await could be particularly important next year if Republicans take control of a Senate. The Finance Committee has jurisdiction over Medicare as well as Medicaid spending, which is critical to both nursing homes as well as radiologists trying to fend off spending cuts in a coming mercantile year. Nursing homes rely greatly upon federal reimbursements to survive. The federal government's Medicare program is projected to outlay about $31 billion upon nursing home care in 2012. Medicaid, a federal-state partnership, will outlay about $45 billion with nursing homes, according to Health as well as Human Services Department projections. Campaigning in Utah this week, Hatch pronounced he wasn't aware of contributions to a state party organization from Washington-based interest groups. "If any of them gave income because they like me, it is because they agree with what I mount for as well as not because I do what they want," Hatch said. Officials at The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care declined to comment for this report. The alliance represents 12 companies owning about 1,400 properties throughout a county. Powered By iWebRSS.co.cc

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