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At the close of the ASA Political Action Committee's
(ASAPAC's) 2002 fiscal year, contributions totaling
$759,932 had been received from 3,194 ASA members
in 2002. Unfortunately, ASAPAC contributions for 2002
have decreased both in terms of total money raised
and in percentage of members contributing. The average
contribution per ASAPAC member, however, has increased
somewhat. One state, Alabama, has fought the
trend of decreasing participation and is the clear
frontrunner both in total money raised and in percentage
of members contributing.
ASAPAC contributions increased dramatically during
the four years in which organized medicine was aggressively
working to maintain the federal medical supervision
requirement for anesthesia services provided in Medicare
and Medicaid facilities. Contributions peaked in 2000
with ASAPAC donations exceeding $1.1 million. ASAPAC
contributions have essentially fallen to levels just
above those preceding the federal supervision issue.
While contributions fell in several states this year,
this was not the case in Alabama and three other states:
Colorado, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Thirty-eight percent of Alabama anesthesiologists
contributed to ASAPAC this year, the highest level
of participation in any state. The ASAPAC Executive
Board would like to extend its thanks to Jeffrey S.
Plagenhoef, M.D., president of the Alabama component
society, for his tireless efforts in behalf of ASAPAC.
South Dakota was second in participation with
30 percent of its 46 members distinguishing themselves
as PAC donors. Third place goes to Kansas with
22 percent of members contributing. Four state component
societies had PAC participation rates of 20 percent
and consequently tied for fourth place: Colorado,
Iowa, Oregon and South Carolina.
Six states have distinguished themselves by raising
more than $30,000 each during the 2002 ASAPAC year.
Alabama again takes top honors by raising more
than $58,000 from 146 anesthesiologists. Texas
was second, raising almost $42,000, and Florida
was third with just over $40,000. Anesthesiologists
in Illinois contributed more than $39,000 to
the PAC; Georgia and California each
raised more than $36,000.
While the overall average ASAPAC contribution is approximately
$238, seven states had contribution averages that
exceeded $350. ASAPAC donors in South Dakota donated
an average of $413, and those in Alabama contributed
an average of $402! Donors in Alaska, Georgia,
Mississippi, North Dakota and South Dakota
also had average contributions of $350 or more.
While there is little doubt that 100 percent of ASA
members benefit from the political achievements of
ASAPAC, it is important to understand that the approximately
3,200 anesthesiologists who contributed to ASAPAC
this year represent only 10 percent of active, resident
and retired ASA members. In other words, it is a small
minority of anesthesiologists who provide the means
by which our profession has access to key members
of the U.S. House and Senate who are willing to speak
out on behalf of our patients and our profession.
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Danial
O. Laird, M.D., is a partner with Summit Anesthesia
Consultants, Inc., and works for multiple hospitals
and ambulatory surgical centers in Las Vegas,
Nevada. |
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