UnitedHealth subsidiary is Congress' "gold standard" for health-care analysis?

[Minnesota Raindog]

For years, congressional lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have regarded the Lewin Group, a Virginia-based research firm, as an unbiased, nonpartisan auditor of health care legislation. The company's website quotes Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Bob Bennett (R-Utah) calling the Lewin Group the "gold standard" for health care analysis.

Yet as the Washington Post reported Wednesday, few who have cited recent Lewin data, which suggests nearly 100 million Americans may quit their private insurance plans if offered a government-run alternative, mention that the company belongs to a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary.

More here:

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2009/07/lawmakers-who-called-lewin-gro.html

Michele Bachmann opposes a public health-care option because it would be cheaper than private insurance, and has relied on the Lewin Group to make her argument against health-care reform:

http://michelebachmann.townhall.com/blog/g/c77914d6-3f5e-4a77-8f83-ec21607aa968

Bachmann:
Here’s the harsh reality of what’s facing our nation. Since the recession began, 6,000,000 jobs have been lost. Yet the Democrats’ health care plan includes hundreds of billions of dollars in new tax hikes on small businesses – our country’s job creation engine. And, despite claims their reform will reduce health care costs, CBO Director Elmendorf told Congress that the Democrats’ proposed reform will only INCREASE future federal spending on health care. Furthermore, an independent analysis by the non-partisan Lewin Group found that 114 million Americans would lose their current health insurance.


And still more on this sleazebag company here:

http://mncampaignreport.com/diary/3639/media-failure-lewin-group-how-unitedhealth-heritage-found-are-shaping-health-care-debate

http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/about/2009/pac_report123108.pdf

[dflprincess]

1. Kick