Physicians in the United States Congress

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Physicians in the United States Congress have been a small minority, but substantially overrepresent the number of practicing physicians in the United States.[1] As of 2014, there were 19 physicians serving as members of United States Congress; this was twice as many as a decade prior. The number of physicians serving and running for Congress has risen with increasing health care spending, increased health care reform debate in the United States, including the Healthcare Reform Act. Physicians in Congress have received large campaign contributions from health care trade associations and from peers through physician associations.

History

In 1776, 11 percent of signers of the Declaration of Independence were physicians.[2] Likewise two (5 percent) of the 39 individuals crafting the US Constitution in 1787 were physicians.[3] During the first 100 years of Congress (1789–1889) 252 (or 4.6 percent) of 5405 members were physicians. At the beginning of each of the last five decades there were five (1960), three (1970), four (1980), two (1990), and 10 (2000) physicians in Congress,[4]

As of 2013 and 2014 there were 21 physicians, including one woman in Congress.[5] There were 17 physicians and 2 veterinarians as of 2015, all of them male. Three quarters of physicians in Congress 2014 and 2015 were Republican, see table below.

Physicians in the 113th Congress

Legislature Name ‡ Party-State-District Year elected Medical specialty 2013–2014, campaign money raised
House Dan Benishek (R-MI-01) 2010 General surgery, retired $834,670[6]
House Ami Bera (D-CA-07) 2012 General practice $1,373,106[7]
House Charles Boustany (R-LA-03) 2004 Cardiothoracic surgery, retired $1,016,712 [8]
House Paul Broun (R-GA-10) 2007 General practice $1,122,494[9]
House Larry Bucshon (R-IN-08) 2010 Thoracic surgery $608,721[10]
House Michael C. Burgess (R-TX-26) 2010 OB/GYN $613,280 [11]
House Bill Cassidy (R-LA-06) 2008 Gastroenterology $5,121,030[12]
House Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands-AL) 1996 Emergency Medicine No data found
House Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) 2010 Family Medicine $283,549 [13]
House John Fleming (R-LA-04) 2008 Family Medicine $698,596 [14]
House Phil Gingrey (R-GA-11) 2002 OB/GYN $1,530,373[15]
House Andrew P. Harris (R-MD-01) 2010 Anesthesiology No data found
House Joe Heck (R-NV-03) 2010 Emergency Medicine $1,117,768[16]
House Jim McDermott (D-WA-07) 1988 Psychiatry $223,469 [17]
House Tom Price (R-GA-06) 2004 Orthopedic Surgery $1,375,428[18]
House David "Phil" Roe (R-TN-01) 2008 OB/GYN $348,673 [19]
House Raul Ruiz (D-CA-36) 2008 Emergency Medicine $1,504,150[20]
Senate John Barrasso (R-WY) 2007 Orthopedic Surgery No data found
Senate Tom Coburn (R-OK) 2004 Family Medicine $2,100,328 †[21]
Senate Rand Paul (R-KY) 2010 Ophthalmology $10,919,733†[22]

† 2009/2014 cycle

Physicians in the 114th Congress

Legislature Name ‡ Party-State-District Year elected Medical specialty 2013–2014, campaign money raised
House Ralph Abraham (R-LA-05) 2014 General surgery, Veterinarian $834,670[23]
Senate John Barrasso (R-WY) 2007 Orthopedic Surgery No data found
House Dan Benishek (R-MI-01) 2010 General surgery, retired $834,670[6]
House Ami Bera (D-CA-07) 2012 General practice $1,373,106[7]
House Charles Boustany (R-LA-03) 2004 Cardiothoracic surgery, retired $1,016,712 [8]
House Larry Bucshon (R-IN-08) 2010 Thoracic surgery $608,721[10]
House Michael C. Burgess (R-TX-26) 2010 OB/GYN $613,280 [11]
Senate Bill Cassidy (R-LA) 2014 Gastroenterology [12]
House Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) 2010 Family Medicine $283,549 [13]
House John Fleming (R-LA-04) 2008 Family Medicine $698,596 [14]
House Andrew P. Harris (R-MD-01) 2010 Anesthesiology No data found
House Joe Heck (R-NV-03) 2010 Emergency Medicine $1,117,768[16]
House Jim McDermott (D-WA-07) 1988 Psychiatry $223,469 [17]
House Tom Price (R-GA-06) 2004 Orthopedic Surgery $1,375,428[18]
House David "Phil" Roe (R-TN-01) 2008 OB/GYN $348,673 [19]
House Raul Ruiz (D-CA-36) 2012 Emergency Medicine $1,504,150[20]
Senate Rand Paul (R-KY) 2010 Ophthalmology $10,919,733†[22]

† 2009/2014 cycle

Running for Congress 2014

Senate candidates in 2014 included "an obstetrician in North Carolina, Milton Wolf, a radiologist in Kansas, a liver disease specialist in Louisiana, and Representatives Paul Broun and Phil Gingrey in Georgia — all of them Republicans. At least 26 more physicians were running for the House, some for re-election." per a New York Times article from March 2014 [24]

Motivations

Tom Coburn said,"physicians have watched the profession undergo tremendous realignments that are shifting doctors’ responsibilities away from patient care, changes they attribute to the government’s inefficacy".[24] Jim McDermott, was quoted as saying "They want to have their hands right there on the handle so they can pull it one way or another."[24] Physicians "balked at the idea of lawmakers with no medical experience making decisions that could upend the profession", per Andy Harris.[24]

Kelley Paul, wife of Rand Paul said, when he made his 2016 White House bid, "Being a physician gives Rand a unique perspective in Washington, simply because he’s trained to diagnose a problem and find a solution." [25]

References

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  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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