Consumer group critical of Nickles' efforts

Thursday, April 6th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A consumer group accuses Sen. Don Nickles of working closely with health care lobbyists to derail broad legislation that would give new rights to 161 million insured patients and allow them to sue their health plans.

The accusations leveled Wednesday by the group Public Citizen were strongly disputed by a Nickles spokeswoman.

Public Citizen, founded by Ralph Nader, does research on safety, trade and other issues. It released a study Wednesday about the lobbying of Republican leaders in regard to reforming health maintenance organizations with legislation.

The study charges that a health care task force headed by Nickles, R-Okla., heard primarily from opponents of sweeping legislation, and that Republican staff members told groups opposing the bill to organize grassroots efforts to sway opinions.

The study says lobby groups in the Health Benefits Coalition donated nearly $120,000 to Nickles' campaign and his leadership political action committee from 1995 through 1999.

Groups in the coalition, some of which have several other issues of interest besides health care reform, have donated $14 million to Republican Party organizations and candidates, the study says.

One of the study's conclusions is that the situation highlights the need for campaign finance reform.

Nickles' press secretary, Gayle Osterberg, said two things are motivating Nickles in the managed care debate.

One is "making sure Congress does not greatly increase healthcare costs or significantly increase the number of Americans without health insurance, and, secondly, passing a bill that improves and expands quality and access.

"Public Citizen clearly believes anyone who doesn't agree with them must be corrupt," she said. "Senator Nickles believes opening up health plans and employers to unlimited lawsuits would cost people their health insurance."