Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina donated $643,000 to state politicians from the 2000 election cycle through 2008, the election watchdog group Democracy North Carolina says.
No other company the size of Blue Cross has donated more to state politics, the organization said in a news release today. The political action committees of seven other companies, such as banks and utilities, have given more, but they are larger than Blue Cross and operate in multiple states.
Sen. Tony Rand, the Democratic majority leader and chairman of a Senate committee on employees' hospital and medical benefits, received $36,000 from Blue Cross, making him the top recipient, Democracy North Carolina said. The second highest recipient was Senate leader Marc Basnight, who received $35,000.
Blue Cross, the state's largest health insurer, administers the health insurance plan for state employees. The health plan is supervised by a legislative body.
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