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Non-profit

Committee to Protect Health Care

Website:

committeetoprotect.org/
Location:

Detroit, MI
Tax ID:

82-0596008
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(4)

Budget (2022):

Revenue: $1,305,087
Expenses: $991,365
Assets: $292,184
Type:

Medical advocacy group
Founded:

2019
Executive Director:

Rob Davidson, MD
Budget (2023):

Revenue: $941,231

Expenses: $769,739

Total Assets: $392,832. 22

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Committee to Protect Health Care is a trade name for the Committee to Protect Medicare and the ACA. 1 It is a super PAC and advocacy organization that supports expanded government intervention in health care policies. 2 It conducts media campaigns and recruits health care professionals to advocate and lobby for left-of-center policies that support government-controlled health care and expanded abortion access. 3

Background

Committee to Protect Health Care is a 501(c)(4) left-of-center advocacy organization focused on expanding state and federal-level government health care provision to “cover all persons in the United States” 4 and to expand abortion access. It is a group of health care professionals and leverages published media and advocacy campaigns to support these health care changes. 5

It began organizing in January 2019, recruiting medical professionals. 6 According to the Center for Responsive Politics’ OpenSecrets, it is a liberal super PAC. 2 It supports left-of-center expanded government-run health care and liberal abortion access policies and opposes elected officials who oppose these policies. It recruits and trains health care professionals to advocate and lobby for these policies. 7

The Committee to Protect Health Care Education Fund is the 501(c)(3) organization associated with the Committee to Protect Health Care. 8

Activities

In 2020 and 2021 Committee to Protect Health Care focused its attention on the COVID-19 crisis, alleging that President Donald Trump and Republicans were responsible for “disinformation and reckless public health policy.” It spent millions of dollars in media campaigns advertising against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and Texas Governor Greg Abbot (R), alleging that their opposition to lockdown-style policies led to spread of COVID-19. 6

In 2021, members of the group advocated for Public Option in Colorado and Nevada, lobbying with media coverage and testifying at the state legislatures. 9 Public Option is a left-supported state government-run and subsidized public health insurance option that is sold on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. 10 Then-Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak (D) signed the bill on June 9, 2021, 11 and Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D-CO) signed the bill on June 16, 2021. 10

Toward the end of 2021, the group began its focus on abortion support leveraging video advertising and mass communications campaigns. After the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022, it continued to campaign in several states, supporting expanded abortion access. In Michigan they submitted an amicus brief to the Michigan Supreme Court in support of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) lawsuit challenging Michigan’s 1931 abortion ban, 12 which the Democratic-controlled legislature repealed in April 2023. 13 It supported Michigan Proposal 3 which created a state-level right to abortion and other social-liberal policies in the state and was passed in November 2022. 14

The organization’s Reproductive Freedom Taskforce is made up of abortion providers, attorneys, and elected officials that advocate for abortion. 15

In June 2023, affiliated activists erected a billboard in Florida near the Orlando International Airport that reads “TURN AROUND! Ron DeSantis is attacking your reproductive rights. Head to Michigan for patient-doctor medical decisions.” 16 The billboard referenced a group-sponsored website, MichiganMeansFreedom.com, which provides a detailed description of the actions both Michigan and Florida have taken to support or oppose abortion access. 17

Controversy

“17,000 Doctors” Letter Opposing RFK Jr.

On January 9 2025, the Committee to Protect Health Care released a letter online allegedly signed by over “17,000 doctors” calling for the U.S Senate to reject Robert Kennedy Jr. for the position of Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) after he was nominated by then-President-elect Donald Trump. The letter also read, “As physicians, we are outraged by this appointment and we call on the Senate to act immediately…Reject Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination and demand qualified leadership at HHS that prioritizes science, the protection of public health, and the well-being of all Americans. The health and security of our nation depend on it.” 18

Later on January 24, 2025, health and fitness advocate Jillian Michaels released a video report shared on her X account that questioned the legitimacy of the signatures where she went online to the letter and was allegedly able to sign the letter twice under two fake names. She later added, “A letter that anybody can sign with zero credentials as many times as they want to, that is claiming to have over 17,000 signatures by medical professionals, which I’ve already shown you is clearly a lie.” 19 The report also noted how the organization had previously received donations from the Sixteen Thirty Fund as well as the Hopewell Fund, both fiscal sponsorship nonprofits administered by philanthropic consulting firm Arabella Advisors. 19 20

On February 13, 2025, the U.S Senate voted to confirm Robert Kennedy Jr. as HHS Secretary. 21

Funding

According to its 2023 990 form, Committee to Protect Health Care, under the name Committee To Protect Medicare & The ACA, reported a revenue of $941,231 as well as expenses at $769,739 and total assets at $392,832. 22

According to its 2022 990 form, the group reported $1,305,087 in revenue, $991,365 in expenses, and $292,184 in total assets. 23

According to its 2021 990 form, the group reported $629,489 in revenues, $690,199 in expenses, and $13,191 in total assets. 24

Between 2020 and 2023, the organization received several donations from the Sixteen Thirty Fund and the Hopewell Fund. 25 26 27 28 Both groups are fiscal sponsorship nonprofits administered by philanthropic consulting firm Arabella Advisors. 29

Political Contributions

During the 2024 election cycle, the Committee to Protect Health Care, as the Committee to Protect Medicare and the ACA, spent $416,248, with $$247,666 going to support the campaigns of Democratic Party candidates and another $168,582 spent opposing the campaigns of Republican Party candidates. 30

During the 2020 election cycle, the group spent $1,242,003, with $100,541 in support of Democratic Party Candidates, $1,139,058 against Republican Party Candidates, and an additional $1,136,263 spent opposing then-President Donald Trump. 31

Leadership

Mona Mangat is board chair of Committee to Protect Health Care. She is an allergist and immunologist who advocates for government-run health care. Previously she was national board chair of Doctors for America, 4 a left-of-center advocacy organization that promotes abortion, access to sex-reassignment treatments, gun control, and elimination of for-profit prisons. 32

Rob Davidson is executive director of the Committee to Protect Health Care. He is an emergency physician and an advocate for government-run health care and “Medicare-for-all.” 4

References

  1. Committee to Protect Medicare & the ACA. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part I). 2021.
  2. “Committee to Protect Medicare Outside Spending.” OpenSecrets – Summary. Accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2022?cmte=C00736637&tab=summary
  3.  “Mission & Vision.” Committee to Protect Health Care. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://committeetoprotect.org/mission/
  4. “Who We Are.” Committee to Protect Health Care – About. Accessed June 13, 2023. https://committeetoprotect.org/about/
  5.  “Mission & Vision.” Committee to Protect Health Care. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://committeetoprotect.org/mission/
  6. “Our Story.” Committee to Protect Health Care. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://committeetoprotect.org/our-story/
  7. Committee to Protect Medicare & the ACA. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part III). 2021.
  8. “Committee to Protect Health Care Education Fund.” ActBlue Donation site. Accessed June 13, 2023. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/website-v1
  9. “Wins.” Committee to Protect Health Care. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://committeetoprotect.org/wins/
  10. Dylan Scott. “The public option is now a reality in 3 states.” Vox. June 17, 2021. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22535267/public-option-health-insurance-nevada-colorado-washington
  11. “Nevada Public Option – Launch Date: January 1, 2026.” NV.gov – DHHS. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://dhhs.nv.gov/PublicOption/
  12.   “Our Story.” Committee to Protect Health Care. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://committeetoprotect.org/our-story/
  13. Rebekah Sager. “Physicians group drags DeSantis with billboard warning Florida travelers of abortion bans.” The American Independent. June 2, 2023. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://americanindependent.com/physicians-drags-desantis-billboard-florida/
  14.  Yue Stella Yu and Robin Erb. “Michigan Proposal 3 supporting abortion rights wins big.” Bridge Michigan. November 9, 2022. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/michigan-proposal-3-supporting-abortion-rights-wins-big
  15. “Our Fight to Defend Abortion Access and Protect Reproductive Freedom.” Committee to Protect Health Care. Accessed June 13, 2023. https://committeetoprotect.org/abortion/
  16. Kyle Kaminski. ” New Billboards Urge Florida Visitors to Turn Around and Go to Michigan.” The Gander. June 1, 2023. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://gandernewsroom.com/2023/06/01/new-billboards-urge-florida-visitors-to-turn-around-and-go-to-michigan/
  17. Michigan Means Freedom website. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://michiganmeansfreedom.com/
  18. Frazier, Kierra. “Over 17,000 doctors sign letter urging Senate to reject RFK Jr. as health secretary.” CBS News, January 9, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doctors-senate-rfk-jr-health-secretary/
  19. “Jillian Michaels Exposes the Shady Tactics Behind the Anti-RFK Letter from “17,000 Doctors”.” Broken Truth.TV, January 24, 2025. https://www.brokentruth.tv/p/jillian-michaels-exposes-the-shady
  20. Humanspective (@Humanspective). “This is crazy. [@JillianMichaels] has exposed a dark money network, but there’s MORE.” X, January 24, 2025. https://x.com/Humanspective/status/1882874863242949092
  21. Korecki, Natasha and Kate Santaliz. “Senate votes to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary.” NBC News, February 13, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-votes-confirm-robert-f-kennedy-jr-health-secretary-rcna191856
  22. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Committee to Protect Medicare & the ACA. 2023. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/820596008/202403199349319150/full
  23. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Committee to Protect Medicare & the ACA. 2022. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/820596008/202303199349311750/full
  24. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Committee to Protect Medicare & the ACA. 2021. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/820596008/202243189349314304/full
  25. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Sixteen Thirty Fund. 2020. Schedule I, Part II. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/264486735/202103169349311225/full
  26. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Sixteen Thirty Fund. 2022. Schedule I, Part II. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/264486735/202343149349301424/full
  27. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Hopewell Fund. 2020. Schedule I, Part II. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/473681860/202333149349300038/full
  28. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Hopewell Fund. 2021. Schedule I, Part II. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/473681860/202203139349304855/full
  29. Hayden R. Ludwig. “Big Money in Dark Shadows: Arabella Advisors’ Half-billion-dollar ‘Dark Money’ Network.” Capital Research Center (DarkMoneyATM.org). https://darkmoneyatm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/CRC_Arabella-Advisors-Dark-Money_small.pdf
  30. “Committee to Protect Medicare Outside Spending.” Open Secrets, Accessed February 13, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2024?cmte=C00736637&tab=summary
  31. “Committee to Protect Medicare Outside Spending.” OpenSecrets – Committee to Protect Medicare. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/detail/2020?cmte=C00736637&tab=summary
  32. “What We Do.” Doctors for America. Accessed June 13, 2023. https://doctorsforamerica.org/what-we-do/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: March 1, 2023

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2022 Dec Form 990 $1,305,087 $991,365 $292,184 $74,294 N $1,175,087 $130,000 $0 $0 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $629,489 $690,199 $13,191 $0 N $629,487 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Committee to Protect Health Care

    440 BURROUGHS ST STE 158
    Detroit, MI 48202-3467