Snapshots of lobbying techniques used as Congress gets ready to start writing bills overhauling health care:

MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE POWERFUL: The health industry sensed a shift toward Democrats last year, and adjusted. Four big players — the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, America's Health Insurance Plans, the American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association — gave a combined $2.6 million to Republican congressional candidates and $1.4 million to Democrats in 2005 and 2006, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks political influence. In the two years prior to last November's elections, the groups recalculated their donations, giving $2.2 million to Democrats and $1.5 million to the GOP.

LOTS OF LOBBYING: Health care interests have spent more on lobbying than any other sector this year, $128 million, according to the center. The next closest sectors are finance, insurance and real estate at $112 million, and energy and natural resources at $103 million — both of which are also a focus of attention this year by the Obama administration and Congress. The figures cover the first three months of 2009.

COVERING ALL ANGLES: America's Health Insurance Plans, representing health insurers, has joined with other groups to embrace cutting costs, extending coverage and improving quality. It is also defending Medicare Advantage, a form of Medicare delivered by private insurance companies that President Barack Obama wants to cut. Showing how lobbying alliances can shift, the insurers — who helped kill President Bill Clinton's health overhaul in the 1990s — have hired the Dewey Square Group, a public policy firm heavily stocked with Democrats who once worked for Clinton and Al Gore.

USING TECHNOLOGY: On the Web site of Health Care for America Now, a coalition of liberals and unions backing Obama's health plan, people can fill in their name, address, zip code and phone number. After one click, their telephone will ring and they will be connected, for free, to the office of their member of Congress. ... Insurance giant WellPoint, which opposes Obama's proposal to offer optional government coverage, used computers to make 3.3 million telephone calls last month, asking if people wanted more information. Of that group, 66,000 submitted letters to Congress, the company says. ... Many groups' Web sites make it easy for people to submit health care stories or contact lawmakers, even suggesting arguments. Conservatives for Patients Rights offers an "Impact Meter," a color-coded graph indicating when a message is too long to be effective.

Health Care for America NOW! is using Advomatic's Click-to-Call Tool to fight for quality, affordable health care for all Americans.