With the battle over health care reform still under way, the industry’s trade group spent almost as much on lobbying during the first nine months of this year as in all of 2008, according to records reviewed by Bloomberg News.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America spent $19.9 million to lobby Congress and federal agencies during the first nine months of 2009, according to disclosure statements filed with the U.S. Senate. By contrast, PhRMA spent $20.2 million in all of 2008.

“Making certain that every single American has access in the future to high-quality health care coverage services has been our top priority this year, and that single-minded focus is reflected in the amount of money we have spent on both lobbying and advertising,” Ken Johnson, a Phrma senior vp, tells the news service. “The future of health care and medical progress in America are at stake.”

The drug industry agreed to absorb $80 billion in cost cuts as part of a deal reached with President Barack Obama.

Another shocker: the trade group for health insurers, America’s Health Insurance Plans, also may surpass its 2008 lobbying spending. The group reported $6.2 million in lobbying expenses during the first nine months of 2009 as compared with $7.5 million during all of 2008.