Senate Democrats Launch Attack On Insurer Anti-Trust Exemption

POLITICO:

The long-simmering tension between insurers and congressional Democrats is erupting into open warfare, with lawmakers stepping up their push to revoke a key federal protection for the insurance industry.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday will call for an amendment to the health care reform bill that would remove the long-standing antitrust exemption for insurers, echoing a push by other Democrats to crack down on the industry.

Read the whole story: POLITICO

Comments

[LiberalDemIda]

Why anti-trust laws for the segment of Big Business the naysayers and tea-baggers shriek are independent and separate - at least enough to be able to cross state lines to purchase their overpriced policies making a government backed public option obsolete, right?

I mean, after all, their conglomerates have different letterheads, right? Isn't it that simple?

[zizyphus]

Don't get all excited about any anti-trust reform notions, how quaint! You think this is the 50s again, or what? Organized crime runs the government now. Any idea that benefits the poor will wither and die on the vine.

Any candidate who makes it to the White House has already been vetted to assure they will never do anything to rock the profitable boat the oligarchs are sailing in.

The game that Congress plays is stretch out every bill, every amendment, every discussion to last as as long as possible, knowing that in the end, most of them will always vote to protect the interests of the corporations who bribe them.

I expect to see that many old people will opt for suicide for over bankrupting their families with medical bills.

[legalgirl]

Yes, well that's nice. Then there will be LOTS of employment for the DOJ. This OLD person won't be BK'ing or suiciding out -- how dare you.

[wonketteRAWKS]

Perhaps if this antitrust exemption had been dealt with many years ago, we all might be able to afford health insurance today. Politicians have let this go on for far too long.

[Stuzzadelic]

I like the way the industry refers to its participating members as health care "providers" as though they're GIVING you something in an altruistic Florence Nightingale sense of generosity and compassion. However the health insurance companies are really DEALERSHIPS, rigorously regulating supply and demand and minimizing expenditures to maximize the highest level of profit possible.

The federal government should have stepped in 20 years ago to make sure health care is 100% not-for-profit in the USA.

[S E Martin]

Dear Canadians,

I’ve been reading a lot lately about how poor your health care system is. It sounds terrible about how long you have to wait for care. Doctors and nurses must be rather incompetent, too, considering how poorly they get paid.

Canada must be a terrible place to live, what with all the dying people in the streets and all that. It’s too bad there isn’t some kind of help for Canadians to get better medical attention.

It must be hard to find medicine there, too, since there’s no scientific research or any kind of medical advancement there. I feel so sorry for my northern neighbors.

Please feel free to come to the United States. It only costs about $9,000 a year here for medical coverage for one person. And then, if you actually get sick, it’s only another $500 deductible and you only pay about 20% of your total bill. I had an MRI last year, and it only cost me $1,500 out of my own pocket! Can you believe the value?

Just be careful to call ahead, get pre-approved for everything (even before you hop in the ambulance!), and make sure you doctor is in the right network (whatever that is!) otherwise you’ll have to pay full price.

Sincerely,

U.S. Citizens against anything Canadian or European-sounding

[Kamenskiy]

This is great. While ending the antitrust exemption, we should also open up state lines for competition, remove some of the barriers to entry into the market, and create a strong public option to serve as a "gold standard". Perhaps then we will see decent, affordable insurance that does not rip off the customers. This would still not be as efficient as single payer, but it would be a vast improvement over the corporatist industry-government racketeering complex we've got now.

[Marcospinelli]

The new White House talking points for protecting the insurance: "Choice and Competition". Robert Gibbs led it off yesterday, followed by Obama and then the Blue Dogs (Mary Landrieau on MSNBC today, scolding the left for wanting "free medical care").

Americans want affordable quality medical care. American don't give a good g0dd@mn about the insurance industry.

How did reform get to be about keeping the insurance industry in the equation?

Businesses don't want to have to provide insurance to their employees, and Americans don't want their ability to get affordable quality medical care tied to their jobs. Yet Obama refuses to allow any solution that allows that possibility and took the most obvious, workable, fastest and easiest solution to the problem (single payer universal health care) off the table.

The problem is Obama and politicians on both sides of the aisle who are in bed with the corporations.

Single payer universal healthcare. Now.

[DaveyDavey]

“McCarran-Ferguson has nothing to do with competition in the health insurance market," said Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America’s Health Insurance Plans.

Sure it has nothing to do with competition, BECAUSE THERE IS NO COMPETITION!

I want my public option, and I want an end to the anti-trust exemption for the health care industry.

[ClareP]

This is excellent news, and it is a very good sign that Reid is backing it (though the Conyers version in the house is the stronger one- it would be great to see that pass).

[RTIII]

I did not know they have been exempted from anti-trust regulation - this explains a LOT.

We've always known they were operating a racket, but now we see it was a legally-protected racket! Who Knew!?

Well, absolutely, they MUST loose the exemption. Talk about there not being competition?!?!
.

[DonRoberto]

If they lose McCarran, they will no longer be regulated at the state level, and would fall under federal regulation; under no circumstances does the insurance industry want that to happen.

However, repeal of McCarran will NOT result in real competition. Most of the insurance companies that operate in the different states are wholly owned by one of the large insurance conglomerates, so any new competition would be between the same companies, just not between their smaller subsidiaries anymore.

Also, repeal of McCarran would not eliminate the insurance cartel. All the insurance companies would still buy *their* insurance from the same several reinsurers; that is the level at which the real insurance cartel exists, and that would not change under repeal.

[Gatormouth]

Wow! Big news. The health bill is going to be a big fight, and attention is properly focused on crafting legislation on a solution to heal the running sore of runaway health costs. But the rescinding of anti-trust control exemptions on the insurance industry is such an obvious must-do tactic it is amazing that it has not been a topic of political conversation before this. Perhaps this was weapon was deliberately kept concealed to use when all the players in the health bill were fully engaged and the opposition would be less able to react? When the attack is made on the throat of the beast, the Achilles tendon is open to attack, perhaps? I hope it works. "Make noise in the East, attack in the West" (Sun Tzu). These guys are good.

[Dale Larson]

INSURANCE COMPANIES TRIPLE DIP OUR WALLETS

In a way you have to be impressed by what Big Pharma and For-Profit Insurance has achieved.

They've managed to poison our politicians and the broader media. They've managed to entangle themselves everywhere.

They even gouge us with their side businesses...

For instance, you pay extra on your home owner's insurance in case somebody gets hurt on your property. Why? Because we don't have universal health care. Somebody has to go after you for their health care.

The same industry sells us both insurance policies! They have us coming and going.

What about Uninsured Motorist coverage. We wouldn't need it with universal health care.... Oh by-the-way, an insurance company sold you that coverage too!

They've dipped into our pockets three times all for the same FEAR! It's BRILLIANT!

I'm sure there are others examples of the insurance industry I haven't thought of.

Worker's Comp?

Where does it end?

[ClareP]

Good points. It is ridiculous to have to carry extra insurance on your house and car to cover medical costs should anything happen to anyone there.

[BlueSkyPilot]

It's about friggin time.
AHIP talks about needing a level playing field.
Give it to them.

[Bloggerrogr]

bury them UNDER it.

better idea.

FWIW

[max hp]

Insurerers and Employers have NO BUISNESS being in health care. THEY BRING NO VALUE TO IT.

Lets ensure that Ms Ignani finds a different line of work instead of promoting the leeches.

And, let's drive the insurers into EXTINCTION they so richly deserve.

[patricksmom]

yes let us end health insurance

[Rodger leMonde]

Well they should. Their first duty is to the public not to industries that spend a fortune trying to corrupt the government. to assure their profitability.