Insurers enjoy an exemption from the anti-trust laws. How about that? Gee, do you think that might have something to do with insurance premiums going up at twice the rate of inflation for the last decade??? Do you think???
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091021/ap_on_...
WASHINGTON – Democrats launched a drive at both ends of the Capitol on Wednesday to strip the insurance industry of its decades-old exemption from federal antitrust laws, part of an increasingly bare-knuckled struggle over landmark health care legislation sought by President Barack Obama.
If enacted, the change would put an end to "price-fixing, bid-rigging and market allocation in the health and medical malpractice" insurance areas, said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Leahy said he would seek a vote on the plan when the Senate debates health care legislation in the next few weeks.
Leahy made his comments at virtually the same time the House Judiciary Committee voted 20-9 to end an industry exemption that dates to 1945. Three Republicans supported the move.
Senior Democratic officials in the House said the leadership was inclined to incorporate the measure into the broader health care bill expected to be brought to the floor for a vote within a few weeks. No final decision has been made, they added.
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The insurance companies countered by saying this is an attempt to fix a problem that does not exist. WELL, THEN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT BEING ENACTED, RIGHT? IT WON'T AFFECT YOU GUYS ANYWAY ... SO YOU WON'T TELL YOUR REPUBLICAN LOBBYISTS TO SABOTAGE IT OR SUBVERT IT (CAN WE TRUST YOU?).
This is the best idea I've heard of in some time. Since getting a public option is in doubt we should at least get the anti-trust laws to apply to insurance companies. go to www.congress.org to tell your senators and representatives to vote for this bill. I'd say this is must have legislation.
