The House Will Vote to Eliminate Health Insurance’s Anti-Trust Exemption

[cal04]

The House Will Vote to Eliminate Health Insurance’s Anti-Trust Exemption Next Week

By: emptywheel
http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2010/02/02/the-house-will-eliminate-health-insurances-anti-trust-exemption-next-week/

I just got off a conference call with Speaker Pelosi. While she had a lot of optimistic things to say about the passage of a Senate plus sidecar bill, the big piece of news is that the House will pass (meaning, I presume she has the votes) a bill eliminating the anti-trust exemption for insurers and medical malpractice companies next week.

As she pointed out, the insurers have had this exemption for 65 years, and “the result has not been good” for consumers. And the only other industry that has been given such an exemption is major league baseball.

She said that, among other things, eliminating the exemption will allow the federal government to investigation collusion and price-fixing among insurers.

I presume this is one of those bills designed to force Republicans to vote to protect the insurance industry–and as such, it is good politics. I’d be even happier if there were any prospect of it getting passed in the Senate, which I doubt. It would be nice to have on more piece of leverage to exercise with the insurance industry.

[babylonsister]

1. That is fantastic news! Rec'd! nt

[Cleita]

2. So that's it? What about the public option?

This is still not a good bill if people can't buy into Medicare or Medicaid if they are mandated to buy insurance. They need a choice.

[truedelphi]

3. totally agree with you. n/t

[gkhouston]

9. No, that's not it. There's another article at FDL, from someone else who was

also on the call.

Pelosi: "Our Members Will Not Support" Senate Health Care Bill

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/02/02/pelosi-our-members-will-not-support-senate-health-care-bill/

[Cleita]

10. Still disappointing.

Closing the donut hole on Medicare part D isn't going to fix the problem of Medicare Part D, which is draining the Medicare fund at an alarming rate because the drug companies can charge anything they like for drugs.

[flyarm]

4. That is a great "Start"!! Glad to hear that..Oh and for those here who have tried to slime

Emptywheel and Firedoglake and called them liars..I will ask..have you been on conference calls with Pelosi? Or done 100th of the work on the Health "Care" bill as FDL and Marcy Wheeler ? They are incredible advocates for all of us and our Health "Care" !!

[TheWraith]

8. I've met Marcy personally. She's a good lady.

That doesn't make the nonsense coming out of the rest of FireDogLake any less nutty, or Jane Hamsher any less slimy for crawling in bed with Grover Norquist.

[bik0]

5. Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the repubs were also for repealing

the anti-trust exemption. At least that was my impression. That plus malpractice tort reform.

[babylonsister]

6. Need proof this needs to get done? "Keep Antitrust Exemption, Insurer Groups Urge House "

Keep Antitrust Exemption, Insurer Groups Urge House


* By ARTHUR D. POSTAL

Published 2/2/2010


WASHINGTON—Insurance trade groups are asking the House to reject proposed legislation that would end the antitrust exemption afforded health and medical malpractice insurers by the McCarran-Ferguson Act.

A group of 10 trade groups, nine representing property and casualty and medical liability insurers and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisers, sent the letter Friday in anticipation that the House will soon vote on the legislation.

The bill would also give the Federal Trade Commission the authority to prepare studies and reports on the entire insurance industry.

more...

http://www.property-casualty.com/News/2010/2/Pages/Keep-Antitrust-Exemption-Insurer-Groups-Urge-House-.aspx

[pleah]

7. K&R