Source: Insurance Premium Watchdog Dropped from Health Care Bill

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Updated: 5:55 PM Mar 18, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP)

Democratic aides say President Barack Obama's plan for a watchdog agency with power to roll back excessive premium hikes by insurance companies has been dropped from the latest version of the health care bill.

Posted: 8:00 AM Mar 19, 2010
Reporter: RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR - Associated Press Writer

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Obama had proposed a new federal Health Insurance Rate Authority in response to recent double-digit increases in premiums by health insurance companies around the country.

But Democratic congressional aides, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the legislation, say the idea was dropped because it would have violated Senate rules requiring individual elements of the bill to have an impact on the budget.

Also dropped was a Republican proposal for undercover Medicare fraud investigators.

Latest Comments

Posted by: GiannaR Location: Kansas on May 8, 2010 at 12:59 PM

What a pity that this plan was actually dropped. I think that it was the right decision of our president. Insurance companies need some sort of watchdog because they are doing everything they want nowadays. Rates are going 50% high and we can do nothing about it. I had taken Dangerous dog insurance about a year ago because I need to protect my dog for sure, because of his character. So I have taken this plan and in the beginning everything was fine. However when 4 months have passed the rates have grown up for about 20%. Few months later they grown up one more time for 25% this time. It is a real craziness. And what I can do about it? Absolutely nothing. If there would be some sort of institution I am one hundred percent sure that insurance companies would act not so heavily if they would know that somebody is looking after them. However we will wait and see how it goes. Thanks for the article by the way.

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