[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 25 (Thursday, February 25, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E256-E257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRY FAIR COMPETITION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 24, 2010

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4626, 
Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act. This legislation is 
another step in Congress' work to reform health care to bring down 
costs and expand choices for all Americans. Last year, we worked to 
make sure seniors could keep their doctors by reforming the Medicare 
payment system. This bill cracks down on insurance companies that are 
taking advantage of obsolete laws to manipulate premiums. The next step 
will be to protect North Carolina families from additional insurance 
company abuses, bring down health care costs and turn around the 
crushing effects of skyrocketing health care costs on our national 
debt.
  H.R. 4626 will restore competition and transparency to the health 
insurance market. Competition is the engine that drives our economy, 
spurs innovation, and ensures that the American consumer receives a 
fair deal on goods and services. But for far too long, the health 
insurance industry has played by a different set of rules. Since 1945, 
the McCarran-Ferguson Act has exempted the business of insurance from 
federal antitrust laws. This bill repeals that blanket antitrust 
exemption afforded to health insurance companies. Under H.R. 4926, 
health insurers will no longer be shielded from legal accountability 
for price fixing, dividing up territories among themselves, sabotaging 
their competitors in order to gain monopoly power, and other such anti-
competitive practices.
  When NC families are hurting, doing nothing really isn't an option 
for me. I've heard from thousands of neighbors in my district who are 
suffering under the current system. I receive calls, letters and emails 
on health care literally every day.
  Sheila is a woman from Raleigh who fears she will suffer the same 
fate as her sister who died from asthma because she couldn't get 
coverage. Linda from Sanford is a nurse who's tired of insurance 
industry bureaucrats interfering with patient care. Nancy from 
Louisburg says she's not looking for a handout, just a fair playing 
field because everyone should be able to get insurance. Dan is a young 
man from Raleigh whose fiance's coverage was denied when she got sick. 
Peggy from Rocky Mount wants affordable coverage for small business 
workers and the self-employed who pleads, ``please don't let the 
insurance companies win this time.'' These are the voices of regular 
folks on North Carolina's Main Streets and country roads.
  Mr. Speaker, making sure every American has access to affordable 
health insurance and high-quality health care is one of the most 
important challenges of our time. The health reform debate is about 
saving money and saving lives. At its core, health reform is all about 
ensuring that American families and businesses have more choices, 
benefit from more competition, and have greater control over their own 
health care. Repealing this exemption is an important part of that 
effort. I urge my colleagues to join me in taking a stand for the 
American people.

[[Page E257]]



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