Is health care the next 'bonusgate'?

House energy panel asks 52 companies to cough up info on everyone who makes more than $500,000 a year. Insurers cry foul. Does health CEO pay matter?

WASHINGTON (CNNMoney.com) -- Earlier this year, public outrage boiled over with news of eye-popping pay to top executives on Wall Street.

White House officials later acknowledged they had misjudged the velocity and volume of furor triggered by "bonusgate," which raised the profile of corporate executive pay.

Some of the known salaries are pretty big. Last year, the head of Cigna (CI, Fortune 500) made $11 million and the head of United Health Group (UNH, Fortune 500) made $9.4 million, according to the Corporate Library.

Fifty-two health and accident insurance companies have until Friday to turn over salary details on employees who make more than $500,000 a year.

Last month, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., head of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, asked for the figures as part of a broader look at how health insurers operate.

Toward the bottom of the page there's an embedded video about a woman who was undergoing breast cancer treatment and received a letter from her insurance company saying that her policy was being rescinded. I'm not entirely sure, but I think I recognize her from somewhere, only not in the context of being a victim of an "evil" insurance company. It's from somewhere else, but I just cannot remember from where. Anyone else recognize her?

They want info, eh? Tell ‘em to pound sand. They can check the public docs for public corporations; over at the SEC... It’ll have the details required by LAW.

Waxman should resign. He’s an embarrassment to even the liberals.

It’s time to take back the country.

2 posted on 09/01/2009 4:51:13 PM PDT by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion. 01-20-2013: Change we can look forward to.)

Fifty-two health and accident insurance companies have until Friday to turn over salary details on employees who make more than $500,000 a year. Last month, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., head of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, asked for the figures as part of a broader look at how health insurers operate.

3 posted on 09/01/2009 6:29:35 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)

What right does the Energy Committee have in asking anyone for salary information let alone health care insurers? Is this America or Amerika? Geez they went after banks and wallstreet salaries because government bailout money was involved. What is the justification on this? Don’t suppose any group would challenge on the constitutionality of this?

4 posted on 09/01/2009 6:33:01 PM PDT by Freedom56v2 ("If you think healthcare is expensive now, just wait till it is free! "~ PJ O'Rourke)

Not only does the government not have the right to hound these companies, but it is a striking hypocricy. When Bush and Republicans did similar stuff over actualy pressing matters, like investigating terrorists or child molestors, the left screamed like stuck pigs.

By the actions of the left child molesters and terrorists should have their privacy, corporate officers competing in a free labor market are bad and deserve to be hounded and flogged. It’s utter nonsense.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.