Posted on 02/23/2010 3:05:46 PM PST by Nachum
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama urged Congress on Tuesday to strip health insurers of their decades-old exemption from federal antitrust laws—hardening his stand against the industry as he tries to revive his stalled health care overhaul.
The White House announced Obama's support for a House bill that would repeal the industry's antitrust exemption, saying that would foster a more competitive marketplace that benefits consumers. The announcement follows Obama's call for new federal rate-setting powers that would give the Health and Human Services department the power to deny excessive increases in health insurance premiums.
"Removing this exemption will allow appropriate enforcement and examination of potential policies that might prove uncompetitve, or might stifle competition," spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
The list, ping
OK, just as long as they are allowed to compete over state lines.
actually, I agree with zero on this. I would go even further
YEAH...but Obomba wants to control pricing by Federales...
Beat the golden goose, maybe it will lay more.
Even California was able to successfully reform their workers compensation laws when they started getting clobbered for it by the surrounding states.
OK, color me cynical.
Even when Bummer bumbles into something appropriate, he’ll do it the wrong way.
DUH! The competition is between more than just the insurance companies, the ability to sell across State lines should be explained this way:
“Your State requires this, this, and this, however, you can buy across State lines, at a cheaper rate, a policy that does not conain all of these mandates. What do YOU want to do, Mr./Mrs. customer?”
With all of this talk about increasing competition, I would agree as well. It will benefit the consumer, unlike a “public option.” I would agree with it also as long as the government does not dive in and try to compete. Leave it to the free market.
Anyone who believes one word that comes out if his mouth is asking for trouble.
Hie entire life is a never ending lie and who’s only concern is and always will be HIM, HIM, AND ONLY HIM.
He will lie ad then follow it up with another lie to cover up the first lie to be followed shortly thereafter by another lie to explain away the first two lies to be followed by another - oh well you get the picture.
“OK, just as long as they are allowed to compete over state lines.”
That’s not so easy to do. But that’s why I am a Hamiltonian conservative. :)
Me too
“actually, I agree with zero on this. I would go even further”
The reason why we have all these monopolies is because of all the state mandates and restrictions. So you’re asking for more govt control and not actually solving the problem.
Time to crank up some Harry and Louise ads in a hurry.
It’s OK on the surface, but the anti-trust exemption allows insurers to combine their data through statistical reporting. Each individual insurer does not have enough loss experience to determine prices; when the industry is allowed to combine data, the law of large numbers allows carriers to set rates that are not excessive or inadequate. Other industries are not allowed to collaborate in this way when setting prices due to anti-trust laws.
By removing the anti-trust exemption for insurers, they would not be allowed to combine their data anymore. This means that only the largest companies are able to continue doing business, small carriers do not have the data to know whether they are systematically over or underpricing their policies, until it’s too late. The anti-trust exemption actually INCREASES competition, and removing it would DECREASE competition. It’s not really that difficult to understand, but our elected representatives would actually have to think about it.
The liberals just want to punch those that are against ObamaCare - not thinking about the potential unintended consequences.
Actually, Obama is simply not-accidentally wrong once again.
The exemption exists so that the law of large numbers can work. Without it, small carriers would not have access to statistical data necessary to set proper rates. I would like someone here to explain how limiting access to such data will increase competition. It will not - we will end up with fewer and larger providers. In the end, the consumer will be harmed.
Repeal as proposed by the house would eliminate “joint industry activity” which includes sharing loss data.
This is the primary reason why insurers have a legitimate anti-trust exemption. Most carriers simply cannot generate enough loss experience on their own; therefore, they must rely on industry loss data to set their pricing.
This is about setting up an environment where a public option is necessary. Just wish Obama would be honest about his motives.
Which sort of defeats the purpose of repealing the anti-trust exemption.
It’ll be a Fed run monopoly instead of 50 individual State run monopolies.
Thanks for explaining this. It’s not something I’d known.
Of course, this is something that is easy for Obama to demagogue, most people who have heard of the antitrust exemption have heard it applied to major league baseball and in that case it seems to be nothing but some unfair corruption and a payoff.
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