Posted on 08/18/2009 6:58:18 PM PDT by reaganaut1
Democrats on a House committee are seeking detailed financial records from dozens of large insurance companies, officials disclosed Tuesday, part of an investigation into ''executive compensation and other business practices'' in an industry opposed to President Barack Obama's plan to overhaul health care.
The request included records relating to compensation of highly paid employees, documents relating to companies' premium income and claims payments, and information on expenses stemming from any event held outside company facilities in the past 2 1/2 years.
The requests were made in letters signed by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who guided a portion of health care legislation through the House Energy and Commerce Committee last month as chairman, and Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., who heads the Energy and Commerce investigations and oversight subcommittee.
They wrote that the committee was ''examining executive compensation and other business practices in the health insurance industry.'' The Associated Press obtained a copy.
The requests were issued at a time when Obama's health care proposal is under intense attack from Republicans and other critics, including the health insurance industry. Much of the opposition focuses on proposals for the government to sell insurance in competition with private carriers.
Obama and other supporters of a so-called government option argue it would help control costs and keep insurance companies honest by forcing them to grapple with competition.
Opponents say it gradually would undermine the present insurance structure, which is built around private insurers, and lead to a system controlled by the government.
Nick Choate, a spokesman for Stupak, said 52 letters were sent late Monday to the nation's largest health insurers, those with $2 billion or more in annual premiums. He said letters were not sent to other industry groups, some of which have been airing television advertising in support of Obama's call for legislation.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
It's a contradiction for Democrats to demonize health insurance companies while promising that people who like their insurance will be able to keep it. Republicans should call them on it.
Sounds like a combination fishing expedition-shakedown to me. I hope the industry fights them tooth and nail.
Republicans should do a lot of things but will they?
Can they just do this without some valid justification?
Will it ever end? Un-friggin-believable!
Maybe the companies should show them, and America, the facts. We’d probably see that what executives get would hardly be a fleabite on corporate revenues, and that they make most of their money on investments, not the margin between payouts and premiums.
Nothing but a bunch of fricken thugs.
I think it’ll be more than a fishing expedition. The demonization of profit has been quite successful lately, right?
Don’t get me wrong, I sure don’t agree with it. But I think that is the reality....
Once, just once, why doesn’t someone tell them to pound sand?
THIS IS AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL ABUSE OF POWER!!!!
What Obama and boys know is there's TONS OF MONEY available to gut. They just switch it to the same scam they play with social security. People put the moeny in - and the gov takes it out the same second. There is no "trust fund". Just IOU's. And it'll be the same with health care. Dems will spend every penny - when boomers start needing more health care - dems will throw their hands up and be "oh so surprised" that the moeny's not there.... just IOU's.
And that's why their fighting for this --- big big pots of money.
We need to keep saying that Democrats = Socialism
Its not just Obama, it is the Democratic Party that is pure socialism
Democrat Party = Socialism
Keep saying it...smoke ‘em out...
Democrat Party = Socialism
Democrat Party = Socialism
Democrat Party = Socialism
What is the difference between the Democrats in Congress and the thugs who run Venezuela? Oppose the Democrats, get intimidated.
Stick together, folks. Support the insurance companies. The Dems will be coming after you next, bank on it.
Just WOW. Speaking of facism!!
The democrat party is becoming uraveled
Has Waxman yet called for a review of the pay and bonuses of malpractice attorneys?
Don’t give the thugs anything. If anyone’s un-American, it’s the thugs in Congress.
Waxman and Stupipak were just following Dead Fish Emauell’s Orders as he and his Puppet, OBOZO set out to destroy Our AMERICAN MEDICAL TREATMENT SYSTEM which is the BEST IN THE WORLD! The DEMOCRATS know that once they control Our Medical System, they have complete control over AMERICA and the DEFEAT of ALL of OUR FREEDOMS! They will make Chavez, Castro, Imanutjob and the Quaddaffi’s of the World look like Sunday School Teachers!
Nope. Control of private industry is fascism.
Now they’re going after businesses and industries not even part of the socialist bail out plan! More unconstitutional action by a bunch of flaming socialists! So much for being on August break.
This should be illegal for the government to ask for this.
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.