Insurance Industry Kills Bill That Would Have Forced them to Justify Hikes

by Brian Leubitz

Well, score another win for the insurance industry over consumers:

Feuer: “We’ve hit a temporary roadblock on the bill.  The bill remains on the floor of the Senate, however, and I’m going to work very hard between now and next January to change this dynamic.”

Health insurance companies and business groups have fought the measure fiercely.  The California Association of Health Plans says the bill would sharply increase costs to the state – without doing anything to lower the cost of health care. (Cap Public Radio)

Of course they say it would increase rates, because they can. Not because they have any data to show that is true.  Not because rates in states that have similar measures are higher, but because they can.

However unfortunate, there are enough anti-consumer Democrats to kill the bill.  Let’s be clear here, this is nothing about being moderate.  This is about insurance industry contributions controlling several Democrats in Senate, to the detriment of their constituents.  

The bill will be back in next year’s session, by then we can hope that these as yet unnamed legislative cowards can be convinced of the error of their ways.  We need leaders who will stand up for California consumers, rather than just bending to the will of AHIP.