Republicans Defend Health Insurers Who Want To Hike Premiums

Press Release

Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), Chairman of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, today called out Republicans for standing with insurance companies. At a press conference yesterday, several Republicans attacked Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius for holding health insurance companies accountable for premium hikes.

Chairman Stark: "Republicans are standing up for their real constituents: the health insurance special interests. Republicans apologized to BP when Democrats held them accountable for the Gulf spill, and now they're criticizing Secretary Sebelius for holding insurance companies accountable for their rate hikes."

Last week, Secretary Sebelius wrote to the health insurance lobby warning them not to mislead consumers by blaming premium increases on the health reform law. According to Politico, several Republicans attacked Secretary Sebelius for doing so:

Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA): "The Secretary of Health and Human Services is putting out information and threatening these companies, suggesting that they do not know what their bottom line is."

Rep. John Fleming (R-LA): "I don't think it elevates the debate whatsoever to demonize certain industries or to demonize certain classes of people which is what we get out of the Obama Administration constantly."

Chairman Stark has previously asked the lobbying arm of the health insurance industry why they are proposing hikes in premiums while their profits have increased by billions over last year.

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