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Insurance Watchdog Not Included In Health Care Bill, AP Reports
The Associated Press quotes sources who say the president’s plan for an insurance rate watchdog isn’t included in the latest version of the health care reform bill.
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WASHINGTON (March 18, 2010)—The Associated Press quotes unnamed Democratic aides as saying President Barack Obama's plan for a watchdog agency with power to roll back excessive premium hikes by insurance companies has been dropped from the latest version of the health care bill.
Mr. Obama had proposed a new federal Health Insurance Rate Authority in response to recent double-digit increases in premiums by health insurance companies around the country, but the Democratic congressional aides, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the legislation, said the idea was dropped because it would have violated Senate rules requiring individual elements of the bill to have an impact on the budget.
Also dropped was a Republican proposal for undercover Medicare fraud investigators.
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I agree, hadnuff. I can't make much sense of it. I figured that one of the first things that would be in the plan would be a watchdog that would help level the premium cost. Since I already have insurance the only thing I could hope for from the plan on a daily basis was more affordable premiums than the ones that already almost cost as much as my mortgage to cover my wife and child through my employer. Now I can expect more taxes on me to cover those that don't have insurance now and won't pay for it. My premiums will likely go up to cover those individuals as well, especially since there is no one to tell the insurance companies that they can't do that. That is a huge loop hole for the insurance companies to continue business as usual. Maybe at least they won't be able to deny coverage or drop me or my family if we do get sick, because we'll be too much in the poor house from paying our increased premiums and taxes to cover anything else.
so lets see.. 0bama pounds insurance companies for high rate hikes, then they will pass a crappy bill that will raise taxes on insurance companies that they will pass on to us..then kill the watchdog that is supposed to protect us against rate hikes? only makes sence to liberals. hummm...higher insurance rates coupled with higher taxes=health care reform right? enjoy the change folks..
