By Andrew Zajac
A group of insurance consumer advocates has asked Montana Democratic Sen. Max Baucus to back off plans to put rule-writing authority for drafting health care coverage standards in the hands of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, a private organization long regarded by critics as cozy with the insurance industry.
The request, by current and former consumer representatives linked to the NAIC, argues that the association lacks the transparency and independence necessary to even-handedly craft rules, which could affect the flow of billions of premium dollars from currently uninsured Americans who would be required to obtain medical coverage under Baucus' health care overhaul legislation.
The NAIC "is a private organization, funded in large part by the insurance industry itself," and the majority of its last 10 presidents "have gone to directly from their NAIC posts to industry positions, giving the distinct impression that leadership positions at the NAIC are mere steppingstones to more lucrative careers in the insurance industry," the group wrote in a letter to Baucus.
Rule-making should stay with the federal government, with NAIC playing an advisory role, the letter said.
The advocates' appeal to Baucus, whose bill is being amended in his Senate Finance Committee this week, follows a Tribune newspapers report Monday on NAIC's unusually large rulemaking role.
You can read the consumer letter and accompanying press release here:
Consumer advocates.pdf
Comments
Blue Dog Dems like Baucus are just as bad as Republicans are - they're all bought and paid for by the Big Health Insurance Lobby.
Posted by: former Republican | September 29, 2009 5:40 PM
"New CBS/NY Times poll: 65% of Americans want the Public option"
.
http://crooksandliars.com/node/31549
.
Posted by: moreofthesame | September 29, 2009 6:04 PM
Fourteen little-known Leftwing Democrats (mislabeled above as "consumer advocates") write a letter to a Dem Senator, and a Leftwing journalist gives the letter free publicity.
Welcome to the ObamaCare "debate", Swamp style. A "debate" where only one side is allowed in.
Posted by: Junius | September 29, 2009 6:10 PM
I don't know where Senator Baucus came from, but, maybe he should go back there. With Senator Schumer making his closing speech, before the Senate Finance Committee, one could hear Senators Baucus and Grassley making small talk, off camera, enough to detract from Senator Schumer's presentation. I hope Senator Reid can reign in Senator Baucus. I don't appreciate one Democratic Senator trying to show up, another, especially when Senator Baucus sounds more like a Republican-Libertarian, than a Democratic Senator. Senator Baucus' non-support of a public option and support of the Insurers, to the tune of 460 Billion Dollar subsidy, is not what President Obama wants and I am sure, it is not what the entire Democratic Party wants, nor what America !! If Senator Baucus can't get aboard the Democratic train for the public option, than maybe he should join the Republican-Libertarian Party. We can get along without him. I wonder what kind of contributions Senator Baucus is getting from any of the Healthcare Corporations !!?
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | September 29, 2009 6:16 PM
How can we have mandatory health insurance when people can't even afford it? It makes no sense- how are un-employed workers going to pay for health insurance on top of their current bills? Do we have to sell our kitchen and sofa's? I honestly don't mind paying 3% more federal taxes if everyone in this country would be cover. That would be the cleanest and easiest way to implement paid for healthcare. Forget this mandatory healthcare, that's for 3rd world country!
Posted by: HmongRodneyKing | September 29, 2009 6:21 PM
Welcome to the ObamaCare "debate", Swamp style. A "debate" where only one side is allowed in.
Posted by: Junius | September 29, 2009 6:10 PM
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
.
RNC Brucie,
Are you saying that the Dems should kowtow to the very small minority Repugs who have been rejected by the American people overwhelmingly the last two elections?
I didn't think so...
Posted by: Freeper Republic | September 29, 2009 6:26 PM
What we've learned in the debate on this one: Republicans love Medicare, but hate gubmint-run healthcare. Watching them try to work that one out is very fun. Kent Conrad. Ensign says that government programs become so popular and so important to the American people that Congress shouldn't create them. Grassley doesn't want it because it could work. Conrad, whose interpretation of what he read in T.R. Reid's book continues to be just bizarre, is all over the place on this one, but didn't say right out that he'd vote against it.
Posted by: Repugs are idiots | September 29, 2009 6:41 PM
I do not support this Republican measure as now presented, and make no mistake, it's just that.
This is a giveaway to the private insurance industry with not cost control mechanism.
Without a robust, accessible, credible public option they may as well all go home.
The problem all along has been the lie of compromising with the Republicans. The Senate leadership, Reid, should have had the debate between Baucus and the liberal Dems. on the committee.
The fight should have been over single payer or a public option.
This is a disaster, and I urge all Dems. that see this to write Obama, Reid and Pelosi urging them to reject this stinking turd of a bill.
Posted by: C.Morris✧ | September 29, 2009 8:19 PM
Moreoftehsamestupidity,
Sure I want a plan just like Medicare - another gov't run ponzi scheme that is acturially bankrupt.
FITZ,
Speaking of Senator Chucky - see who has bought and now owns Dick Durbin's roomy:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27643.html
Posted by: Terry | September 29, 2009 10:00 PM
Baucus seems like a prickly guy. The way he cracks the whip and either does not allow other politicians to speak-or tells them to hurry their words is sickening--and demeaning. He is treating our elected officials--grown men and women--like children. And by extension, he is treating all of us like sh*t. Baucus needs his bill to fail and to be voted down by all--Dems and Pugs. Just totally forget Baucus and Olympia Snow's golden behind.
Posted by: Vivian | September 30, 2009 12:31 AM
Sure I want a plan just like Medicare - another gov't run ponzi scheme that is acturially bankrupt.
Posted by: Terry | September 29, 2009 10:00 PM
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
.
You Repugs should know all about that, afterall it was your Bushco heroes and their trickledown Reaganite cowboy economic policies that allowed Wall Street crooks like Bernie Madoff to thrive right out in the open.
Troglodyte Terri, learn from your parents' mistakes - use birth control.
Posted by: anti terry | September 30, 2009 12:35 AM
For Profit Health Care = Sick People
I just broke the George Orwell/Karl Rove code for Wingnut Bumper Sticker politics.
= is the key
For profit Health care = Sick People
For profit Health care = Poorer People
Republicans = Outsourcing
Republicans = Fear
Republicans = Angry Old White Guys
Baucus Blue Dogs = Greedy Sellouts
And on and on
Posted by: Grumpy | September 30, 2009 4:07 AM
National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
That's like letting a wolf guard the hens.
Posted by: syj | September 30, 2009 5:58 AM
That is the Baucus bill, a 460 Billion Dollar subsidy to the Healthcare Insurance Corporations. We didn't need the Democrats to get to a bill like that, through Congress. That's a Republican-Libertarian baby, if ever I saw one.
As for Senator Baucus, some calculations having him receiving from Healthcare-related Corporations, 4-6 Million Dollars in campaign contributions, over several years. No wonder he finds a public option in the Healthcare reform bill, unacceptable !! Senator Baucus, why don't you just go ahead and join Senator Lieiberman and change your party affiliations. With a bill like that, you can very easily be mistaken for a Republican-Libertarian !! You sure aren't doing the Democratic Party, nor the people of America, any good, with the nonsense, you just offered as reform !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | September 30, 2009 9:43 AM
NAIC = The Real Death Panel
Posted by: T. Herman Zweibel | September 30, 2009 10:06 AM
Yi yi yi...
Baucus and the Republics actually appointing a private panel of commissars from the insurance industry to 'watchdog' the insurance industry.
Posted by: C.Morris✧ | September 30, 2009 10:27 AM
Why shouldn't the insurance industry write the rules? Since they bought and paid for those who wrote the bill, it only seems fair.
Posted by: Doug | September 30, 2009 1:26 PM
Trickled On,
Bernie is a DUMBOCRAT.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/12/17/madoff-was-major-democratic-campaign-contributor/
Once again a foreign concept to you - FACTS
Posted by: Terry | September 30, 2009 4:42 PM