Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                                  March 22, 2012

CONTACT:                                                                                             Apryl Marie Fogel      

                                                                                                               AprylMarie.Fogel@mail.house.gov

Congressman Gosar’s Insurance and Tort Reform Legislation Passes House

Included in Comprehensive Health Care Reform Package

Today, U.S. Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ-R) achieved a major legislative victory when the House of Representatives passed his comprehensive insurance and tort reform bill (H.R. 1150) by way of an amendment.  In addition, Gosar co-sponsored and voted for Protecting Access to Health Care Act (PATH - H.R. 5).  This bill included 3 important provisions. First, it protects health care providers against frivolous lawsuits.  Secondly, it included a bipartisan proposal to repeal the Obamacare rationing board known as IPAB.  Finally, the bill included a Gosar amendment, which passed unanimously, to increase competition among health care insurance providers. 

The Gosar legislation does two things:  (1) it restores competition among health insurance companies and it corrects an historical error that granted an exemption to health insurance companies from federal anti-trust and unfair competition laws; and (2) it prohibits class action suits against health insurers in antitrust lawsuits, but it maintains legal enforcement actions for wronged individuals on a case by case basis.

Specifically, it repeals a section of the McCarran-Ferguson Act, a law that exempts the insurance industry from the Sherman Act and the Clayton Act—anti-trust laws that ensure fair competition.  All business in the United States have to comply with anti-trust laws except insurance.

Congressman Gosar said “As a healthcare provider for over 25 years, I was pleased to support this comprehensive piece of legislation which included one of my top legislative priorities and motivation to run for office.  Health care reform and tort reform are desperately needed”

Addressing the success of his bill, Gosar noted, “The government shouldn’t be picking winners and losers, or preserving narrow carve-outs in the law for certain industries, period.  By repealing a section of the McCarran-Ferguson act today, the House took a necessary step towards increased consumer access and fair pricing.”

Gosar went on to state, “Frivolous lawsuits cause defensive medicine that drive up the cost of medicine, hinder access to specialty care for patients, and often enrich trial attorneys.  Reform is long overdue.”

Gosar continued, “I have always found the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), made up of 15 unelected bureaucrats allegedly created to reduce Medicare spending, to be among the most menacing portions of Obamacare.  The idea that bureaucrats will be making healthcare decisions for every individual based on generic figures and statistics is contrary to every best practice in medicine. This board undermines the critical personal relationship between physicians and their patients, and in fact threatens to destroy it. We need to save Medicare. IPAB is the wrong approach.”

Congressman Paul Gosar, D.D.S is a member of the GOP Doctors Caucus and has been a practicing dentist for over 25 years.  More information can be found at www.gosar.house.gov.

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