WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after House Republicans released their fifth plank of their “Better Way” plan, an initiative to repeal and replace Obamacare with an approach that puts patients first and seeks to give every American access to quality, affordable health care:
Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after House Republicans released their fifth plank of their “Better Way” plan, an initiative to repeal and replace Obamacare with an approach that puts patients first and seeks to give every American access to quality, affordable health care:
“As a health care provider for over 25 years, I’m pleased to see House Republicans put forth a bold initiative for repealing and replacing Obamacare and recognize the need to get the facts on the health insurance industry’s exemption from fair competition laws. Repealing the anti-trust exemption for insurance companies will increase competition, lower prices for consumers and prevent collusion in health insurance markets. I am pleased with many of the solutions put forth today and will continue to work with my Republican colleagues to replace the president’s flawed health care law with a patient-centered, affordable alternative.”
Background:
A snapshot provide by House Republican Leadership can be found HERE. The full Healthcare Task Force Report can be found HERE.
The Healthcare Task Force Report advances the priorities in Congressman Gosar’s bill, the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act. Specifically, the plan calls for a comprehensive analysis by the Government Accountability Office on the potential consumer impacts and effects on health insurance premiums if the anti-trust exemption for health insurance companies is repealed.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1944 that the business of health insurance was subject to federal anti-trust laws. As a result, insurance companies lobbied congress to pass the McCarran-Ferguson act of 1945 to create a special-interest exemption from federal oversight that allowed them to collude, share information and divide the market.
After 70 years, it has been made apparent that the unbridled antitrust exemption created by Congress in the 1940’s was not wise. Over the decades - and expeditiously since the passage of Obamacare in 2009 – the health insurance market has mutated into one of the least transparent and most anti-competitive industries in the United States.
To address this collusion, Congressman Gosar introduced H.R. 494, the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2015. This legislation seeks to eliminate the loop-hole which exempts the health insurance industry from anti-trust laws.
A form of this legislation passed the House during the 111th Congress 406-19 and passed the House in the 112th Congress by unanimous consent as a Gosar amendment to the RSC Healthcare bill.
The full text of the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act can be found HERE.
