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Astrid Fiano, DOTmed News Writer | April 20, 2009
The House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) has announced on the Committee's website that a new hearing in the series on the health insurance market will take place on Wednesday, April 22.
According to the press release by the Committee, individuals or organizations may submit a written statement for consideration by the Committee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing by May 6, 2009. Information on how to submit a statement is on the Ways and Means website.
The Committee states that the U.S. health insurance market is currently failing to provide affordable, quality health insurance for everyone. Almost 46 million people were uninsured at some point in 2007, many from working families.
The Committee feels the reforms are important for restoring the economic health of the country and a stable future. Currently, many policies in the individual market high administrative costs and poor benefits. Consumers find it difficult to determine the quality of these plans for their needs. In addition, the Committee says insurance companies have financial incentive to avoid sick enrollees, and to refuse to cover people with pre-existing conditions.
The major point for the hearing is making the health insurance market work through major reforms, including requiring insurance companies to offer coverage to everyone, regardless of health status, and limiting rating strategies that increase prices for consumers. The Committee is also considering the issue of creating a health insurance "exchange" to offer consumers high quality, affordable public and private health insurance options.
Chairman Rangel said, "America's health insurance market is dysfunctional. This is evident by the 87 million people who went without health insurance during the past two years and the millions more who have insurance that is increasingly unaffordable or inadequate. I am pleased to hold this hearing to examine the problems in our health insurance market and explore long-term solutions for reform."
Source: House Ways and Means Committee.
