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Liberal group goes after insurers' antitrust status in TV ad

By Michael O'Brien - 10/13/09 11:49 AM ET

A key liberal group is piggybacking on baseball's October Classic to hit health insurers after they released a study criticizing health reform efforts.

Americans United for Change released a new television ad airing on cable stations in Washington, D.C. this week noting that Major League Baseball (MLB) and health insurance companies are two of the few organizations exempted from antitrust laws.

"When baseball players fix the games, they get in trouble," the ad's narrator says. "When health insurance executives fix the game, they get … rich."

The ad comes as part of a full-on assault by liberal groups and elected Democrats on health insurers in the past two days since America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) released an audit of a key healthcare reform proposal arguing the bill would increase premiums for consumers.

Watch a copy of the video below:

Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/62799-liberal-group-goes-after-insurers-antitrust-status-in-tv-ad

Comments (10)

and with the democrats in charge the citizens/taxpayers/voters get screwedBY jake2 on 10/13/2009 at 14:24
This is an emotional issue for many Americans. This so-called “public option” in Government run health care presents serious challenges for us. As Consumers we should be able to compare the cost and quality of health care services. How much is a specific surgery at one hospital, as compared with another? http://www.friendsoftheuschamber.com/media/BY dana on 10/13/2009 at 14:49
I trust the Insurers in honoring their contracts alot more then any democrat being HONEST. Just look at what bogus bama and his gang of thugs has done to destroy America in the last 7 months.BY jake2 on 10/13/2009 at 15:01
First, the for-profit health insurers, who make money only by denying claims, rationing health care, meds, Drs and treatments, need to have their anti-trust exemptions yanked, and placed on as short and tight a regulatory leash as possible, with severe criminal penalties for the slightest transgressions…Second, Jake, go ahead and list all the Constitutional freedoms/rights taken away or attacked by Obama that weren't first attacked or eliminated under the Bush Jr Administration, something tells me that will be a VERY short, or nonexistent, list.BY KingCranky on 10/13/2009 at 15:28
I trust the Insurers in honoring their contracts alot more then any democrat being HONEST. Just look at what bogus bama and his gang of thugs has done to destroy America in the last 7 months…And where were you the last eight years when your buddy GW was destroying America. GW is responsible for the mess we are in.BY EdBradly7 on 10/13/2009 at 15:28
@Jake2: Give me a break. When you go in for emergency surgery, like when you are in an accident, or have a heart attack or stroke, or get appendicitis, you aren't going to be able to be a "responsible consumer" and shop around for hospitals. Unconscious and seriously ill people are in no condition to make decisions, and profit-oriented hospitals, physicians, and insurance companies take advantage of this fact. Moreover, courts will act to force people to consume medicine and medical procedures if the people don't want to do something the medical cartel orders them to do. I'd rather see a complete Government takeover of the "health care delivery system" and the complete removal of the profit motive, and the destruction of the health care business, and the return of health care as a profession, and not just an unlimited license to physicians and hospitals to empty peoples' bank accounts.BY streamfortyseven on 10/13/2009 at 15:44
It's about time that the anti-trust laws are applied to the insurance industry. They have gotten the golden pat on the back from Congress long enough. In addition to Anti-trust laws being applied to the insurance companies, as it should have been long before, Congress should also look into any RICO violations. Insurance companies are "racketeers". You either pay their extortionist rates or suffer the consequences of bankruptcy because of the extreme cost of health care, which insurance companies have colluded with other medical industry players to jacked up costs. Get over your "silly speak" about government run health care and the silly name calling! Insurance companies aren't concerned about your health. They siphon off premiums to play gambling games on Wall Street and whatever profits they make, stock holders and the Execs suck it away. Take the profit away from insurance companies, put it into quality, affordable health care and watch how fast the swine run off to find some other investment scam in which they can suck dry.In addition to health care reform, we need Banking/Financial Reform and regulations. Without it there will be no significant health care reform. Give me Single Payer!! Get real! Dana, do you work for an insurance company?BY Distant Views on 10/13/2009 at 15:57
hey bradley and stream obama owns this buket of elcrapo that obama created with , reid. pelosi, schiummmmmmer dodd, frank, LOCK STOCK AND BARREL.BY jake2 on 10/13/2009 at 19:49
The McCarron-Ferguson antitrust exemption is VERY LIMITED and getting rid of it will RAISE premiums for the small group market. Please don't fall for the dog and pony show. Politicians are botching real health reform. http://theincidentaleconomist.com/antitrust-and-health-reform/BY Brian Bayer on 10/15/2009 at 08:05
The real cost of healthcare reform is 27 bucks a month. If my goverment can't spend 27 bucks a month on me then I want a new goverment. KNOWN:US Population: 304,059,724 personsStated Healthcare Reform Cost: One Trillion Dollars, $1,000,000,000,00 0 (over 10 years)COST BREAKDOWN: Total Cost Per Person Over 10 Years: $1,000,000,000,00 0 / 304,059,724 persons = 3,288.82 $ per person (over 10 years) Yearly Cost Per Person = $3,288.82 per person / 10 years = $328.88 $ per year per personMonthly Cost Per Person = $328.88 per person per year / 12 months = $27.41 $ per month per personBY DKossUber on 10/17/2009 at 16:08

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