Harkin threatens health insurers with subpoena

Health insurers could be hit with subpoenas to provide information about high premium increases, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) threatened Wednesday.

Harkin, the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, said his committee may demand information from health insurance companies about the reasoning for steep increases in premiums faced by small businesses.

"I've been inundated with letters and information about the exorbitant increases in premiums for small businesses in this country," Harkin said during an appearance on MSNBC. "I asked them to come and testify at a hearing I had yesterday. They refused."

"So now I'm asking them to give us information on which we can make some decisions on why these premiums are going up so much for small businesses," he added.

Harkin sent a letter to four insurers -- Humana, United Health Group, WellPoint, and Aetna -- asking for information on how they set rates and premiums for small business plans by Nov. 17.

The chairman threatened legally binding subpoenas if the firms won't comply.

"I intend to find out," he said. "I want this information back and if I don't get it back, I am prepared to issue subpoenas to those insurance companies."

Watch a video of the interview below:

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