House committee votes to repeal health insurance industry antitrust exemption

[ProSense]

House committee votes against antitrust protection

WASHINGTON – A House committee has voted to strip the health insurance industry of its exemption from federal antitrust laws as senators announced plans to take the same step.

The moves Wednesday signaled a growing determination by Democrats to punish the insurance industry for its criticism of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul agenda. The House Judiciary Committee voted 20 to 9 to repeal a 1940s law that exempted the health insurance industry from federal controls over certain antitrust violations including price-fixing.

Lawmakers said they wanted to include the legislation in a larger health care overhaul bill taking shape in the House. In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid announced plans to repeal the antitrust exemption as part of its health care legislation.

[Skink]

1. see that guys no more price fixing.

[librechik]

2. G, Congress. At last some much needed common sense! n/t

[denem]

3. Who trusts the Insurance Industry anyway? They embody anti-trust.

[tridim]

4. Poor chicken littles..

This just isn't your day is it?

[usregimechange]

5. You guys better play ball or...

[Jennicut]

6. Why were they exempt to begin with? Don't most businesses have to be under those rules?

[DrToast]

8. They gave them the exemption to let states regulate them. (nt)

[Jennicut]

14. Thanks for the info!

Apparently the states were not really regulating very well.

[Clio the Leo]

7. lol @ "punish the insurance industry for its criticism"

.... did you hear that Alabama!!! Now we're talkin!

[SpartanDem]

9. yeah talk about spin

[phleshdef]

10. I'll bet most don't understand how significant this actually is.

[inna]

11. sounds like great news!

yay!

[Kermitt Gribble]

12. K&R for something meaningful, hopefully... n/t

[bvar22]

13. I applaud this.....

....while looking for more information.

Does anyone know which House Committee voted on this, and who introduced the bill?

I'm doing some reading between the lines, but the BEST news is in this sentence:
"Lawmakers said they wanted to include the legislation in a larger health care overhaul bill taking shape in the House."

Since this is PAST TENSE, I am going to assume that at least THIS House Committee has decided to introduce this as an individual "clean" bill.

I am an enthusiastic supporter of this approach to reform....clean, short bills that address specific items, that will be voted On The Floor, One Specific Issue at a Time.

This approach makes it much harder for lobbyists, corrupt Congress Critters, and Special Interests to insert loopholes, wiggle room, and poison pills. It forces Congressmen & Senators to go on the record one issue at a time. It also produces better, cleaner, more transparent legislation.

[truedelphi]

15. So here is the key sentence -

The House Judiciary Committee voted 20 to 9 to repeal a 1940s law that exempted the health insurance industry from federal controls over certain antitrust violations including price-fixing.


How does this vote allow for this item to become part of the Health Care Reform Bill? Just asking.

I have no idea what so ever of how much authority that the House Judiciary committee has in terms of adding such an exclusion to the Health Bill.

[LatteLibertine]

16. About damn time

Now if we can just get a meaningful public option that isn't on a trigger or watered down.