Baucus health bill would let private group write rules

[BR_Parkway]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-healthcare-insurance28-2009sep28,0,173681.story

Reporting from Washington - Healthcare overhaul legislation moving through the Senate Finance Committee would put crucial rule-making authority in the hands of a private association of state insurance commissioners that consumer advocates fear is too closely tied to the industry.

The National Assn. of Insurance Commissioners currently writes model laws and regulations that individual states are free to accept or discard. Under the bill by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), it would craft a model rule governing "health insurance rating, issuance and marketing requirements" that would become "the new federal minimum standard without any further congressional action." States would be permitted to deviate from the standards only by appealing to the Department of Health and Human Services.

In effect, the bill would allow the group to write many of the new rules on issuing and marketing insurance to millions of uninsured Americans who would be required to purchase policies.

"The NAIC is clearly an organization that is dominated by the insurance industry," said California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, a former state insurance commissioner.

Just when you think he can't sell us out any more, something else services

[FiveGoodMen]

1. ...which is what they've been doing so far anyway!

[Andy823]

2. It's simple

Baucus is bought and paid for by the health care industry. I listened to him this morning, and it's so obvious! He needs to be voted out of office, period! I hope that the democrats in his state can find someone who can beat him in the primaries, and the get rid of the idiot!