Enzi Bill Puts 85 Million People at Risk of Losing Critical Health Insurance Protections

Anti-Consumer Bill Eliminates State Laws Regulating Health Insurance Companies and Leaves Consumers at Risk of Higher Premiums and Fraudulent Marketing

Health Care Consumers at Risk of Losing Cervical, Prostate, and Colorectal Cancer Screenings, as well as Mammograms, Mental Health Services, and Well-Child Care

On March 8, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will act on a bill (S.1955), the “Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act,” introduced by Committee Chairman Michael Enzi (R-WY). The following is the statement of Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA, about that legislation:

“The Enzi bill is one of the most harmful anti-consumer health bills in recent memory: It will cause more than 85 million people to lose important state protections that safeguard their health and wallets.

“The bill will push consumers into barebones health insurance plans that contravene existing state laws guaranteeing coverage for such crucial services as cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancer screenings, as well as mammograms, mental health, and well-child care.

“Anyone wishing to retain decent health coverage consistent with existing state laws, instead of barebones policies, will wind up with much higher premiums than they pay today.

“The bill leaves consumers at the mercy of health insurance companies by eliminating a range of state laws that protect the consumer and regulate insurance company behavior. Fundamental consumer protections that will be wiped out include: rules that limit premium discrimination based on health status, age, and gender; prohibitions of huge premium increases when people get sick; and prohibitions of misleading insurance company marketing practices.
   
“Senator Enzi claims his bill is a compromise that ameliorates the controversial defects of past proposals to create Association Health Plans (AHPs). The Enzi bill, however, is much worse: It not only eliminates essential rights for people in AHPs, it also eliminates these rights for all people with health insurance through state-regulated individual, small group, and large group plans—thereby harming 85 million people.”

See fact sheet.

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Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005
202-628-3030 · Email: info@familiesusa.org · www.familiesusa.org