Insurance Lobby's Critique of Senate Health Reform Bill "Gives Hypocrisy a Bad Name"

Insurance Companies’ Premium Increases Rose by 93 Percent in Past Decade

Today, America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) criticized the health reform legislation pending in the Senate Finance Committee by claiming that it would result in an increase in insurance premiums. The following is the statement of Ron Pollack, Executive Director of the consumer health organization Families USA, about this development:

“Today’s criticism by the insurance lobby gives hypocrisy a bad name.

“The insurance lobby now claims that health care reform will cause significant premium increases, conveniently forgetting that they imposed significant premium increases during the past decade that are making health coverage unaffordable for families and businesses.

“In the decade from 2000 to 2009, average family insurance premiums for job-based health coverage rose from $6,772 to $13,073, an increase of 93 percent, while median worker earnings rose by only 19 percent.

“As a result, premiums rose 4.9 times faster than earnings—even though those rising premiums purchased ‘thinner’ coverage with higher deductibles and copayments, as well as fewer benefits.

“The insurance lobby’s scare tactics are ironic and deplorable. They are like a poker player who complains about his hand when, in fact, he is the dealer.”

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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