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How can we get "fair" prices if the insurance industry has an immunity to federal anti-trust laws? How is this letting the "market" work for US, the consumers, if big insurance is allowed to share information about prices, etc., with each other, and therefore basically "fix" prices???
MyDD :: Big Insurance's Competition Immunity (http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/8/17/21730/8042 - broken link)
"The federal government has not been able to attack the insurance companies through federal anti-trust laws for over 60 years. Under the McCarran-Ferguson Act passed in 1945, insurance companies (and Major League Baseball!) are specifically excluded from federal anti-trust laws as long as the state regulates in that area, and federal anti-trust laws will apply ONLY in cases of boycott, coercion, and intimidation."
That must be why insuracne companies coagulate in certain states -- Blue Cross is 90% (? 70%?) the only insurer in Alabama e.g.
"Would it make sense to repeal the McCarran-Ferguson Act, push forward the Insurance Industry Competition Act of 2009, include it in HEALTH CARE REFORM, make Big Insurance subject to anti-trust laws? GIVE THEM THE REAL FREE MARKET THEY CLAIM TO HAVE."
Shhhhhhhh! Many of the anti-health care reform people believe the insurance companies are the poor under-dogs that are just barely getting by. Please shed a tear for those poor insurance companies!
"Obama and the vast majority of Democrats say that they want COMPETITION in the insurance industry. Mr. President and Congress, here's one giant leap in that direction. Repeal the McCarran-Ferguson Act. Push forward the Insurance Industry Competition Act of 2009. Include it in HEALTH CARE REFORM. Make Big Insurance subject to anti-trust laws. Give them the REAL free market they claim to have.
"Keeping Big Insurance immune from the 'sickness' of competition is unhealthy for all Americans."
Shhhhhhhh! Many of the anti-health care reform people believe the insurance companies are the poor under-dogs that are just barely getting by. Please shed a tear for those poor insurance companies!
My guess is that the "common folk" who are opposed to health care reform are totally CLUELESS about this little-known fact.............Insurance Compainies don't have to really compete. I would suggest that the gullible don't want to know the truth. It would interfer with there illusions about the "free market".......
How can we get "fair" prices if the insurance industry has an immunity to federal anti-trust laws? How is this letting the "market" work for US, the consumers, if big insurance is allowed to share information about prices, etc., with each other, and therefore basically "fix" prices???
MyDD :: Big Insurance's Competition Immunity (http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/8/17/21730/8042 - broken link)
"The federal government has not been able to attack the insurance companies through federal anti-trust laws for over 60 years. Under the McCarran-Ferguson Act passed in 1945, insurance companies (and Major League Baseball!) are specifically excluded from federal anti-trust laws as long as the state regulates in that area, and federal anti-trust laws will apply ONLY in cases of boycott, coercion, and intimidation."
Now the next question that should be asked is why the states haven't been doing their job ?
The federal government sure doesn't provide competition at all.Just as Social Security is a trust fund that would be illegal if anyone else ran a trust fund that only alowed the trustee to borrow the money for a suppoed 1.55 interest and didn't have to pay it until a certai age and then it disapeared if teh person died. They pay those that have pout money in with teh funds that other just sent in;sound like a Maddofff skemem to anyone.
The federal government sure doesn't provide competition at all.Just as Social Security is a trust fund that would be illegal if anyone else ran a trust fund that only alowed the trustee to borrow the money for a suppoed 1.55 interest and didn't have to pay it until a certai age and then it disapeared if teh person died. They pay those that have pout money in with teh funds that other just sent in;sound like a Maddofff skemem to anyone.
Sorry. I don't understand ^^^ your post. What does that have to do with insurance companies having immunity from anti-trust laws?
Now the next question that should be asked is why the states haven't been doing their job ?
Actually, I think the next question is:
Why are insurance compaines ALLOWED to share information about claims and prices so they can basically "fix" prices, and not be subject to anit-trust laws like other companies in this country?
There is a reason for anti-trust laws. Monopolies can control prices. Why do we allow this exception for the insurance companies, and WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHEN DISCUSSING HEALTH CARE REFORM?
Did you read the info in this link?
MyDD :: Big Insurance's Competition Immunity (http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/8/17/21730/8042 - broken link)
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