Insurance Trade Group AHIP on Obama Health Plan
Kevin Freking from the Associated Press has just reported the reaction to President-Elect Barack Obama’s health care plan from America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). AHIP is the leading health insurance industry trade group.
At the National Press Club, AHIP announced that it generally supports the Obama administration’s ideas for health care reform. However, they strongly oppose a proposed requirement that large- and medium-size employers must either contribute to their employees’ health insurance or pay a percentage of payroll to a national insurance plan. President and CEO Karen Ignagni claims that given the current state of the economy, any sort of employer mandate is a bad idea.
AHIP also doesn’t support comprehensive coverage mandates imposed by the states, preferring a national plan for small businesses that covers essential services such as emergency and primary care. This plan would exclude services that significantly increase monthly insurance premiums and those that insurers consider unproven. Consumer advocate groups believe that this will reduce the effectiveness of individual health coverage.
Politicians and industry representatives agree that they would like changes in health care policy to happen soon, before the new administration gets distracted by other issues.
