Growing National Outcry Over Insurance Mega-Mergers
June 29, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Forty-three state and national organizations have signed a letter sent to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) expressing grave concerns about anti-competitive behavior seen in state reviews of the proposed mega-mergers of Anthem-Cigna and Aetna-Humana.
The flawed review process in most states has led the 43 signatories to urge the DOJ to carefully review the mergers’ impact on each state and on the country as a whole. The DOJ has the expertise and enforcement power to protect people from the harm these mergers will cause.
The signatories represent a broad range of organizations, including state and national consumer groups, patient advocacy and health justice organizations, and state and national medical associations.
“Many of the grassroots organizations that are part of UHCAN's national network have signed on because we see far too many state regulators are rubber stamping these mergers, often in secrecy,” said Rachel DeGolia, executive director of Universal Health Care Action Network. “The regulatory process is inadequate and failing the American public. It's time for the Department of Justice to take a good hard look at what's going on and do the right thing. These mergers should be stopped."
"These proposed health insurance company mergers will stifle competition, raise prices and reduce choice for patients in Connecticut and dozens of other states. Given the failure of several state regulators to carefully scrutinize these mega-mergers, it is incumbent on the U.S. Department of Justice to assert its regulatory authority now," urged Robert W. Seligson, president of the Physicians Advocacy Institute.
The letter was organized and delivered by a coalition comprised of Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, Connecticut Citizen Action Group and the Connecticut State Medical Society.
This letter comes on the heels of an announcement last week from seven U.S. Senators calling on the DOJ to block two proposed health insurer mergers.
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Jill B. Zorn Tom Swan Kelly Gilbert Raskauskas
Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut Connecticut Citizen Action Group Connecticut State Medical Society
Phone: (860) 560-3264 Phone: (860) 729-5712 Phone: (203) 752-8435
Email: JZorn@universalhealthct.org Email: tswan@igc.org Email: kellyr@csms.org