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Monday, July 20, 2009

Obama Turns Health Care Sights to Insurance Companies

By Jason Racki

FOXBusiness

WASHINGTON--President Barack Obama turned his sights on the country's health-insurance companies today in the continuing national debate over health-care reform.

Calling the need for reform "indisputable," the President said, "insurance company boondoggles and inefficiencies" are not "making us any healthier."

He continued, "Health insurance companies and their executives have reaped windfall profits from a broken system."

In May, America's Health Insurance Plans, the trade association that lobbies on behalf of health-insurance companies, joined others in sending a letter to the President pledging to work together.

"We stand ready to work with you," the letter stated.

But the two now appear to be squarely on opposite sides.

AHIP launched a television ad campaign Monday calling for bipartisan reform. Rather than support any of the Democrat-backed legislation working its way through Congress, the group says its ads provide a "workable framework on which policymakers can build without creating a government-run plan."

When asked for a response to the President's remarks Monday, AHIP provided the following: “Health plans are focused on supporting reforms that make health care more affordable for American families and employers who are struggling in a tough economy.”

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