PIA National had joined together with eight other insurance industry organizations to strongly oppose the “Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2009” (H.R. 3596 and S. 1681). In a letter to Congress, the groups state that these recently introduced bills would repeal long-standing provisions of the McCarran-Ferguson Act with respect to health and medical malpractice insurance issuers. “There is no demonstrated need to expand the scope of the healthcare reform debate in this fashion,” the letter states.

“Under the regulatory regime that arose from the McCarran-Ferguson Act, more than 5,000 property/casualty insurers across the country are subject to a comprehensive and pervasive regimen of state-based regulation and antitrust enforcement, including health and medical malpractice insurance covered by H.R. 3596 and S. 1681,” the letter goes on. “States regulate virtually every aspect of insurance, including licensing, market conduct, financial solvency, policy language and underwriting standards.  Thus, federal action to repeal or amend the McCarran-Ferguson Act for these or any line of insurance is unnecessary to pursue any allegations of anti-competitive behavior.”

P&C Trades Against Ending Health Antitrust Immunity (National Underwriter 10/8/09)

Joint Trades Letter (10/8/09)

October 13, 2009