Congressman Krishnamoorthi and Ranking Member Connolly Call on Oversight Committee to Conduct Hearing on Health Insurance Conglomerates Limiting and Denying Access to Coverage
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Oversight and Reform Committee Ranking Member Gerry Connolly (D-VA) sent a letter to Chairman James Comer (R-KY) requesting the committee conduct a hearing on commercial health insurance conglomerates limiting and denying access to medically appropriate care. A health insurer recently announced it would not cover additional anesthesia if a procedure extended beyond the company’s own arbitrary time limit, even if a medical complication or emergency warranted more time. That policy, which has since been suspended following strong backlash from patients and health care professionals, could have resulted in a patient and their families having to pay out of pocket for anesthesia following a potentially life-threatening situation.
“Patients – our constituents – are concerned that they may be denied access to needed health care services because of insurers’ focus on profits over patient care,” the members wrote in the letter. “Congress should question whether we can continue to count on health insurance conglomerates to police themselves and their policies. An oversight hearing would allow our Committee to fully explore this question. Immediate action is necessary to hold insurance companies accountable and to prevent others from following suit.”
"Appalling behavior by commercial health insurers has been going on for some time. Insurance companies are simply looking to drive their profits up at the expense of patients and physicians providing essential care,” Don Arnold, MD, President of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, said.
“The Illinois Society of Anesthesiologists (ISA) strongly supports congressional oversight hearing to examine commercial health insurance policies that jeopardize patient health and undermine physicians' ability to provide safe, effective care, as highlighted by the recent Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield controversy,” Jason Mitchell, MD, President of the Illinois Society of Anesthesiologists, said.
Limits on anesthesia care are just a recent example in a long line of alarming health insurance conglomerate procedures and practices. In their letter, Congressman Krishnamoorthi and Ranking Member Connolly cite several other policies that have come under scrutiny by the public that limit, deny, and delay access to needed and critical health care, including practices such as prior authorization and step therapy, or “fair first.”
Congressman Krishnamoorthi has been a leader on the Oversight Committee in calling for the committee to take up more hearings and discussions surrounding the state of the U.S. health care system. In December, Congressman Krishnamoorthi called on Congress to take urgent action regarding Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), aiming to lower the costs of prescription drugs for Americans and protect the local and independent pharmacies millions depend on.
The full letter can be read here.