Insurance companies go before Kucinich panel

In a room filled almost to capacity with K street lobbyists and company lawyers, executives from the nation’s top six insurance providers testified before the Domestic Policy subcommittee during day two of the subcommittee’s hearings. While yesterday committee members heard from victims of insurance companies and industry whistleblowers who shared their disheartening stories of industry abuse, today brought a much different tone.

The witness list included executives from United Healthcare Group, WellPoint, Aetna, Humana, CIGNA and Health Care Service Corporation. They repeatedly expressed their support for health care reform, but when questioned about specific industry practices or guidelines, they tirelessly dodged the issue. Whether the committee members asked about rescission policies or executive salaries, the witnesses seemed reluctant to provide anything beyond vague generalities extolling the virtues of their industry.

However, it seemed that many of the committee members took yesterday’s testimony to heart. Following up on Dr. Linda Peeno’s statement from yesterday that her salary was directly related to how many claims she denied, Representative Cummings asked all the witnesses if there was any reward at their company for doing likewise. Frustrated by the complete denial of such practices by all executives, Rep. Cummings said “Well, I guess there must be those other insurance companies out there doing this.”

Rep. Conyers also dropped in on the hearings, even though he is not a member of the subcommittee. He took a slightly different line of questioning, asking the witnesses if they were aware of a wide variety of insurance-related facts, such as the existence of the organization Healthcare for America NOW. None of the witnesses said they had ever heard of it.

Overall, the hearings posed several tense moments between the Democratic representatives and witnesses. At one point, Rep. Conyers asked Patricia Farrell, the Aetna representative, how much she made per year. She refused to disclose the amount to the committee, offering instead to submit it in written form after the hearing. All of the other witnesses, except the Humana and Health Care Services Corporation executives, refused as well.

While it is unclear exactly how much light today’s hearing shed on the internal practices and operations of the insurance companies, the committee members did request large amounts of additional information from the witnesses, including tapes of internal meetings discussing raising profits and compensation listings for their top executives. Rep. Kucinich closed the hearing by noting that this is just the beginning of an ongoing process to learn exactly how the insurance companies operate and how they can be reformed to better served the American people.

About the Author: Maria Tchijov is an online organizer & new media specialist in healthcare on SEIU’s New Media team. SEIU is the nation’s largest union of health care workers, with over half of the union’s 2.1 million members working in the field, including 110,000 nurses and 40,000 doctors.

This article originally appeared in the SEIU blog on September 17, 2009. Reprinted with permission by the author.

hoodia and blood pressure Kalahar Hoodia Hoodia weight treatment hoodia weight watchers 663.
organic hoodia Hoodia Suse Rapid-gels slimciti hoodia 90s
hoodia slim, Hoodia Patch Weight Loss oprah winfry and hoodia
hoodia research Hoodia 2000 Tr Hoodia cheap hoodia chews discount 404.
hoodia chews discount? Smartburn Hoodia hoodia diet sit
hoodia dex l10 Diet Hoodia Phentermine Pill walmart hoodia
“mega t with hoodia” Hoodia Before And After Pics nv south african hoodia
hoodia real plant Certifed Hoodia lowest price on hoodia hoodia
natural weight loss appetite hoodia! Is Hoodia A Scam dex-l10 hoodia
“hoodia gordonii blood presure” Hoodia Benefits diet pills with hoodia
hoodia species Hoodia 2 hoodia herb
making a product with hoodia Safety Of Hoodia import and export of hoodia
Hoodia gordina hoodia gordini 423. Hoodia Storys cortisol hoodia
hoodia and heart problems Hoodia Gordina hoodia slimming pills
hoodia gordoni Dessert Burn Hoodia oprah show hoodia
hoodia hypertension Extreme Hoodia Oprah winfrey and hoodia oprah winfrey hoodia 364.
google hoodia Hoodia Gel Capsules weight loss hoodia cbs november!
“hoodia gordonii bbb” Risks Of Hoodia hoodia gnc
hoodia 24 Hoodia Thin hoodia gordonii plus sellers
does hoodia dex-l10 work Health Direct Hoodia hoodia chaser
100 pure hoodia gordonii Hoodia Xtreme Power Formula 10-day hoodia diet
hoodia gordonii energy Hoodia And Underarm Odor hoodia for diet
bulk hoodia? Hoodia Diet Supplements hoodia pro and cons
hoodia and diet Hoodia And Advantra-z hoodia medicinal
power pops with hoodia Hoodia Products lowest price on hoodia hoodia
perfect hoodia! High-fiber Hoodia Body Choice slimquick hoodia;
hoodia afordable X57 Hoodia hoodia glucomann blend
hoodia balance Mason Hoodia hoodia safety
hoodia gordonii cactus plant Hoodia Comparison hoodia xpf,
hoodia weight loss product Weight Loss Hoodia Cbs November hoodia walgreens
hoodia gordonii purist Hoodia Weight Loss Pill 100 hoodia patch
what is hoodia x57! Hoodia And Bitter Orange google hoodia
high fiber hoodia Materia Medica Hoodia Gordonii “hoodia gordonii weight loss claims”
buy hoodia wholesale; Desert Burn Hoodia Za 750 hoodia stories;
phentermine 37.5 overnight phentramine hoodia Hoodia Plus pure health hoodia
fat pill hoodia? Highest Authentic Hoodia Liquid Tincture “hoodia patch retailers”
pure hoodia tincture; Hoodia Gordonii Facts consumer reports hoodia
clinical study hoodia Hoodia Gordinii hoodia liquid extract
Hoodia weight treatment hoodia weight watchers 663. Slimciti Hoodia 30 organic hoodia
slimciti hoodia 90s Hoodia Gordonii Dex L10 hoodia slim,
oprah winfry and hoodia Hoodia Weight Watchers hoodia research
Hoodia cheap hoodia chews discount 404. Hoodia Gordonii And Fat Burner hoodia chews discount?
hoodia diet sit Prime With Hoodia hoodia dex l10

Tracking image for JustAnswer widget
Tracking image for JustAnswer widget
Scroll to Top

Madeline Messa

Madeline Messa is a 3L at Syracuse University College of Law. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in journalism. With her legal research and writing for Workplace Fairness, she strives to equip people with the information they need to be their own best advocate.