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Targeted News Service
July 29, 2010 Thursday 12:53 AM EST
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Sen. Rockefeller Says Health Insurance Companies' Threat to Refuse Coverage for Children Is Shameful and Will Not Stand
Targeted News Service
WASHINGTON
The office of Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV, D-W.Va., issued the following news release:Senator Jay Rockefeller today released the following statement regarding the recent news that some health insurance companies have threatened to stop issuing new individual insurance policies that cover children under 19 with pre-existing conditions. "Some health insurance companies worked from day one to block the passage of health reform with strong consumer protections for American families. Now, since they couldn't stop health reform, they are sparing no expense to lobby for ways to weaken implementation of the law to their advantage - and this week, their scheme continues to the detriment of children. These efforts are shameful and they will not stand," said Rockefeller. "By threatening to stop issuing new policies to children with pre-existing conditions - because they might not then be able to make as much of a profit on those children - health insurers are once again showing their true colors."Rockefeller continued, "It is bad enough that some health insurance companies continue to blatantly put profits before people, but now they are deliberately using children as political pawns in their attempts to weaken health reform. It just doesn't get any lower than that.""I want the health insurance companies to hear me loud and clear - I will never stop fighting you each step of the way to stop your deplorable actions that hurt children."Background:Senator Rockefeller has dedicated his entire career to protecting children and making sure they have all of the resources and protections they need. Rockefeller is honored to serve West Virginia families as Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, where he secured inclusion of an important provision in the health reform bill that would immediately eliminate all pre-existing condition exclusions for children under age 19. This provision is based on legislation he reintroduced in 2009 - the Pre-existing Conditions Patient Protection Act (S. 623).Yesterday, to ensure the coverage of children and address some health insurance companies' concerns, the Administration clarified that there will be an open enrollment period for children with pre-existing conditions who are currently uninsured - and that they won't "hesitate to issue regulations if insurance companies unfairly limit access to insurance for children who need it most." The Administration also clearly stated that benefits to children from the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will not be affected.An Administration fact sheet with questions and answers on Enrollment of Children Under 19 Under the New Policy That Prohibits Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions is available here.( http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/regulations/children19/factsheet.html)Copyright Targeted News ServicesTNS hc11-JF78--100730-2934414 StaffFurigay
July 30, 2010
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