Reps. Waxman, Stupak Seek Information From Insurers

[babylonsister]

Two House Democrats Seek Information From Insurers

By NAFTALI BENDAVID and AVERY JOHNSON


WASHINGTON -- Two powerful House Democrats have sent a letter to insurance companies asking them to provide detailed information about their conferences and retreats, executive pay, and other business practices.

The letter comes in the midst of a campaign by Democrats, as part of their push to build support for a health overhaul, to portray the insurance companies as the villains of the health-care system. Insurers say they are working with Congress on an overhaul and resent being cast as the bad guy.

The letter is from Rep. Henry Waxman (D., Calif.), who is chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Bart Stupak (D., Mich.), who heads the panel's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Mr. Waxman is the Democrats' point man in the House on the politically volatile health overhaul, and recently shepherded a bill through his committee. Mr. Stupak, however, has said he wants to be sure the Democrats' plan does not cover abortions, and he voted against it in committee.

The letter, sent Monday, did not refer to the health overhaul debate, saying only that the committee "is examining executive compensation and other business practices in the health insurance industry." The letter requests the companies' help, but is not a subpoena.

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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125063757780841555.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[Wednesdays]

1. K&R

:kick:

[gratuitous]

2. First the letter, then the subpoena

I'm guessing that right now insurance company pooh-bahs would rather eat poop right out of the cat box than appear under oath before Rep. Waxman's committee. Things have been going their way for the last couple of weeks, but the backlash is building, and by the time Congress gets back to DC in September, we'll have a far more balanced picture of what the American people want, and not just what the scared, ignorant screamers want.

Insurance company executives answering questions about compensation, business practices, and the like are going to turn themselves into such interesting pretzels that some of them might even consider covering chiropractic care.