From our friends at PHAN:
Yesterday, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that for the first time, under rate review provisions of the Affordable Care Act, HHS has deemed a premium increase unreasonably high.
Everence Insurance, which sells policies to small businesses and has a presence in Pennsylvania, received a letter on Monday from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services scolding the company for a 12 percent increase for its small business clients that went into effect October 1.
"We're calling on the insurance company to immediately withdraw this rate and provide refunds or credits to any beneficiaries who have already paid the unreasonable amount," said the HHS Secretary.
But we need more than just a call. Take action to help protect small business owners from excessive health insurance premium increases.
Call your state legislators in Harrisburg and tell them to vote NO on HB 1983 and SB 1336 and to pass real rate protections for consumers instead! Click here to look up the number for your State Representative and State Senator.
The legislation being considered now should better protect consumers, but instead it takes away the few transparency protections that exist - such as requiring that health insurance companies post their proposed rate hike in the PA Bulletin. The bill even allows the Insurance Department to take away your right to have your voice heard through public comments on rate hikes.
Tell your legislators they can and should do better for Pennsylvania.
