John Garamendi: “Now, I was the insurance commissioner in California 2003 to 2007. And during that period of time, we received complaints…”

“Now, I was the insurance commissioner in California 2003 to 2007. And during that period of time, we received complaints about rescission, about people that had health insurance, had an illness and suddenly the insurance company canceled them. And I'll tell you that we took action against the largest insurance companies, Wellpoint Anthem, that Blue Cross program in California, and others on this specific issue. And it is a very, very, real issue. I am so happy to be here in Congress and to vote on a bill that says no more, no how, will you be able, Mr. Insurance, to continue that very pernicious, very, very damaging and grossly unfair practice. Lawsuits have gone on. This bill will put a stop to that practice. Let me just take one other thing. Mr. Ellison had a chart: 45,000 die for lack of insurance. Yes, but there are other things here. America, because of the way in which we've structured our health insurance programs, we rank 19th among the industrialized nations of the world in preventing illnesses.”