Frank Pallone: “I respect Dr. Burgess a great deal, but I have no idea why he would be opposed to having an agency that is essentially…”

“I respect Dr. Burgess a great deal, but I have no idea why he would be opposed to having an agency that is essentially putting a check on the insurance companies. The problem is that the insurance companies keep raising rates, they don't show the consumer what the real benefits that they're receiving are, and what we need is more transparency and some way to review these insurance premium rates so that they don't get out of hand. The fact of the matter is that this agency, working with States, has already had great success. In Connecticut, regulators recently rejected a proposed 20 percent rate increase by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. In Maine, the State superintendent rejected WellPoint's Empire Blue Cross request to raise rates by 23 percent. Colorado, also, and in California, the review prompted Anthem Blue Cross to withdraw its request for a 39 percent premium increase. Why are you objecting to us trying to put a check on these insurance companies that keep raising their rates at outrageous levels? That's what this is all about. I oppose this amendment.”