October 23, 2009
The ADA has long encouraged Congress to repeal an insurance industry exemption from federal antitrust laws. The exemption allows health insurance companies to work jointly in setting rates without fear of federal antitrust scrutiny. When this type of behavior is allowed, consumers are hurt by a reduction in innovation and variety in the marketplace compared to what would be offered in an atmosphere of robust competition between insurance providers.
Dentists have recently come together to ask Congress to revisit this exemption, asking that the antitrust exemptions be repealed as part of healthcare reform. If you have not already done so, please take 5 minutes today to send a letter to your members of Congress in support of the repeal. Click here to send a letter using the easy-to-use Capwiz software.
More than 2,300 dentists have already emailed their members of Congress asking them to support the repeal. As a result of these efforts, the issue has gained much visibility. President Obama mentioned the repeal in his morning radio message to the nation last Saturday. In addition, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) recently advocated for a repeal of this exemption before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where a number of senators expressed support for the exemption’s repeal. We can’t stop now. We still need your help to ensure that this issue continues to get the attention it deserves! Please write your legislator today and encourage them to support repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson antitrust exemptions (Senate Bill 1681).