Feb 25 2010
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen
Sebelius today invited insurance company chief executive officers to a
March 3 meeting at HHS to discuss their companies’ insurance premiums.
The CEOs of UnitedHealth Group Inc., WellPoint Inc., Aetna Inc., Health
Care Service Corporation and CIGNA HealthCare Inc. along with leaders
from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners have been
invited.
Text of the letter delivered to insurance company CEOs is below:
Dear ______,
Across the country, health insurance premium increases are impacting
American families and business owners, and experts indicate that
premiums will continue to rise. In recent weeks, we have learned of
premium increases of nearly 40 percent in one state and we know
significant premium increases are not isolated incidents. I am concerned
about these increases, which make it harder for people to access the
health care they need, and eager to hear the justification for these
increases and steps we can take to create a more stable system that
keeps premium costs down for all Americans.
To that end, I will be hosting a meeting with insurance company
executives and hope you will accept this invitation to join us on
Wednesday, March 3 at the Department of Health and Human Services in
Washington, D.C. at 11:30 AM. Our conversation will benefit from your
experience and expertise.
I hope this meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss how health
insurance reform can bring down health care costs and fix our broken
health insurance system. President Obama has offered a health insurance
reform proposal that begins to give middle class families and small
business owners the health care security they have been losing over the
past 16 years. This plan was informed by our discussions with a wide
variety of stakeholders over the past year including representatives
from NAIC. Now, as we move forward, we welcome your thoughts and ideas
about how reform can ensure all Americans have the stable, secure,
affordable health care coverage they need and deserve.
We all share a commitment to fighting fraud in our health care system,
driving down health care costs and implementing reforms that will add
value to our health care system. I look forward to a productive
conversation on these and other issues. Should you have any questions
regarding this meeting, please contact my office at (202) 690-7000.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Sebelius
Secretary of Health and Human
Services