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As of this morning, two of the companies who told Congress last year they wouldn’t end rescissions, WellPoint and UnitedHealth Group, have announced that they will implement the rescission reforms in the health insurance reform bill ahead of schedule—with
WellPoint ending them on May 1st, and
UnitedHealth ending them immediately. Speaker Pelosi on the news of UnitedHealth’s announcement that it would implement rescission reforms ahead of schedule:
Today, UnitedHealth became the second major health insurer to take action even sooner than the law requires to end the shameful practice of dropping people’s health coverage when they get sick.
This decision marks another step forward in our effort to implement health insurance reform effectively and quickly, and ensure that the health care system works to the benefit of all Americans. All insurers should end this practice immediately.
This announcement is further evidence that congressional Republicans who are calling for repeal are out of touch because they are against ending abuses by insurance companies that even the companies themselves are beginning to address.
With the health insurance reform now law, no longer will corporate interests stand in the way of the best interests of patients and the best care our doctors can provide.
While Congressional
Republicans continue to call for the repeal of health insurance reform that ends practices like rescissions, Democrats will remain vigilant in our oversight of the health insurance industry and hold insurance companies accountable to keep premiums down and prevent denials of care and coverage.