Mr. Shaman
Senior Member
- May 4, 2010
- 23,892
- 822
- 48
"A $46 million round of grants will help U.S. states boost oversight of health insurance premium hikes and keep down costs, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Monday.
Sebelius has already called on insurance companies to justify hikes, prompting some to withdraw or adjust rates. The Obama administration, sensitive to defending health reform ahead of the November midterm elections, has been pressuring the multibillion-dollar industry for months.
In February, Sebelius chided Anthem Blue Cross of California for rate increases as high as 39 percent. Parent company Wellpoint Inc, the largest U.S. health insurer, later acknowledged "inadvertent" errors and filed for smaller rate increases."