House Passes McCarran-Ferguson Repeal
The House of Representatives voted this week to pass the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act (H.R. 1418), a bill to repeal the antiquated McCarran-Ferguson antitrust exemption granted to the health insurance industry decades ago. This bipartisan bill was led by Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and companion legislation introduced in the Senate, S. 350, by Senators Daines (R-MT) and Leahy (D-VT) is pending.
Repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson antitrust exemption would empower federal agencies, like the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice, to enforce the full range of federal antitrust laws against health insurance companies engaged in anticompetitive conduct.
AGD appreciates the many members who participated in advocating for passage of the House bill leading up to the vote and will be making a push for a vote on the legislation by the Senate in the near future.
Impact on General Dentistry: The AGD strongly supports efforts to reform McCarran-Ferguson to eliminate the health insurance industry's exemption from Federal antitrust laws. Consumers are currently left susceptible to unfair price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation.
Repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson antitrust exemption would empower federal agencies, like the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice, to enforce the full range of federal antitrust laws against health insurance companies engaged in anticompetitive conduct.
AGD appreciates the many members who participated in advocating for passage of the House bill leading up to the vote and will be making a push for a vote on the legislation by the Senate in the near future.
Impact on General Dentistry: The AGD strongly supports efforts to reform McCarran-Ferguson to eliminate the health insurance industry's exemption from Federal antitrust laws. Consumers are currently left susceptible to unfair price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation.