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For Immediate Release
07/16/09
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Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Competition in the Health Care Marketplace
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Today’s hearing takes place as part of a broader effort to transform health care in this country.
If we are serious about providing every American with access to affordable, meaningful health care coverage, we absolutely must start by confronting its soaring costs.
The average American family today pays twice as much for its health care as it did a decade ago. And health care costs are one of the top reasons for otherwise financially-sound families falling into bankruptcy. Families in West Virginia and all across the nation are suffering and that is absolutely unacceptable to me.
I have heard stories from countless constituents forced into impossible circumstances by rising prices: the family from Fairmont, West Virginia whose nine-year old son has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. But they have reached their insurance policy’s $1 million cap. As local teachers, they make a modest salary – too much to qualify for public assistance but too little to afford the procedure they need to save their child’s life. Heartbreaking.
Many factors contribute to those rising prices and push quality health care farther beyond the reach of more Americans everyday. But it goes beyond simple market forces:
A big reason behind rising health care costs is the coercive practices that manipulate the market, mask true cost, and burden health care consumers with even greater risk while others reap the profits.
Last month the full Commerce Committee convened a hearing where we learned some alarming facts about just how common and costly that manipulation can be.
While the insurance industry promises to base their out-of-network payments on what they call the “usual, customary, and reasonable” cost of medical care in a particular area – it is clear that for a decade or more, many of the largest insurers have colluded to fix those prices, skew their rates downward, and significantly short–change patients and providers.
I am very proud of the Committee’s investigation into these manipulative practices and pledge we will continue working to ensure the industry is held accountable for any deceptive practices that may have cost consumers in higher prices and reduced access to necessary medical care.
By continuing to pursue and eliminate market manipulation, we can bring more competition into the system and bring costs down. This is one part of my unrelenting motivation to make health insurance market reforms a fundamental piece of any comprehensive health care reform.
The FTC, which has already taken significant action, needs to be more aggressive with doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturers and medical suppliers who manipulate the market. The commission also needs the resources and the tools to maintain this downward pressure.
The Justice Department, which has been far too lax over the last eight years, must re-engage in policing anticompetitive practices by insurance companies: taking action against one bad actor in an industry can serve as a potent deterrent to others in that industry to refrain from the same behavior — a multiplier effect of increased enforcement.
For too long, too many health care decisions have been made behind closed doors with industry profits – not the patient’s best interests – in mind. It is no surprise that without any transparency or the force of competition to keep them honest, industry profits soared, as have consumer costs and the barriers to necessary medical care.
I want to welcome our witnesses and thank them for their work to protect the American public. I look forward to your testimony. And a special thanks to Subcommittee Chairman Pryor for presiding today and for his tireless leadership on behalf of the American consumer.
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30th - |
Rockefeller, Boxer Applaud Funding for Rail Safety Grants
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) lauded the Senate Appropriations Committee for fully funding a new railroad safety technology grant program, created by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008.
The committee passed the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, which includes $50 million for the Railro...
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30th - |
Hearing Summary - Climate Services: Solutions from Commerce to Communities
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on Climate Services: Solutions from Commerce to Communities.
Witness List:
The Honorable Gary Locke, Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce
The Honorable John P. Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President
Key ...
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30th - |
Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Climate Services: Solutions from Commerce to Communities
- Our climate shapes every aspect of our lives. It determines where we build our roads and homes. It affects our health and it controls the amount of energy we need. Over one-third of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product is affected by weather and climate.
Climate change is happening—the scientists agree—we have observed rising temperatures and sea levels, reduced snow and ice...
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30th - |
Rockefeller Seeks Information on Health Care Co-ops
- WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation released three letters seeking information regarding cooperative business arrangements, particularly in the health care arena. The letters were sent to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the National Cooperative Business Association, and the U.S. Department...
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29th - |
Hearing Summary: Nominations Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on nominations.
Witness List:
Mr. Christopher P. Bertram, to be Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer at the United States Department of Transportation
Ms. Susan L. Kurland, to be Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International A...
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28th - |
Hearing Summary - Weathering the Storm: The Need for a National Hurricane Initiative
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on Weathering the Storm: The Need for a National Hurricane Initiative.
Witness List:
Dr. Kelvin K. Droegemeier, Co-Chairman, Task Force on Hurricane Science and Engineering, National Science Board
Dr. Richard W. Spinrad, Assistant Administrator, Office of Oceanic an...
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27th - |
Nominees Confirmed
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate confirmed the following nominees by unanimous consent on July 24, 2009:
Ms. Mignon L. Clyburn, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Ms. Meredith Attwell Baker, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Ms. Deborah A.P. Hersman, to be Chairman and Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (N...
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24th - |
Rockefeller Calls for Audit of General Motors and Chrysler Terminations
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Jay Rockefeller has requested the Special Inspector General of the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) review the methodology of the General Motors (GM) and Chrysler decisions to terminate more than 2,000 dealership franchises across the country.
“There is substantial confusion, even among dealers themselves, as to how GM and Chrysler selected dealersh...
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22nd - |
Chairman Rockefeller's Remarks on Advertising Trends and Consumer Protection
- With this hearing, the committee continues to highlight the Federal Trade Commission’s role in protecting the American people, especially at a time of unprecedented economic crisis. Last week, we explored the increasing frequency and danger of economic fraud and financial scams during tough times.
Today, we will examine deceptive advertising and its power to undermine consumers’ c...
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22nd - |
Hearing Summary: Advertising Trends and Consumer Protection
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a subcommittee hearing today on Advertising Trends and Consumer Protection.
Witness List:
Mr. David Vladeck, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission
Ms. Sally Greenberg, Executive Director, National Consumers League
Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Director for Technical...
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21st - |
Rockefeller Applauds Senate Commerce Committee's Approval of FAA Reauthorization Bill
- WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement today after legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was approved by the Commerce Committee:
“I am very pleased that this important legislation was quickly approved by the Committee and t...
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21st - |
Chairman Rockefeller Applauds Senate Commerce Committee's Extension of Critical Highway Programs
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, worked today to extend critical highway and vehicle safety programs authorized by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).
The Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill to extend the Nation...
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21st - |
Executive Session Committee Legislation Summary
- Washington, D.C.—Today the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held an Executive Session and favorably reported out the following legislation and nominees:
Nomination of Polly Trottenberg, to be Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy of the United States Department of Transportation (PN 549)
Nomination of Deborah A.P. Hersman, to be Chairman and Memb...
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20th - |
Chairman Rockefeller on the 40th Anniversary of the First Moon Landing
- WASHINGTON, D.C.— Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement today honoring the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing:
“Forty years ago, three brave NASA astronauts ventured into the unknown carrying an entire nation’s hopes and dreams with them. When Apollo 11 lan...
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17th - |
Rockefeller and Hutchison Press DOT on Antitrust Immunity Cases
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), the Ranking Member on the Committee, joined together and urged the Department of Transportation to exercise its long-held statutory authority and expertise to determine if applications for airline anti-trust immunity are in the publi...
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16th - |
Hearing Summary: Competition in the Health Care Marketplace
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a subcommittee hearing today on Competition in the Health Care Marketplace.
Witness List:
Mr. Richard A. Feinstein, Director, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Commission
Dr. Len M. Nichols, Director, Health Policy Program, New America Foundation
Mr. David Balto, Senior Fellow, Center For ...
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16th - |
current Press Release |
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15th - |
Chairman Rockefeller Alarmed by Magnitude of Cyber Attacks
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, sent letters to 11 different federal departments and agencies asking for information regarding their cybersecurity preparedness and the effectiveness of their incident response capability.
Chairman Rockefeller and Senator Snowe recently introduced bipa...
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14th - |
Hearing Summary-The Economy and Fraud: Protecting Consumers During Downward Economic Times
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation continued the fight for American consumers and held a subcommittee hearing today on The Economy and Fraud: Protecting Consumers During Downward Economic Times.
Witness List:
The Honorable Chris Koster, Attorney General, State of Missouri
Mr. David Vladeck, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Fed...
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14th - |
Rockefeller, Hutchison, Dorgan, Demint Introduce Bipartisan Aviation Bill
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Chairman of the Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Subcommittee Byron Dorgan (D-ND), and Ranking Member of the Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Subcommittee Jim DeMint (R-SC) joined together today to in...
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13th - |
Chairman Rockefeller and Ranking Member Hutchison Statements on the Nomination of Chris Bertram
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison issued the following statements after Christopher P. Bertram was nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer at the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“Mr. Bertram brings a ...
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10th - |
Chairman Rockefeller Adds Another Company to His Online "Mystery Charges" Investigation
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced a Senate Commerce Committee investigation on May 27, 2009 into certain e-commerce marketing practices that generate thousands of mysterious monthly charges to consumer credit cards.
Today, Senator Rockefeller sent a letter to the President of Affini...
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9th - |
Hearing Summary: Nominations Hearing
- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing yesterday on nominations.
Nominations Include:
Panel I
Mr. Charles F. Bolden, Jr., to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Ms. Lori Garver, to be Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
...
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8th - |
Executive Session Committee Legislation Summary
- Washington, D.C.—Today the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held an Executive Session and favorably reported out the following legislation:
S. 588, Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009
S. 649, Radio Spectrum Inventory Act
S. 668, Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2009
S. 1194, Coast Guard Authorizati...
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