Bloomberg News reported that the national insurance member group America’s Health Insurance Plans, armed the US Chamber of Commerce with $86.2 million “that was used to oppose the health-care overhaul law.” Bloomberg notes, “The spending reflects the insurers’ attempts to influence the bill, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates will provide coverage to 32 million previously uninsured Americans.” Washington attorney Trevor Potter said “By funneling the money through the Chamber, insurers were able to remain at the table negotiating with Democrats while still getting the bill criticized. ‘It enables you to have it both ways.’” The White House criticized the donation, describing insurers as “desperate to preserve their ability to discriminate against you if you had a preexisting condition, drop your care when you got sick and limit the amount of care you could receive in a year or a lifetime.”
From the American Association for Justice news release.
