NU Online News Service, Feb.4, 11:26 a.m.EST

WASHINGTON–Legislation will be introduced in the Housetomorrow repealing the antitrust exemption afforded health andmedical liability insurers through the McCarran-Ferguson Act.

The bill that will be introduced will not include a provisioncontained in an earlier version providing express enforcementauthority to the Federal Trade Commission with respect to "unfairmethods of competition" for all types of insurance, according toinsurance industry lobbyists.

In early December the House passed its version of health carereform legislation, including much more far-reaching language onantitrust repeal, which is opposed by all segments of the insuranceindustry.

The latest legislation on antitrust repeal will be introduced byRep. Tom Perriello, D-Va., and Rep. Betsy Markey, D-Colo., at apress conference tomorrow in anticipation of a House vote nextweek.

In announcing their plans, the two members said, "It's time forWashington to decide whether we stand with patients orprofiteering, whether we believe in market competition or collusionbetween politicians and insurance monopolies."

They remarked in a statement that, in the last 14 years, "therehave been 400 mergers among health care insurers so that 95 percentof health insurance markets are 'highly concentrated,' which meansconsumers have little or no choice between insurers."

"This non-competitive market has led to health insurancepremiums having more than doubled in the past decade," thestatement said.

In a message to its members asking them to call theircongressmen to oppose the bill, the National Association ofProfessional Insurance Agents said it is unclear whether the billwill have the votes to pass, "even if it comes up in the Housefloor. In fact, some industry lobbyists think that a vote may notbe taken if there aren't sufficient votes to pass it."