By: Jesse Liebman --
February 11, 2010
Governor Deval Patrick is seeking to gain authority to review and reject rates charged by hospitals, physician groups, medical imaging centers and insurers, in the hopes to make health care more affordable, especially for small businesses and their employees.
A 40-page bill was filed by Patrick yesterday suggests giving the health insurance commissioner the ability to place a cap on health care price increases.
A top political rival, Republican Charles Baker, dismissed the move as a campaign-year stunt, and health insurers said it was unrealistic.
Addressing the big-business Greater Boston Chamber of
Commerce, Patrick said an emergency ruling his administration was enacting
would permit the state insurance commissioner to rebuff any rate increase deemed
"unreasonable or excessive."
And in a time when double-digit premium hikes are commonplace, Patrick said any proposed increase greater than the current level of inflation for medical consumers of 3.2 percent "will be challenged."
The regulation would apply to health plans for businesses
with 50 or fewer employees.
"We have to give small businesses some economic breathing room," Patrick said.
