Mike Papantonio Takes on the Insurance Industry’s Anti-Trust Exemption
By Heather Saturday Nov 28, 2009 12:00pm
We can all thank Ben Nelson for trying to get this killed in the health care bill. Ring of Fire’s Mike Papantonio makes a great case for why we need to get rid of the anti-trust exemptions for the insurance industry and how the lack of regulation over the industry is harming small businesses in the United States. Of course good little wingnut S. E. Cupp plays concern troll for the insurance industry with her B.S. about having more competition across state lines, which would only mean a race to the bottom to the states with the least regulations.
Fox Host: Instead of worrying about the cash registers today, are retailers more worried about Washington? The industry reportedly fighting the Senate health care bill saying it is going to hurt retail jobs. But will it? Conservative columnist S. E. Cupp says you bet it will. Radio talk show host Mike Papantonio disagrees. We’ll start with you Mike. Why do you disagree?
Papantonio: Well every economist in the universe will tell you that the way to increase employment is increase competition. The insurance industry has been treated like a special prima donna since 1945 with this McCarran–Ferguson Pre-emption Act and here’s the problem; when you don’t have free competition, you’re going to…it affects jobs. There’s no secret here. The anti-trust laws would prevent the industry from charging small business anything they want to charge for employee policies.
So what ends up happening Brian is small business has to pay these exorbitant premiums—by the way, the insurance industry has increased those premiums 400% in the last ten years. McCarran–Ferguson would never allow that to happen because there would be transparency. So where’s the first place they cut? They cut jobs, they cut R&D, they cut expansion, they cut new risks. That’s exactly what’s happened because we treat this industry like they’re a prima donna. They’re the only industry besides baseball that is not subject to anti-trust laws and it’s killing employers.
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and passing more of the cost down to the employees. Most of that is in lieu of pay raises.
Talk of Competition is a "Straw man"?
The reason Medicare is struggling with rising costs is because of the unfunded Medicare Part-D put in by Republicans that prohibits bargaining, and financing private HMO's via "Medicare Advantage" that cost MORE than regular Medicare.
To point to "rising costs" as a "flaw" in Medicare is like trying to cut down a tree using a sledgehammer and then blaming the sledgehammer.
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Such a sad sight to see people arguing over profiting off the sick and dying.
It would be funny if they had the same type of arguments over fire or police.
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You won't be disappointed.
In the Republicans' dream world, only those police and fire companies that turned a decent profit would stay in business. The rich would be very well protected and the poor would be stuffed. In fact, it's already that way in Los Angeles, with the private security firms and gated communities.
They've already done it with prisons, which probably explains why we have the most prisoners of any country in the world. Good for business.
Now you have a little understanding of the American prison system. it is Crime for Profit. If they did a better job then the Government how come they have a high turn around rate.
Why is every in fraction of the Law being pushed to a felony (two reasons the first most important is to strip the person of the right to VOTE, second it keeps the jails occupied for Profit), hell these clowns do not carry about the criminal just the ZPROFIT and Hidden monies made for maintaining a prison, Social responsibility has NOTHING to do with it.
... how well allowing duopolies in the media has helped diversity and competition.
All that ending the MacCarran exemption would do would be to make it more economically desirable for the industry giants to nationalize their interests. There is, effectively, nothing that will regulate monopolistic insurance providers. Eliminating the exemption gives them more incentive to consolidate their monopoly.
You're saying allowing the government to break up the handful of massive insurance companies would create more monopolies. That makes zero sense.
If you allow the government to break up monopolies, obviously there will be fewer monopolies, smaller companies and more competition, as in other industries.
Was someone asleep at the kill switch?
They turned the Papster loose with an unchallenged PAP ATTACK!
Nice job Pap! They should have you as a cohost with Hannity, O'Reilly, or Beck, then Faux WOULD be fair and balanced.
Watch out. they'll be accusing him of a smear...
http://ringoffireradio.com/blogengine/default...
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=p...
AGAINST the free market.
It just goes to show you, they're only for a free market so long as it's controlled by a handful of their well-oiled friends.
I'm TIRED of the FIRE DEPARTMENT MONOPOLY!!
There should be competition in Fire Fighting!
Let private competition come in so people can choose their Fire Fighting company:
- Deluxe: Fire trucks, helicopter, fire fighting ninjas
- General: Fire trucks, trained fire-fighters
- Discount: My brother-in-law Pete with some buckets and a garden hose
...
In many parts of the country there is competition for firefighting services. Most volunteer departments contract with communities for protection and subscribers sell protection just like health insurance. Paid departments are pretty much the only government run operations.
Just think I lost my cousin yesterday in her fight with diabetes and weight, I wonder what the results would have been if she had insurance she could afford.
But what the hell lets keep trumpeting PROFITS over lives.
Bonuses over, proper Health care.
Remember the the scum bag supporter of the Socialist Capitalist Corporation must always always come first through Lies, Distortion and Twisted Truths. The motto of the FAILED Capitalist is "Socialize the Losses and PRIVITIZE the Profits".
I as a small business do bot understand the Wing nut Cupp trying to defend this industry when you can go into some States and almost only one company exists.
I guess according to Ms Cupp and the Anti American Noise sponsor only the biggest should survive and the lessons learned from this past debacle was nothing but figments of our imagination, how truly pathetic the right is.
First of all, who the fuck is S.E.Cupp and why should I give a shit about her opions on anything. Jesus, it's as though the very title "Conservative Columnist" automatically confers some high level of credibility. Anyway, it's good to know that the insurance companies must be permitted to make a profit off the sick and dying no matter what. What is that? The 11th fucking commandment or something? Thanks for setting us peons straight S.E.
...do you really think that it can be a good idea in any way, shape or form?
All the exemption does is allows states to regulate insurers and the Feds have the ability to step in if they don't do an adequate job. There will be LESS choice over time since insurance will initially be offered by the big boys in states where they currently don't like the environment due to state regulations. Once McCarran is gone they can come in and outprice any local/regional insurer putting them out of business. When the choices whittle down to a few mega health providers they'll do just what the cable, oil, utility, etc. companies do and collude to fix prices.
Also, right now your State Insurance Commissioner should in most cases look out for your interests. Once that oversight level is removed your complaint that Mutual of Redstate won't pay your doctor or hospital bill will go where? It is the laws of redstate, where you will have to bring any redress, that will dictate your outcome.
Think about what they are really arguing for. You have individuals who are fighting like hell against government taking over health care to allow insurance companies to only answer to them. Those who have already been bought and will continue to be paid for will be legislating against your interests even more than they do now.
Why any progressive would be for this radical change is beyond me. The only real answer is removing insurance companies from the health care picture entirely and once that is done this anti-trust issue becomes moot.
Why are these conservatives so nasty? They always .. always talk down to people by acting shameless and dismissive. It's in their tone, body language, and fake smiles. In their selfish bubble, their ideas are working and should not be questioned by the likes of any liberal. That's why the must vilify liberals. Liberals threaten the exposure of their false paradigm.
The very fact that they are being questioned and called out for their distortions is appalling to them. Real honest dialogue must be met with a wall of obstruction veiled in smiles and condescending comments. Even when it comes in a pretty package it is unmistakable. Republicans are hollow, shameless, slime based, fakers.
Real solutions that help people are a threat to these Republican liars because it exposes their ideas as selfish and destructive ... they have to defend their thinking at all costs. To admit they are wrong is to admit they have no ideas that do not directly enrich them or make themselves feel important. They have to hide the fact that they have no real concern for others. They are void of real compassion because they are damaged and because of this they must pretend.
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