A New Coalition Voices Opposition to Health Insurance Deals

A new coalition of consumer advocates, employers and others today announced their opposition to the proposed health insurance deals between Aetna/Humana and Anthem/Cigna.  The Coalition to Protect Patient Choice echoes what the AHA has been saying:  That the consolidation of these companies will make health care less accessible and more expensive for consumers.  The coalition notes “Today, there are only five national competitors – UnitedHealth, Anthem, Cigna, Aetna and Humana. This makes health insurance markets already highly consolidated and insurance premiums are increasing because of it.”

More and more, individual and organizations – including providers, caregivers, consumers, patient advocates – are asking the Department of Justice to vigorously investigate and ultimately block these deals.  Access, affordability and innovation can be sustained only in a competitive health insurance environment.  The DOJ should pay attention to this growing chorus of concern and step up to protect all of us from the fall-out from these anticompetitive insurance deals.