Industry report may slow health reform

TEXT OF STORY

Bill Radke: A new report — paid for by the insurance industry — claims that the reform bill advancing in the Senate could drive up the costs of a typical families’ health insurance by as much as $4,000 a year. Marketplace’s Steve Henn reports Democrats and the White House are attacking the report as inaccurate and disingenuous — but it could slow the momentum for health-care reform.

Steve Henn: For months there’s been an uneasy truce between the health-insurance lobby and the White House over reform. Insurers even aired this pro-reform ad this summer.

Health-insurance ad: If everyone is covered we can make health care as affordable as possible. And the words preexisting condition become a thing of the past.

Health-insurance companies are pushing for new rules that would force everyone to buy insurance or get hit with a big fine. The Senate was worried about imposing significant fines. But without that kind of penalty, insurers argue millions of healthy people won’t buy insurance at all — and the costs for everyone else could go up.

Democrats called the insurance industry’s study flawed, disingenuous and just plan wrong.

In Washington I’m Steve Henn for Marketplace.