Amendment seeks to limit executive pay for health insurers

Senators Blanche Lincoln, Frank Lautenberg, and Robert Menendez have submitted an amendment to the health care bill which would essentially cap the salary of health insurance executives. Companies would be prevented from deducting more than $400,000 for salaries if more than 25% of their income came from individuals buying their insurance through a government exchange.

I haven’t read the entire health care bill, but I think it’s likely that health insurers will find a way to avoid reaching that 25% threshold, which would allow them to prevent the government from determining compensation. I know it’s not popular to side with insurance companies, but I’m troubled by yet another attempt to regulate or cap salaries at private companies. Put simply, compensation at private companies is none of the government’s business. » read more

Health insurance is not a right

As the country continues to watch the health-care debate, it’s common to hear liberals talk about the right to “quality, affordable health-care”.  I agree with them on the importance of having health insurance, and the need for affordability. What I disagree with is the mechanisms being proposed for obtaining coverage and making it “affordable”. » read more