Rep. Ben Ray Luján has issued the following statement regarding reports that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico plans to increase premiums for individual plans by an average of 24.6 percent. The increases are effective April 1, impacting approximately 40,000 New Mexicans.
"At a time when families throughout New Mexico are struggling to make ends meet, these rate increases are outrageous," Rep. Luján said. "This is just the latest sign that we need health insurance reform now. We have to put a stop to out-of-control practices of health insurance companies that hurt New Mexicans and put their health in danger."
Last week, Rep. Luján voted to restore competition and transparency to the health insurance market. The Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, amends the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945 by repealing the blanket antitrust exemption afforded to health insurance companies. Rep. Luján was a cosponsor of the legislation. The bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 406 to 19.
Source: http://lujan.house.gov/index.php/media-center/press-releases/2010-press-releases/556?task=view
