Here is a statement from Ethan Rome, executive director of Health Care for America Now (HCAN), on the Health and Human Services Department’s issuance today of a medical-loss ratio (MLR) regulation as required by the Affordable Care Act:

“American families and businesses came out on top today. The new MLR rule is a tough, commonsense, fair regulation that for the first time requires health insurance companies to put patient care before excessive profits and CEO pay. The rule provides important new protections and choices to consumers and levels the playing field for insurers. The industry now has clear goals that responsible companies can achieve, and if insurance companies don’t comply they’ll have to pay rebates to their customers.

“This rule will change the way health insurance companies do business, and along with other provisions, the Affordable Care Act will end such unconscionable abuses as denying people coverage because they are sick. That's the kind of anti-consumer behavior the Republican Party is fighting to bring back by pushing for repeal of the newlaw, which would disrupt the market and hurt consumers. When the Republicanscall for repeal, they’re talking about throwing out rules like this one and putting consumers at the mercy of the insurance companies again. The Republican repeal-mongers are not only on the wrong side, they’re also just plain out-of-touch with the needs of businesses to move forward and the desires of consumers to have better care.”