Washington, DC - Health Care for America Now (HCAN), the nation's leading grassroots health care advocacy organization, released the following statement from HCAN Executive Director Ethan Rome in response to today's National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) close vote to weaken the medical loss ratio and hand over $1.2 billion in consumer rebates to health insurance companies:

"Insurance commissioners ignored the NAIC's own research findings and supported efforts to rob consumers of $1.2 billion in rebates. The resolution they passed today attempts to eviscerate one of the toughest consumer protections in the health care law, a provision based on the NAIC's own recommendations last year.

"The commissioners who supported this proposal are tone-deaf to the skyrocketing health premium costs of average Americans. Commissioners said that of the many thousands of messages they received from consumers, not a single one supported the resolution.

"This vote was a disgrace. Instead of voting on the facts, the insurance commissioners buckled under pressure from the health insurance brokers and agents who made claims that weren't supported by NAIC data.

"Members of Congress and HHS Secretary Sebelius should dismiss this anti-consumer action, which would weaken the law that holds insurance companies accountable and puts a check on bloated CEO pay and record insurance company profits."

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Health Care for America Now is the nation's leading grassroots health care advocacy organization. HCAN led the fight over the past two years to win passage of health reform and to keep Congress from being steamrolled by corporate special interests.