Chairman Rockefeller and Senator Snowe Introduce Comprehensive Cybersecurity Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) today announced the introduction of comprehensive cybersecurity legislation to address our nation’s vulnerability to cyber crime, global cyber espionage, and cyber attacks that could potentially cripple the United States’ critical infrastructure. […]
Bill Would Federalize Cybersecurity- Senate Proposal Would Affect Even Some Private Networks
Key lawmakers are pushing to dramatically escalate U.S. defenses against cyberattacks, crafting proposals that would empower the government to set and enforce security standards for private industry for the first time. The proposals, in Senate legislation that could be introduced as early as today, would broaden the focus of the government’s cybersecurity efforts to include […]
Chairman Rockefeller Sends Letter to Inspector General After Deceptive Health Insurance Industry Practices Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held the second of two full committee hearings on Deceptive Health Insurance Industry Practices – Are Consumers Getting What They Paid For? These hearings focused on the way that the healthcare industry calculates “usual and customary” reimbursement rates for consumers who choose to receive […]
Chairman Rockefeller’s Opening Remarks for Part II of Deceptive Health Insurance Hearing
Good morning. This is the second hearing this Committee is holding on so-called "usual, customary, and reasonable" payment practices in the health insurance industry. Last week, we heard from the New York Attorney General’s office, which conducted a year-long investigation into these practices, and we heard from doctors and consumers. Today we’re going to hear […]
Irate Lawmakers Vow To Press Health Insurers On Reimbursement
WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- U.S. insurers who reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo regarding out-of-network reimbursement rates still have to contend with irate U.S. lawmakers who vowed to continue pressing the matter. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV, D-W.Va., criticized the chief executives of UnitedHealth Group (UHG) and its […]
Senator Puts UnitedHealth Execs on Payments Hot Seat
Among health insurance CEOs, Stephen Hemsley of UnitedHealth is known for shying from the limelight and rarely submits to press interviews, let alone cross-examination at a congressional committee hearing. So it was something of a star turn when he testified today before the Senate Commerce Committee over whether UnitedHealth and other insurers have systematically underpaid […]
Senator Investigates Health Insurers’ Out-of-Network Rate Practices
Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, the West Virginia Democrat who is chairman of the committee on commerce, is holding hearings on whether health insurers have systematically short-changed patients when they use doctors outside of their health plan’s network. As a result of understating the fees charged by out-of-network doctors, the companies are accused of underpaying […]
Hearing Announcement- Part II: Deceptive Health Insurance Industry Practices
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announces the second installment of two full committee hearings on Deceptive Health Insurance Industry Practices – Are Consumers Getting What They Paid For? These hearings focus on the way that the healthcare industry calculates “usual and customary” reimbursement rates for consumers who choose to […]
Chairman Rockefeller’s Statement on Increasing Fuel Economy Standards
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John D (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, issued the following statement regarding the White House’s announcement on increasing fuel economy standards: “I am encouraged by today’s announcement from the White House that there will be increases in our nations’ fuel economy standards […]
Chairman Rockefeller’s Opening Remarks on Deceptive Health Insurance Hearing
Good Morning. Today’s hearing is the first of two hearings we are holding to look at a deceptive payment practice that the health insurance industry has gotten away with for the last decade, maybe even longer.