While AHIP represents about 1,300 members, the five biggest companies have, since the health care reform debate, begun quietly meeting among themselves.
Known as the group of five, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealth and WellPoint are expected to continue to assess their own post-decision, pre-election strategies, sources familiar with the effort said. The companies remain part of AHIP.
AHIP isn’t the only group with concerns about health care costs. The National Coalition on Health Care — which represents unions, physician groups, insurers and employers — noted in a press statement that the court’s decision does not settle a “$7.3 trillion fiscal cliff looming at the end of the year.”
“The court battle over the Affordable Care Act may be over,” group President and CEO John Rother said in the statement, “but when it comes to curbing health costs, the real work has only just begun.”
Lois Lerner, director of exempt organizations for the IRS, arrives for a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on the investigation of the IRS' targeting of political groups. Lerner invoked her Fifth Amendment right to not testify and caused a protest from some committee members when she offered an opening statement and engaged in dialogue with members before invoking the right.
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