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Democrats In Ohio Legislature Want Public Hearings On Proposed Mergers By Health Insurance Companies

Jo Ingles
Jenna McGuiness testifies in support of public hearings

Some Democratic state lawmakers say the state should hold public hearings on potential mergers involving four of the five largest insurance companies in the country.

Columbus area resident Jenna McGuiness has a chronically ill child. She worries about her health insurance company merging with another and changing the terms of her policy.

“If insurance premiums continue to raise, if we have less consumer choice, we may not be able to go to the physicians we currently see, we may not be able to go the hospitals we currently visit and I think that’s a real important things for people to consider.”

Credit Jo Ingles
Democratic State Representative Heather Bischoff is among those pushing for public hearings on health insurance mergers

Democratic House Representative Heather Bischoff and Democratic State Senator Edna Brown are calling on fellow lawmakers to push for public hearings before the Ohio Department of Insurance on potential health insurance company mergers – such as one proposed between Anthem and Cigna, which they say could eliminate competition in six Ohio cities. The Ohio Department of Insurance says anyone who is interested in proposed insurance mergers is welcome to submit comments online but the department does not hold public hearings on those matters.

Contact Jo Ingles at jingles@statehousenews.org.