{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221092528/http://himes.house.gov/press-release/himes-joins-call-increased-transparency-insurers", "Himes Joins Call for Increased Transparency from Insurers", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "CT", "Jim Himes", "H001047", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC\u2014Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) joined 19 Members of Congress today in requesting that the Department of Health and Human Services use the full extent of its authority to require additional disclosure from insurers who are sending health plan cancellation letters to customers.\nA copy of the request, sent to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, is available here. The full text of the letter is included below this release.\nThe letter requests that insurers notify customers of why their plan is being cancelled, provide full information on what other options are available, and give customers additional time to select a new plan.\nMany consumers have received notices that their health plan is being cancelled and told if they don\u2019t take immediate action, they will automatically be enrolled in a more expensive plan.\u00a0\u00a0 These letters fail to notify customers that more affordable options, including subsidies, may be available through the health care exchanges.\n\u201cMany of our constituents who purchase individual insurance plans received cancellation letters from their insurance companies without any detail explaining why their current plans were changing or what the full extent of their options were,\u201d the letter reads in part. \u201cWe are very concerned about this lack of explanation, and therefore ask that you require that insurers promptly provide an additional letter to each of our constituents who received a cancellation letter.\u201d\nThe letter was signed by Representatives Brady (PA), Connolly (VA), Cartwright (PA), Delaney (MD), Enyart (IL), Esty (CT), Foster (IL), Himes (CT), Horsford (NV), Jackson Lee (TX), McCarthy (NY), Moran (VA), Murphy (FL), Peters (CA), Peters (MI), Ruiz (CA), Ryan (OH), Schwartz (PA), Shea-Porter (NH), Titus (NV).\nNovember 19, 2013\nThe Honorable Kathleen Sebelius  \n\tSecretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  \n\t200 Independence Avenue, S.W.  \n\tWashington D.C. 20201\nDear Secretary Sebelius,\nIn light of the President\u2019s announcement that insurance companies will be allowed to retain consumers on their 2013 health plans through 2014, we write to request that you use the full extent of your authority to require additional disclosure by the insurers to our constituents who received cancellation letters regarding their plans.\u00a0\nMany of our constituents who purchase individual insurance plans received cancellation letters from their insurance companies without any detail explaining why their current plans were changing or what the full extent of their options were. We are very concerned about this lack of explanation, and therefore ask that you require that insurers promptly provide an additional letter to each of our constituents who received a cancellation letter. Specifically, this letter should include:\n a clear explanation that as a result of President Obama\u2019s announcement, insurance companies will be allowed to offer these plans to consumers in 2014;\nan indication of whether the insurer will reoffer the consumer their same 2013 plan in 2014 at the same price, and if not, a clear explanation that any price increase or cancellation is the result of a business decision by the insurance carrier rather than a requirement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA);\nan explanation of why the current plan was not initially renewed, including\nany terms of coverage that did not meet ACA requirements;\nany uncovered medical conditions that did not meet ACA requirements;\nin the case that the existing coverage met ACA requirements, a reiteration that the non-renewal was purely a business decision by the insurance carrier; and\ninformation outlining what insurance options\u00a0 are available, including phone number and Web addresses for obtaining assistance in the insurance marketplaces.\n Additionally, many of the cancellation letters inform policyholders that they will automatically be enrolled in a different policy if no action is taken by December 1, 2013. Given the President\u2019s proposal, we believe this timeline should be extended until March 31, 2014, as the current deadline does not provide adequate time for policyholders to survey the options available to them. This extended timeframe will allow consumers to access the insurance marketplaces and review all options available to them before they are required to make any decisions regarding their insurance coverage for 2014, as well as allowing insurance carriers adequate time to restart discontinued coverage options.\nThank you for your dedication to providing consumers with accurate information about their insurance options. We look forward to continuing to work with you on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.\nSincerely,\nCongressman Bill Foster  \n\tCongressman Robert A. Brady  \n\tCongressman Jim Himes  \n\tCongresswoman Dina Titus  \n\tCongressman Gerald Connolly  \n\tCongresswoman Elizabeth Esty  \n\tCongresswoman Allyson Schwartz  \n\tCongressman Raul Ruiz  \n\tCongressman Steven Horsford  \n\tCongressman Matt Cartwright  \n\tCongressman Tim Ryan  \n\tCongressman Patrick E. Murphy  \n\tCongresswoman Carol Shea-Porter  \n\tCongressman Gary Peters  \n\tCongressman John Delaney  \n\tCongressman William Enyart  \n\tCongresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee  \n\tCongressman James Moran  \n\tCongresswoman Carolyn McCarthy  \n\tCongressman Scott Peters", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140221092528/http://himes.house.gov/press-release/himes-joins-call-increased-transparency-insurers"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3491320423781872, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}