A group of top House Republicans launched an investigation into the Department of Health and Human Services after the Washington Post reported that it is asking health industry executives to help finance Obamacare.
The group, led by Energy & Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) expressed their concerns in a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and asked her to provide a list of the individuals and organizations that have been contacted by HHS, a list of employees that participated and a summary of the communications — by May 27, 2013.
“Currently, health insurers are seeking HHS approval to qualify for the health exchanges established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act so that they may attempt to sell their services to the public when enrollment begins in a few months,” the Republicans wrote in the letter. “Your agency also has the power to review the insurance rates that providers wish to charge.”
Other signatories of the letter were former Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA), Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-PA) and subcommitte Vice Chair Michael C. Burgess (R-TX).
