As the U.S. House and Senate continue to work to merge their comprehensive health reform bills into one piece of legislation for the president’s signature, one large obstacle appears to have been knocked down.
The AFL-CIO wants insurance commissioners in four states to investigate whether rising health care premiums are the result of lobbying efforts by major insurers against widespread reform.
As a direct result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) – also known as ObamaCare – health insurance agent and broker commissions have been slashed by as much as 50%. Agencies have been forced to lay off employees, limit products and services, shift to other lines, and have seen significant drops in compensation.