Mr. Lembo goes to Washington

Yesterday State Health Care Advocate Kevin Lembo testified at a Congressional hearing on health insurance company abuses -- post claims underwriting and policy rescissions. That’s when an insurance company cancels a policy after consumer has been paying premiums faithfully, sometimes for years, and they get sick. The company, when faced with mounting claims, looks back into the patient’s history for reasons to cancel. A consumer who joined Kevin on the panel was cancelled after sustaining back injuries from a mountain bike accident because her husband had previous back problems. It is amazing that this was legal in CT until Kevin’s office advocated to change the law. Unfortunately it is still legal in other states, but hopefully Congress will help change that. We are very fortunate to have our State Health Care Advocate, and now Congress knows how lucky we are as well. Read Kevin’s blog on his odyssey into the Beltway.
Ellen Andrews