Biden: Health care premium costs 'soaring'

By NAFEESA SYEED

The Associated Press

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Vice President Joe Biden told a gathering of state insurance regulators on Tuesday that "soaring" health care premiums are hurting families and businesses, underscoring the need for a health care overhaul.

"Health insurance premiums in states have gone up between 90 and 150 percent in the last decade, far faster than wages and inflation," Biden told the National Association of Insurance Commissioners conference outside of Washington.

He cited a White House report from the National Economic Council showing premiums across states have been rising at a higher pace than wages over the last decade.

Biden said state health commissioners work to protect consumers, but too often they lack the authority or face other limitations to do more.

If there's not a fundamental change to the system, health care costs will overwhelm Americans and the federal budget, he said.

"If we do nothing in 10 years, one in every five dollars Americans earn will be spent on health care," Biden said. "Spending by the federal government on Medicaid and Medicare alone will be 15 percent of GDP by 2040."

The speech came on the same day the Senate Finance Committee began taking up Sen. Max Baucus' legislation on health care reform.

Biden stressed that insurance companies should make aprofit, but that they also must be held accountable. He outlined "ground rules" for companies, including no discrimination for pre-existing conditions.

"This is not going to spell the end of private insurance," he said.

Biden said if everyone is expected to have health insurance, companies will gain "tens of millions" of new customers. The commissioners association said it favors such a mandate and prefers federal rules with state-level regulation, among other things.

Officials with the association said they haven't endorsed any legislation, but members of Congress have consulted them along the way and that Baucus' bill keeps a place for them.

Biden said despite the heated debate, he's convinced there's broad agreement.

"I know this has been a loud and contentious debate, just look at some of the town meetings," Biden said. "But the truth is we have never been this close to real reform — ever."

___

September 22, 2009 04:16 PM EDT

Copyright 2009, The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.