Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she'll include a measure removing health insurers' federal antitrust exemption in sweeping health care legislation pending in the House.
Pelosi's announcement Thursday came a day after Senate Democratic leaders said they'd take the same step with the Senate's health overhaul bill.
The drive to strip the insurance industry of its decades-old exemption from federal antitrust laws signals increasing anger over health insurers' opposition to Democrats' health overhaul agenda.
Stand-alone bills had been pending in both chambers but incorporating them in the larger health overhaul underscores Democrats' determination to punish insurers.
Insurers say there's enough regulation at the state level and accuse Democrats of targeting a problem that does not exist.