Obama WH Issues Gag Order on Private Companies' Communications About ObamaCare

Chris Field | September 23, 2009 9:18 AM

The Washington Post reported yesterday evening that the Obama administration had issued a gag order on mailings and Internet postings by private insurance organizations that are critical of the Democrats' health care plan's potential impacts on Medicare:

The federal government has ordered health insurers to stop telling Medicare beneficiaries that proposed health reform legislation could hurt seniors and jeopardize their benefits.

The government might take enforcement action against insurers that have tried to mobilize opposition to the legislation by sending their enrollees "misleading and confusing" messages, a senior official of the Department of Health and Human Services said in a memo Monday.

The Obama White House -- through its HHS Department -- has declared what can and cannot be said about its plans.

The New York Times ran a Reuters report that gave more details:

Republicans, health insurers and others blasted the U.S. Medicare agency on Tuesday for what they called political interference over companies that want to directly contact customers about the impact of pending healthcare reform legislation.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the Medicare program for the elderly and disabled as well as privately run Medicare alternatives, on Monday said it was investigating a letter Humana Inc sent enrollees about efforts to overhaul the nation's healthcare system.

Humana's letter, sent in an envelope citing important plan information, told customers that Democrats' bills could hurt "millions of seniors and disabled individuals could lose many of the important benefits and services that make Medicare Advantage health plans so valuable," according to CMS.

The agency also warned other insurers against sending potentially misleading health reform mailings to customers.