MILWAUKEE, July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, the United States House of
Representatives approved a measure giving the President broad Trade Promotion
Authority. The legislation also contained several key health care provisions,
and now goes before the Senate, where a vote is expected this week. The
following is a statement from Ben Cutler, President and CEO of Fortis Health:
"Congressional leaders should be congratulated for their efforts to
incorporate in the Trade Bill a provision that provides assistance to
displaced workers. The inclusion of federal assistance for health insurance
will help displaced workers maintain important health care coverage. Most
importantly, lawmakers wisely included this funding without adding new federal
regulations on the private insurance market, which would have lead to
increased costs.
"Congress should be further commended for the provision of federal
assistance to the states to establish health insurance high-risk pools. State
high-risk pools are a proven safety net for coverage, available to individuals
with chronic or high-cost health conditions. With federal funding assistance,
states now have the opportunity to establish and implement high-risk pools to
enhance the availability of quality, affordable health care coverage.
"I hope the Senate agrees to these important measures as well. Fortis
Health will continue to work with House and Senate leaders on health care
coverage issues aimed at increasing choice and competition, while holding the
line on health care costs. As the incoming Chair of the Board of the Health
Insurance Association of America (HIAA), I will continue to work with industry
leaders and Congress to create access to more affordable and flexible private
health coverage to American workers and their families."
Fortis Health
Fortis Health is committed to helping Americans meet their health
insurance needs. In business since 1892, the company is a leader in the
Individual Medical, Small Group, Short-Term and Student Health insurance
markets. Fortis Health provides coverage for more than one million people
nationwide. Its products are underwritten and issued by Fortis Insurance
Company, John Alden Life Insurance Company and Fortis Benefits Insurance
Company. Fortis Health is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has
operations in Minnesota, Florida, Idaho and Ohio.
Fortis Health is part of Fortis, Inc., a financial services company that,
through its operating companies and affiliates, has built leadership positions
in a number of specialty insurance market segments. Fortis, Inc. is part of
Fortis, a financial services provider active in the fields of insurance,
banking and investment. As of year-end, 2001, Fortis had total assets in
excess of $400 billion. Fortis ranks 31st based on assets and 85th based on
revenues on the Fortune 'Global 500' (July 22, 2002) and 38th on the Forbes
Global 'Super 50' list (July 3, 2002).
Fortis Health can be found on the Internet at http://www.fortishealth.com .
SOURCE Fortis Health
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Related links:
http://www.fortishealth.com
CONTACT:
Michelle Love-Johnson for Fortis Health,
+1-262-523-3740, or michelle@seroka.com
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