As the Senate Finance Committee prepares to vote on the Baucus bill, the influence of Karen Ignagni hangs over the proceedings. As the president of America Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)--the health insurance lobby--she is a central player in the health care debate.
Ignagni has stood behind a new AHIP study which argues against the bill currently under discussion. “The overall impact will be to increase the cost of private insurance coverage for individuals, families and businesses above what these costs would be in the absence of reform,” The New York Times quoted her as saying yesterday.
Jonathan Cohn profiled Ignagni this past summer. Back then, she claimed the insurance lobby was ready to support health care reform. It's definitely worth re-reading in light of recent developments.