Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

By Laurel Brishel Prichard-University of New Mexico/ Talk Radio News Service

Health and Human Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told reporters Thursday that through the administration's health care reform effort, health insurance providers could soon be required to publish the rationale behind premium increases on American's policies.

“Right now we have a situation where the top 5 companies filed earning reports of $12.7 billion for 2009 in terms of profit statements and yet pivot around with double digit rate increase," Sebelius said during a conference call with reporters. “People have no bargaining power, they have no leverage and often are desperate in terms of what in the world they are going to do."

According to the secretary, posting the reasons behind raised premiums online will provide additional transparency.

Sebelius's remarks came shortly after a meeting with a variety of the heavy hitting insurance company CEO's and commissioners, including those from UnitedHealth Group, Aetna and WellPoint.

President Barack Obama stopped in during the meeting, according to Sebelius, to share a letter that he received from a cancer survivor in Ohio. Her rates were increased 25 percent last year, which put her insurance premiums at $7,000, with $4,000 in out of pocket costs, and has been informed that her rates will go up another 40 percent this year.

Sebelius quoted Obama saying “that kind of rate increase is just unacceptable and unsustainable.”