Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon Democratic Congressman Peter DeFazio says it's time to strip the health insurance industry of its anti-trust exemption. He says Congress may make that change in the next couple of weeks.  KLCC's Rachael McDonald has more.

DeFazio says the Senate botched the health care bill. But he believes if lawmakers make some smaller steps, the system can be improved. He's been pushing for an end to anti-trust exemptions for insurance companies.

Peter DeFazio: "Why should company A and B be able to say, let's stick it to the people of Oregon, let's jack their rates up 20 percent this year, which is what's happening? That's legal under federal law. They can do that. They're exempt. No other business is exempt. You go to jail for that."

DeFazio says if nothing else is done, this one change would lower the cost of health care. And it's the one thing people agreed on at his town hall meetings last summer.