The hubris of the insurance cartel never ceases to amaze:
Insurers agree that if they provide insurance for a child, they must cover pre-existing conditions. But, they say, the law does not require them to write insurance for the child and it does not guarantee the “availability of coverage” for all until 2014.
William G. Schiffbauer, a lawyer whose clients include employers and insurance companies, said: “The fine print differs from the larger political message. If a company sells insurance, it will have to cover pre-existing conditions for children covered by the policy. But it does not have to sell to somebody with a pre-existing condition. And the insurer could increase premiums to cover the additional cost.”
But, naturally, the onus is on the White House and congressional Democrats to immediately close this (and other) loopholes in the law. To the credit of the Democrats, however, this is how reform works. It smokes out all of the bullshit and makes it easier to close the gaps.