WASHINGTON, June 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswrie/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi today issued the following statement in response to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announcing the availability of $51 million in Health Insurance Premium Review Grants through the Affordable Care Act. These funds are the first grants offered to states through a new $250 million initiative to strengthen insurance rate review processes nationwide:
"Health insurance reform protects consumers and small businesses while reining in insurance companies – and today's announcement marks another step forward for our families and our middle class.
"With these grants in place, we will strengthen states' abilities to review rate hikes, curb outrageous premium increases, and hold insurers accountable to their customers. Insurers will face tougher oversight, and patients will benefit from greater transparency.
"Congressional Republicans calling for repeal are siding with special interests and insurers. They are standing up for a status quo of skyrocketing costs that hurts small businesses and forces too many families into medical bankruptcy. Democrats are on the side of Main Street and the middle class – and will continue to act in the best interests of patients, doctors, consumers, and a stronger economy for all Americans."
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SOURCE Office of the Speaker of the House