Insurance figure at center of health debate

Boston Globe, June 30, 2009

Karen Ignagni is the chief executive of America's Health Insurance Plans, the main health insurance lobby, at a time when a the president is planning a sweeping healthcare overhaul. Insurance executives believe this is a critical moment: If Congress creates the strong government insurance option that liberals want, insurers say they would be unable to compete and would eventually go out of business. On the other hand, if lawmakers pass a healthcare bill that has no public insurance alternative but that does require everyone to obtain insurance, the industry could pick up millions of new subscribers.