I’m shocked, SHOCKED, that giant Anthem – the nation’s second-largest insurer – has broken ranks with physicians, hospitals, and most other insurance companies and come out in support of Trumpcare.
Why on earth would Anthem do that? Could it have anything to do with the fact that Anthem has been trying to win approval from the Justice Department to buy up its rival, Cigna, and create a goliath health insurer whose size will enable it to strike fabulous deals with hospitals, providers, and the government?
U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson blocked the Anthem-Cigna merger in a Feb. 8 ruling, but an Anthem attorney recently stated in court that Vice President Mike Pence “was supportive of the transaction as governor of Indiana" (translated: We have friends in very high places).
Meanwhile, Bloomberg Law reports that former Anthem lobbyist Makan Delrahim is working as deputy counsel in the White House and is a contender to head the Department of Justice's antitrust division.
It’s all the art of the deal in the swamp.
Major health insurer backs GOP's Obamacare repeal bill
By Rachana Pradhan
