Aetna CEO Ronald Williams on Tuesday told members of the Senate Finance Committee that changes to the U.S. health care system must address the interrelated issues of cost, quality and access and should preserve the employer-sponsored insurance system, the Hartford Courant reports. The hearing was the third in a series being held by the Finance Committee to prepare for health care reform in 2009. Williams said that overhauling the health care system should be a public-private effort.

He also outlined other components of insurance reform that the company believes are necessary. They include:

    * Equalizing tax treatment of health insurance for all people, whether they receive coverage through employers or purchase individual policies;

    * Allowing cross-state purchasing of health insurance;

    * Creating new pooling mechanisms to make coverage more affordable for small businesses and individuals to purchase insurance; and

    * Increasing funding for state-run, high-risk purchasing pools so they can expand.

Several years ago, the company endorsed a requirement that all residents obtain health insurance (Levick, Hartford Courant, 6/11).

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