Advocates for federal rate review made their case again Tuesday as the Senate health committee held a hearing on state rate-review efforts and the support built into the healthcare law. Many states have some authority to at least review insurance companies' proposed rates, and the health law provides funding to enhance those efforts. But it doesn't give the federal government the power to reject proposed increases or require states to give themselves that authority.

“We have learned the hard way that disclosure and review isn’t enough to make insurance companies do the right thing," said Carmen Balber, Washington director for Consumer Watchdog.