Jamie C. Morales

Jamie C. Morales is a former congressional staff member, official of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Office of Management and Budget, who oversaw isssues relating to financial oversight and the health care industry.

A Reuters article claiming that WellPoint used a computer algorithm to cancel the policies of breast cancer patients sparked a sharp rebuke from the Secretary of Health and Human Services last Friday, and left the insurance giant aggressively defending its public image.

The original news report by Reuters reporter Murray Waas alleged that WellPoint software targeted breast cancer patients for fraud investigations in order to find a pretext for dropping their policies. Although Reuters provided three examples of women who had lost their insurance shortly after a breast cancer diagnosis.

Based on the revelations by Reuters and Murray Waas, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi quickly released a statement highlighting the rescissions as "exactly the kind of health insurance company abuse our new healthcare law prohibits."