I was on a short break last week where I actually took time off. But here's the  column that appeared last Wednesday in The Fiscal Times:

The nation's health insurers held their annual policy forum Tuesday at Washington's Ritz-Carlton Hotel. I felt like I was attending chapel at the Alamo.

Several thousand people, many from labor unions, were demonstrating noisily outside. They called for a citizen's arrest of the industry's chief executives, who were safely ensconced in their executive suites hundreds if not thousands of miles away. Inside, a few hundred of the industry's leading policy wonks, lobbyists and communications officials heard multiple sermons on the benefits of health care reform.

Karen Ignagni, the chief executive officer of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), sat impassively at the back of the ballroom ignoring the presentations. Her hands flew furiously over the tiny keyboard on her phone, while three security guards hovered nearby. . .

(To read more, click here.)