The government has had little success reining in the salaries of finance executives whose companies received federal funding. But that hasn’t stopped the Committee on Energy and Commerce from demanding detailed pay information from 52 insurers– many of which haven’t taken a dime.

As part of an examination of the health insurance industry, the subcommittee on oversight and investigations has sent out letters requesting that insurance CEOs provide detailed information on their companies’ pay practices by Sept. 4.

The three-page letters, co-written by California representative Henry Waxman and Michigan congressman Bart Stupak, ask the CEOs of Aetna, Hartford Fire & Casualty Group, Cigna and many others to provide a table idenitfying each employee who was compensated more than $500,000 in any year between 2003 to 2008.

They also ask for a table listing “all conferences, retreats or other events held outside company facilities from January 1,2007 to the present that were paid for, reimbursed, or subsidized in whole or in part” by each company. The information should include the location, number of participants, and all expenses incurred including transportation, lodging, food, entertainment, or gifts.

Here is a link to the list of companies as well as to the letters. It makes for interesting reading:
http://http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1725:energy-a-commerce-requests-information-from-health-insurance-companies&catid=154:correspondence&Itemid=55

Original post: BusinessWeek – Management IQ