Romney hits Obama for bashing insurance companies

* "Disappointing" that Obama bashing insurers

* Republican Romney not ruling out 2012 presidential run

WASHINGTON, March 5 (Reuters) - Potential Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney criticized President Barack Obama on Friday for his recent attacks on health insurance companies.

Obama has argued this week for congressional passage of a U.S. healthcare overhaul by pointing to rate increases by insurance companies that have made insurance unaffordable for many people.

Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius met several top health insurance executives on Thursday to complain about what Sebelius called "jaw-dropping" rate increases.

Obama read them a letter from an Ohio woman who said her insurance premiums had gone up 25 percent in 2009 and were about to go up another 40 percent this year, making insurance unaffordable for her.

"Insurance companies freely ration healthcare based on who's sick and who's healthy; who can pay and who can't," Obama said on Wednesday.

Romney, who is contemplating a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, said in remarks at the National Press Club that the problems within the U.S. healthcare system are more complicated than simply zeroing in on the insurance industry.

"Gosh, how disappointing it was to see the president take on the health insurance companies, as if the reason that healthcare is expensive in America is because of the insurance companies," Romney said.

"I'm sure there are some insurance companies that deserve blame and we can find them out and point them out," he said. "But this is an issue that is broader than trying to punish some scapegoat."

Hari Sevugan, spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, criticized Romney for his stance.

"It's becoming crystal clear whose side Mitt Romney is on ... and it's not yours, unless of course you are an insurance company or a Wall Street bank," he said.

Romney, who as governor of Massachusetts led an effort that required state residents to obtain health insurance, said he believes a state-by-state approach would work in which the federal government grants states more flexibility in how to spend money allocated for helping the poor.

Romney has just launched a 49-city book tour to promote "No Apology: The Case for American Greatness."

He said his goal this year is to help elect Republican candidates to the U.S. Congress in November, and has said in recent days that he will make up his mind on whether to run for president late in the year. He lost the nomination to John McCain in 2008. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Eric Beech)