NU Online News Service, June 4, 2:40 p.m. EDT
Two former state insurance commissioners are among four people who have been named to head a new agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that will oversee implementation of the health care reform law.
The Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight will be in charge of performing rate reviews and giving states grants they can use to set up rate review programs.
This year, the office will work on rules to define "unreasonable" premium hikes, develop insurance plans for people with preexisting conditions, and oversee insurer compliance with consumer protections, according to a description of the program contained in the Federal Register notice of its creation.
Jay Angoff, former Missouri insurance commissioner, will serve as director and Steve Larsen, former Maryland insurance commissioner, will head the panel's oversight division.
Also named were Karen Pollitz, a former Georgetown University professor, and Richard Popper, who has led Maryland's high-risk pool since 2002.
Ms. Pollitz will head the panel's consumer support division.
Mr. Popper will head the office's insurance program division, responsible for overseeing state and federal efforts to create high-risk pools for those who are uninsured because of medical conditions.
In general, the new office is "responsible for administering both the temporary high-risk pool programs and associated funding to states and the early retiree reinsurance program," according to the information in the notice of formation.
The oversight office will be in charge of performing rate reviews and giving states grants that can be used to set up rate review programs, officials reported in the Federal Register notice.
The insurance programs office "is responsible for administering both the temporary high-risk pool programs and associated funding to states and the early retiree reinsurance program," the notice said.
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