Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- About 35 people gathered at the State House Tuesday afternoon enthusiastically applauded speakers who called on lawmakers not to eliminate the office of the state health insurance commissioner.

If the office is abolished, as proposed in the budget approved last Wednesday by the House Finance Committee, "Rhode Island will take a giant step backward," said Philip Papoojian, managing director of Mereco Technologies Group and vice chairman of the Small Business Association of New England (SBANE). The state, he said, "will no longer have a leader...looking out for the best interests" of the public."

Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts organized the rally to restore the office's $700,000 budget and to oppose the repeal of the statute that established its regulatory authority.

Speakers credited Commissioner Christopher F. Koller with making more transparent the process in which health insurers seek approval to raise premium rates and creating millions of dollars in savings for consumers and businesses by rejecting and modifying rate hike requests the past two years. They also said he has successfully pushed forwrad initiatives to improve primary care and chronic care.

State Rep. Deborah Ruggiero, D-Jamestown, Middletown, said she would introduce legislation to restore the office's funding and preserve the law that established it.

"Rhode Island needs a watchdog over the health insurers in this state," she said.

Other speakers included Diane Siedlecki, president of the Rhode Island Medical Society; Linda Lulli, a board member of the Rhode Island Group on Business Health and an associate vice president for human resources at Bryant University; and Ted Almon, president and CEO of The Claflin Company and a representative of HealthRIght, a coalition of health care advocates.

 Tags  Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts Providence RI RI Health Insurance Commissioner

Comments

Dave said:

If we eliminated the Lt. Governor's position we could pay for the commission.

Link | June 23, 2009 3:32 PM
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