= Pa. Insurance Dept. Commissioner Receives Excellence in Consumer Advocacy Award

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, Dec. 14 (TNSAwa) -- The Pennsylvania Insurance Department issued the following news:

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department is pleased to announce that consumer representatives appointed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), who represent insurance consumers at NAIC events, awarded Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman with the Consumer Representatives' Excellence in Consumer Advocacy award for her work on behalf of insurance consumers at the NAIC fall national meeting.

Each year, the NAIC Consumer Participation Board of Trustees appoints individual applicants from organizations seeking to promote consumer interests in insurance regulations to serve as NAIC consumer representatives. An "NAIC consumer representative" is an individual who participates in the NAIC Consumer Participation Program, which promotes consumer activity and participation in the NAIC deliberation process. It is this group that presented Commissioner Altman with the award.

"I am very honored to receive this award in acknowledgement of the consumer advocacy work the Pennsylvania Insurance Department has done and continues to do," said Commissioner Altman. "I want to thank the consumer advocates for so strongly and consistently advocating for consumers and I want to thank the dedicated individuals at the department who not only advocate for all Pennsylvanians, but consistently try to advance our communication channels and identify more pathways to be more inclusive."

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the fifth largest insurance market in the United States, in terms of premium volume, and the 14th largest insurance market in the world. Through Altman's leadership in the NAIC's Health Insurance and Managed Care (B) Committee and the Special (EX) Committee on Race and Insurance, she has played a major role in moving forward the health reform agenda of the NAIC and prioritizing equity and advancing racial justice. She has also been a tireless advocate, both at the state and national level, for a meaningful role for state regulators in shaping the future of health insurance regulation.

Serving as both chair and vice chair of the (B) Committee, Commissioner Altman has overseen the NAIC's responsibilities in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan Act, the No Surprises Act, and other significant federal laws. Her staff has also led several initiatives under the Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs (D) Committee, including efforts to add short-term limited duration insurance to the market conduct annual statement. Throughout these efforts, she and her team have consistently ensured that the concerns of consumers are represented and addressed.

Under the leadership of Commissioner Altman, the insurance department has worked tirelessly to drive the uninsured rate down to historic lows in Pennsylvania. Commissioner Altman helped secure bipartisan legislation to establish the state's health insurance marketplace, Pennie(TM), and created a reinsurance program that has stabilized premiums for Pennsylvania consumers. Beyond health insurance, her leadership and dedication to consumer education led to a significant increase in the number of private flood insurance market policies in Pennsylvania and she helped secure stronger annuity suitability standards to better protect consumers and seniors.

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department, in an ongoing effort to combat opioid addiction and mental health stigma, continue to educate consumers and providers on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA), which was adopted into state law.

"The Affordable Care Act and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act guarantee that health plans and insurers offer mental health and substance use disorder benefits that are comparable to their coverage for general medical and surgical care," said Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman. "However, the objective of parity can only be fully realized if health plans are implementing it correctly, consumers and providers understand it, and there is proper oversight."

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department currently reviews all individual, small and large group policies to ensure those policies contain all state and federal policy requirements, including mental health parity.

Violations of MHPAEA, and other offenses, are identified during the department's market conduct examinations. These exams have recovered tens of thousands of dollars in restitution for consumers from claims wrongly denied and interest on delayed payments. In addition, companies have collectively received more than $1,000,000 in fines and penalties.

The department takes these violations seriously and encourages consumers who believe their health plans are not in compliance with parity requirements for mental health and substance use disorder coverage, or who have questions about the benefits to which they are entitled, are urged to contact the Insurance Department's Bureau of Consumer Services.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is the U.S. standard-setting and regulatory support organization created and governed by the chief insurance regulators from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. Through the NAIC, state insurance regulators establish standards and best practices, conduct peer review, and coordinate their regulatory oversight.