Posted on Jan 22, 2015
The Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner is entrusted with enforcing the insurance laws of Pennsylvania, including protecting consumers and monitoring the financial solvency of Pennsylvania domestic insurance companies. Pennsylvania serves as the lead regulator for an array of insurance companies from small mutuals that trace their history to the 1700s to a number of large internationally active insurance groups. Pennsylvania has been at the forefront of advancing the regulation of domestic IAIGs. The department also investigates and enforces state laws and regulations pertaining to insurance and responds to consumer inquiries through its three regional offices. The department provides the public with information and educational brochures regarding various types of insurance.
The Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner administers the following:
- Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- Catastrophic Loss Benefits Continuation Fund
- Workers’ Compensation Security Fund
- Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Fund (Mcare)
The Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner is a member of:
- Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
- Children’s Health Insurance Advisory Board
- Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Board
- Coal and Clay Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund
- State Worker’s Insurance Fund
- Assigned Risk Plan board member, ex-officio
- PA Fair Plan board member, ex-officio
The department also investigates and enforces state laws and regulations pertaining to insurance and responds to consumer inquiries. The department provides the public with information and educational brochures regarding various types of insurance.
On Jan. 12, 2015, Teresa D. Miller was appointed by now Governor Tom Wolf to be Pennsylvania’s next Insurance Commissioner. Teresa Miller has extensive experience in the health sector at both the state and federal levels. She is the former administrator of the Oregon Insurance Division, where she received national recognition for her efforts to improve the rates review process. She also served as acting director of the State Exchanges Group, the Oversight Group, and the Insurance Programs Group at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Miller helped CMS roll out the regulations and guided the implementation of key provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
Miller was previously a partner at Crowell & Moring in the Health Care Group where she focused on matters related to the implementation and enforcement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Prior to joining Crowell & Moring, Miller served as acting director of the State Exchanges Group, the Oversight Group, and the Insurance Programs Group at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services within the Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to her time with the federal government, Miller was the administrator of Oregon’s Insurance Division. Earlier in her career, Miller worked for the Oregon Department of Justice, Portland General Electric, the Tresidder Company, among other organizations. Miller also served as legislative director to former Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski. Miller received her J.D. from Willamette University College of Law, and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Pacific Lutheran University. She currently lives in Washington, D.C.
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. At some point in the very near future Miller’s appointment will be considered by the Senate, she will be confirmed and officially the next Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner.