Saying 'There Is a Lot of Work to Be Done,' Wash. Commissioner Kreidler Seeks Fourth Term
April 16, 2012 by David Hodes
Best’s News Service – April 13, 2012 03:18 PM
OLYMPIA, Wash. – In the midst of such regulatory challenges as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said he has decided to seek a fourth term in office.
“There is a lot of work yet to be done, but the major one is implementing health care reform,” Kreidler told Best’s News Service. “It’s taking a lot of time and energy in my office…But my belief is that it will have a profound and transformational impact on the health system that we have currently.”
Kreidler described himself as a vigorous proponent for consumers. “I am a very strong consumer advocate for individuals that have had their benefits delayed or denied,” he said.
In December, Kreidler ordered Geico to refund $7.5 million by the end of the year after overcharging its Washington state customers. The automobile insurer was also fined $100,000 in relation to the overcharges (Best’s News Service, Dec. 22, 2011).
Last year, Kreidler filed a court brief in favor of consumers that resulted in Northern Life Insurance Co. settling a class-action lawsuit for up to $31 million concerning the marketing of tax-sheltered fixed annuities, mostly to teachers, starting in 1995 (Best’s News Service, Oct. 5, 2011).
He said he is most proud of the major information technology upgrade for the department, which he directed. “When I came in to office, we were saddled with a system that predated the Internet,” he said.
Kreidler, a Democrat, will be running against Martin Reilly, a Republican, who Kreidler said made an initial filing.
A former member of Congress, he was first elected as insurance commissioner in 2000. He was re-elected to a third term in 2008.
As many as 11 insurance commissioners could see their terms come to an end in 2012, either because they are part of gubernatorial administrations that are up for re-election on Nov. 6—or they face elections of their own. The other commissioners facing elections this year include Wayne Goodwin of North Carolina; Adam Hamm of North Dakota; Monica Lindeen of Montana; and Karen Weldin Stewart of Delaware (Best’s News Service, Jan. 16, 2012).
(By David Hodes, associate editor, BestWeek: David. Hodes@ambest.com) BN-NJ-04-13-2012 1518 ET #
