RI Senate Approves Cory King as Permanent Health Insurance Commissioner
TL/DR –
Cory King has been confirmed by the Rhode Island Senate to continue as head of the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC). King, who has served as the acting commissioner since December 2022, was nominated by Governor Dan McKee. As permanent commissioner, King will focus on five goals including core regulatory work, policy changes for greater investment in primary care, behavioral health care parity, work on Medicaid reimbursement rates, and positioning OHIC as a data hub for the state’s health care system.
Rhode Island’s Health Insurance Commissioner Cory King Confirmed by Senate
Cory King is set to continue in his role as the head of the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) in Rhode Island, following a near-unanimous confirmation by the Rhode Island Senate. This decision comes after King’s successful tenure as acting commissioner since December 2022, having been nominated for the permanent post by Governor Dan McKee on March 21.
Role and Achievements of the Health Insurance Commissioner
The OHIC, operating under the Department of Business Regulation, is responsible for commercial health insurance reform and regulation in Rhode Island. During his time in office, King has spearheaded significant initiatives, such as the Health Spending Accountability and Transparency Program and the OHIC’s Data Hub, both aimed at reducing healthcare costs for Rhode Islanders.
King’s Goals for OHIC
In anticipation of his confirmed appointment, King outlined five key goals for his tenure. These include enhancing core regulatory work, effecting wider policy changes to improve primary care investment, ensuring parity in behavioral healthcare access, reviewing Medicaid reimbursement rates, and better positioning OHIC as a hub for health care system data and analysis.
King’s work on behavioral health care parity parallels nationwide efforts by President Joe Biden to modify parity laws, amidst ongoing debates on access to mental health care. He also highlighted his efforts in reviewing Medicaid reimbursement rates, leading to a recommendation for a rate increase, which McKee included in his proposed budget for fiscal 2025.
Legislative Support for King’s Confirmation
King’s confirmation received strong support from several senators, who praised his contribution to OHIC as a significant health policy and data resource. Sen. Sam Bell, a Providence Democrat, lauded King for his leadership and his work on childhood behavioral health and hospital budget regulations. King’s influence on state affordability standards to reduce healthcare costs at the consumer level has gained national recognition.
Prior to his role as acting commissioner, King served as OHIC’s director of policy from 2019 to 2021, and chief of staff from 2021 to 2022. King, a Tulane University graduate, earned a master’s in public policy from Brown University in 2013. His confirmation follows recent appointments in two other health-related state departments, with Richard Leclerc confirmed as the director of the Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities and Staci Fischer replacing interim director Utpala Bandy at the Department of Health.
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