State's 'acting' health insurance commissioner in line for permanent appointment. What to know.
PROVIDENCE − After more than a year as the state's acting health insurance commissioner, Cory King is headed for an official Senate confirmation hearing next week.
On Thursday, Gov. Dan McKee announced his nomination of King to lead the Rhode Island office dedicated to health insurance oversight, which oversees both the legitimacy of rate requests and trends in the health care industry, including the growing shortage of primary care doctors.
Senate confirmation would mean one less "acting" director on the McKee team, which currently includes "acting" and/or "interim" directors of the Department of Health, the Department of Corrections and the Office of Energy Resources.
Who is Cory King?
King has been serving as acting commissioner since December 2022. He previously served as the chief of staff in the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner from 2021-22, and director of policy, from 2019 to 2021.
“Cory has proven to be a dedicated, highly capable leader who is committed to fighting every day to improve our state’s health care system,” McKee said of King in a statement released by his office. “I’m thrilled to have Cory continue his work to ensure equitable access and comprehensive coverage for all Rhode Islanders."
More: RI's health care system is 'in critical condition.' This bill package aims to stop the bleeding.
According to the governor's office, King has been "a key figure in implementing the McKee Administration's Health Spending Accountability and Transparency Program, which gives the state the ability to collect and analyze data on health care spending and quality to promote more affordable health insurance premiums for working Rhode Islanders."
He helped launch OHIC’s Data Hub, "which gives the public analytic dashboards on health care spending, utilization, and payment." He also led the first comprehensive review of Medicaid reimbursement rates for behavioral health services, home and community-based services, and early intervention which resulted in the governor's proposal to increase Medicaid payment rates in these areas, according to the governor's office.
King graduated from Tulane University and has a master's degree in public policy from Brown University, graduating in 2013. He is a member of the Coverage, Cost, and Value Steering Committee for the National Academy for State Health Policy.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI will have a permanent health insurance commissioner. Who is Cory King?
