House restores some funding for OHIC

R.I. HEALTH INSURANCE COMMISSIONER, Dr. Kathleen C. Hittner, said, “We have a lot of work to do looking at the budget and making plans that will enable us to fulfill our functions in the best way we can.”  / PBN FILE PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS
R.I. HEALTH INSURANCE COMMISSIONER, Dr. Kathleen C. Hittner, said, “We have a lot of work to do looking at the budget and making plans that will enable us to fulfill our functions in the best way we can.” / PBN FILE PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. House of Representatives on Wednesday restored nearly a third of a $1 million cut that was jeopardizing future operations at the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner.
The restored funding, totaling $300,000, was included in the nearly $9 million state budget passed out of the House.
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo originally proposed $1 million for the office to cover a fiscal gap created after a federal-funding source granted through the Affordable Care Act ended. But during its budget-vetting process, the House Finance Committee last week cut that funding entirely. The reduction in funding would have resulted in the elimination of nine existing full-time employees, downsizing the regulatory office from 12 people to three people, or a 75 percent decrease.
Dr. Kathleen C. Hittner, OHIC commissioner, told Providence Business News earlier this week that such a deep cut would prevent the office from regulating the health insurance industry – it’s legislatively mandated purpose.
Hittner, whose office reviews health insurance premiums, ensures the solvency of health insurers and protects consumers from excessive rate hikes, will have some difficult personnel decisions to make in the coming months, as the restored funding is less than half what was needed to fully fund the office. She would not comment directly on how many positions the office could realistically maintain at that funding level, but did provide the following statement:
“We have a lot of work to do looking at the budget and making plans that will enable us to fulfill our functions in the best way we can.”
When asked whether $300,000 would be enough for the office to operate effectively, House Finance Chairman Marvin L. Abney said on the House floor:
“Yes, I think so.”

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