Declarations

Tallahassee Kaleidoscope

“It’s like a kaleidoscope. You think you see (the solution) one minute and the next minute it’s different.”

—Rep. Bill Proctor, a St. Augustine Republican, speaking on the state’s troubled property insurance marketplace. Proctor is again sponsoring legislation this spring he believes will help by allowing insurance companies to set their own rates free from state regulation.

Vanishing Competition

“The near total collapse of competitive and dynamic health-insurance markets has not helped patients. As demonstrated by proposed rate hikes in California and other states, health insurers have not shown greater efficiency and lower health-care costs. Instead, patient premiums, deductibles and co-payments have soared without an increase in benefits in these increasingly consolidated markets.”

—Dr. James Rohack, the president of the American Medical Association, which released a report showing that in 24 states, the two largest insurers have a combined market share of 70 percent or more. Last year, 18 states had that type of market situation. In 54 percent of metropolitan markets, at least one insurer has a market share of 50 percent or more and 99 percent of metropolitan markets are highly concentrated, according to federal merger guidelines.

Misguided Proposal

“This misguided proposal would increase premiums for those who need insurance the most and eliminate important consumer protections. We are unified against selling across state lines.”

—Jane Cline, National Association of insurance Commissioner (NAIC) president and West Virginia insurance commissioner, at an NAIC press briefing where the NAIC stressed its opposition to multistate exchanges that give health insurers domiciled in one state the authority to sell across state lines without abiding by the regulations of the other states.

Georgia Race

“My background is strictly insurance, and I feel like it’s time for the people of Georgia to have somebody in office that knows a lot about the insurance industry. I think we have a lot of issues that need addressing.”

—Insurance executive John Mamalakis announcing his candidacy for the Republican nomination to succeed John Oxendine as Georgia’s insurance commissioner and fire marshal. Mamalakis has worked more than 35 years in the insurance industry. He currently heads Program Administration Specialists, Inc. in Savannah, a program and captive insurance company manager whose clients include the Restaurant Owners Safety Association plan for workers compensation for Georgia, Florida and Alabama risks in the hospitality industry through Florida Hospitality Mutual Insurance Co.

Topics Legislation Georgia