(Augusta) Consumers for Affordable Health Care (CAHC), Maine's largest consumer health

organization, today praised the work of Superintendent Mila Kofman saying "she is leaving large shoes to fill" after she announced her resignation.

"For the last three years, Maine has been fortunate to have a Superintendent who brought the concerns of Maine consumers into her everyday work.  She was the first to hold public hearings in communities outside of Augusta when insurance companies asked for rate hikes.  She was the first to give working people an opportunity to comment in their communities on rate hikes.  She reduced rate hikes and saved policyholders tens of millions of dollars.  She saved Anthem individual policyholders almost $3 million in their 2011 rates by cutting Anthem's rate hike request by almost half.  Consumers will sincerely miss her," said Joe Ditré, executive director of CAHC.

Ditré said "She thoroughly understood the law and has always respected a fair and open process in the Bureau's work.  She has listened to all stakeholders - consumers, businesses, brokers, providers, and insurers.  She will leave large shoes to be filled.  Her fair, unbiased, and professional approach gained the respect of everyone."

CAHC provided examples of her recent work which illustrated her effectiveness in administering the insurance laws of Maine and protecting individual and small group policyholders in health insurance:

2011:

·  She balanced Anthem's request for $6 million in its 2011 individual rates against the    

   ability of policyholders to pay more.  She looked at all the evidence and saved

   policyholders almost $3 million while at the same time providing the company with a fair return; 

·  She got MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company to provide refunds plus interest to

   many of the small businesses insured with the company in Maine just this April to correct

   an error that was discovered by MEGA during a review of MEGA's 2010 rate filing;

2010

·  Under her direction, the Bureau of Insurance recovered nearly $3.5 million for Maine

   insurance consumers, individuals and businesses in 2010.

·  More than $1.5 million was recovered for consumers by the Bureau's Property and

   Casualty Division, and nearly $2 million was recovered for consumers by the Consumer 

   Health Care Division.  In addition to the recoveries for consumers, violations of Maine law 

   resulted in $1,235,500 in fines, which are paid directly to the general fund.

·  She worked with other state regulators to ensure that American International Group Inc.,

   AIG, and its workers compensation insurance affiliates agreed to pay a total of $100 

   million in fines to insurance regulators in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Maine will  

   receive $500,000 as a result.

·  She worked with other state regulators so that consumers who had unpaid medical bills 

   or paid premiums to American Trade Association or any of their affiliates were able to get

   some relief after the state of Tennessee issued its cease and desist order to stop the

   company from selling bogus medical insurance.

2009

·  In 2009, Kofman denied Anthem's request for an average increase of 18.1% and instead

   approved an average increase of 10.9%. That decision saved ratepayers millions of  

   dollars.  In a year of tremendous economic pain for consumers, Anthem wanted 3% for 

   profits alone; she gave them no increase for profits - a decision that was fair and was

   upheld by Maine Superior Court and by the Maine Supreme Court just two weeks ago.

·  She worked the Maine CDC and with Maine's health insurers to provide H1N1 vaccines

   and treatment to their policyholders during the height of the H1N1 pandemic.

Her tenure has been highlighted by:

• Collaboration with all stakeholders;
• Increased market conduct regulation of insurance agents and insurance companies;
• Appropriate fines and penalties to hold insurance companies accountable to their policyholders;  
• Millions of dollars in savings to policyholders through reduced rates;
• Multi-million dollar refunds to small group health insurance policyholders when carriers failed to pay out at least 78 cents on each dollar of premium collected under Maine law;and,
• Advocacy to protect consumer and small businesses in health insurance reforms at the State House.

"She is a true professional. She will be sorely missed," said Ditré. "We wish her the best in all her future endeavors."

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