HMS Legal Blog

F.I.O. Finally Makes its Recommendation: “Hybrid” State-Federal Insurance Regulation

Back in June 2011, we reported here that Congress’ brand new creation known as the “Federal Insurance Office” (FIO) had found its first Director in former Illinois regulator Michael McRaith.  We cautiously anticipated then the issuance of the FIO’s initial report to Congress, scheduled for January, 2012, regarding the effectiveness of the state-based system of insurance regulation, as well as recommendations for changes and improvements.  Industry stakeholders speculated then about what the establishment of this new federal bureaucracy might signal and what role the Feds might be looking to assume in their industry in the wake of scares about financial instabilities surrounding major U.S. insurers. The decades-old debates about federalism in the regulation of insurance were sparked anew and we waited for word from Director McRaith and his Office.  And we waited.  A year passed and we waited some more.  Another year passed and the Feds rolled out their health insurance marketplace and that went…well, they did roll it out!  You may have heard.

Continue reading
  11488 Hits