Insurance Commissioner Touts Reform Ideas
Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner (R) since taking office has been promoting changes he would like to introduce to the post, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
Primarily, Poizner said he wants to make the post a nonpartisan position and bar insurance commissioners or candidates for the office from accepting contributions from insurers.
With regard to workers' compensation insurance, Poizner last week said he wants to ensure that California's system facilitates timely access to care for injured employees.
Poizner said he also wants to attract more insurers to do business in California by reducing the market share of the State Compensation Insurance Fund. State Fund estimates the market share percentage at about 30%, while Poizner says the value is closer to 40%. He wants to gradually reduce the percentage to about 20%.
Linda Atcherley of the California Applicants' Attorneys Association said Poizner should stop insurers from unfairly delaying benefits to injured workers and investigate each case.
The Business Journal notes that insurers want to protect the workers' compensation reform package that took effect in 2004 and 2005 (Johnson, Sacramento Business Journal, 3/9).