Governor Chafee Thanks Koller for Years of Accomplished Service to the State of Rhode Island and Its Citizens
Providence, RI - Governor Chafee announced today that Health Insurance Commissioner Christopher F. Koller will be stepping down to become President of the Milbank Memorial Fund, a national health policy foundation based in New York City. Koller will leave his post following the current rate factor review process, expected to be concluded at the end of June 2013.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for Commissioner Koller, and I want to sincerely thank him for his service to our state in this critically important area over the past decade," Governor Chafee said. "We appreciate his hard work and leadership – both locally and nationally – in implementing systemic reforms to improve health insurance in Rhode Island. He has been a key partner in our efforts to make health care more accessible and affordable for Rhode Island employers and individuals. I am committed to identifying a successor who will continue the excellent work of the Office and the Executive Committee for Health Care Reform."
Koller was appointed as the country's first and only Health Insurance Commissioner in January of 2005. In this role, he has developed a comprehensive commercial health insurance rate review process, established and enforced expectations of commercial insurer efforts to reduce the underlying costs of medical care, established the nationally recognized Chronic Care Sustainability Initiative focused on improving primary care, and led the initial state applications for the Insurance Exchange planning grants.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Rhode Island in this role," said Koller. "I am grateful for the opportunity and leadership provided by Governor Chafee, Lieutenant Governor Roberts and my colleagues in the Cabinet."