The Future of the Affordable Care Act

Overview:   Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is often seen as the face of the Affordable Care Act as it progresses in the state of Washington. A longtime advocate of health-care reform, he is responsible for approving the health plans that insurance companies offer to consumers for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange and also the private individual market.  Reform is bringing major changes to the way health care is provided to and used by consumers. Commissioner Kreidler will note the need for change and offer insights into emerging trends for 2015 and beyond.

Bio:   Mike Kreidler is Washington’s eighth Insurance Commissioner, first elected in 2000 and re-elected to a fourth term in 2012. He has earned a reputation as a staunch advocate for consumer protection and a fair and balanced regulator of Washington’s diverse insurance markets.    Kreidler earlier served in the state Legislature and the U.S. Congress. He was a member of the Northwest Power Planning Council and a regional director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A doctor of optometry, Kreidler practiced at Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound for 20 years. He has a master’s degree in Public Health from UCLA and was a founding director of a community bank. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Army Reserve in 2003 with 20 years of service. Kreidler is the longest-serving insurance commissioner in the United States. He was honored in 2009 with the “Excellence in Consumer Advocacy Award” presented by consumer advisors to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and with the “2010 Leadership Award” by the Statewide Poverty Action Network.