Therese Goldsmith, a lawyer who has served on the Maryland Public Service Commission for the last two years, was named Maryland’s insurance commissioner, effective June 13.
Therese Goldsmith
Goldsmith, whose law practice involved white-collar investigations of health care fraud and abuse and other areas, will replace Beth Sammis, who had served as acting insurance commissioner since January 2010, when former Insurance Commissioner Ralph S. Tyler resigned to take a federal post.
Gov. Martin O’Malley made the appointment six days before the five-year term being completed by Sammis was set to end. Maryland law requires the governor to appoint a commissioner by June 1 of the year following a presidential election.
“We are confident that her extensive expertise and commitment to public service will protect the progress we’re making for consumers and effectively regulate Maryland’s insurance industry,” O’Malley said in a statement.
Goldsmith, whose appointment must be confirmed by the Maryland Senate, will take over for Sammis on the board of the state’s health benefit exchange. Under federal health reform, the exchange must be in place by January 2014 to provide individuals and small-business owners a place to shop for insurance coverage, buy policies and obtain federal subsidies.
O’Malley had appointed Goldsmith, a former partner with Hogan & Hartson law firm, to serve on the public service commission in 2009.
At the law firm, Goldsmith part of the firm’s white-collar litigation practice group concentrating in government investigations, health care fraud and abuse, claims brought by the government or private whistleblowers under the federal and state False Claims Acts, and issues arising under the HIPAA and state privacy laws. She had served as an associate for the same division since 2001.
Prior to joining Hogan & Hartson, Ms. Goldsmith worked as an associate at Venable, Baetjer and Howard, another Maryland law firm, where she concentrated on federal and state regulatory compliance, fraud and abuse investigations, provider reimbursement appeals, rate review matters, medical staff peer review proceedings, licensure board disciplinary actions, patient care issues and corporate transactions.
Tyler appointed Sammis, a former vice president of government affairs for UnitedHealthcare and Mid-Atlantic Medical Services Inc. (MAMSI), which was bought by UHC, as deputy commissioner in 2007.
Sammis was named acting commissioner, but never formally appointed insurance commissioner.
The insurance commissioner, who oversees the Maryland Insurance Administration, has regulatory authority over Maryland’s $26 billion insurance industry and an annual budget of more than $27 million.
Therese Goldsmith to replace Sammis as Maryland insurance commissioner via IFAwebnews .
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