Koken Resigns as Pa. Commissioner After Serving 10 Years

Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today accepted the resignation of Insurance Commissioner Diane Koken, effective Feb. 19.

Rendell appointed Randolph Rohrbaugh, currently a deputy commissioner, to serve as acting insurance commissioner during the formal search for a permanent successor to Koken.

Koken, Pennsylvania’s longest-serving commissioner, will serve as a senior advisor to Rendell before returning to the private sector in mid-March. Rohrbaugh will serve as acting commissioner during the formal search for a permanent successor to Koken.

Koken has served as commissioner since August 1997 and was first confirmed to the post by the Pennsylvania Senate in 1998. She has served in the administrations of three governors.

During Koken’s tenure, the department conducted more than 7,000 field investigations and market-conduct examinations, which resulted in civil penalties and restitution totaling nearly $317 million. The department also recovered more than $69 million on behalf of consumers as a result of consumer complaints during this period.

Also, under Koken’s leadership, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is being expanded to make coverage available to all uninsured children and teens up to age 19 that are not eligible for Medical Assistance. The expansion, known as Cover All Kids, is expected to begin in March.

Koken also oversaw implementation of the Mcare assessment abatement program, which has provided almost $1 billion since 2003 to defray health care providers’ malpractice insurance expenses and has been credited with helping to keep physicians practicing in Pennsylvania.

Since 2001, Rohrbaugh has served as deputy insurance commissioner for the department’s Office of Insurance Product Regulation and Market Enforcement, which is responsible for reviewing and regulating the insurance rates charged and the policy forms that are sold in Pennsylvania for accident and health, life, and property-casualty insurance. He joined the department in 1994 after working in the private sector.

Source: Governor’s Office