Regulator Discusses Risk Pool Drawbacks

Members of Congress should be wary of relying on high-risk pools for ensuring that Americans with health problems can get health coverage.

Mila Kofman, the Maine insurance superintendent, made that argument today during a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee health subcommittee.

Kofman and other witnesses talked about the state of the private health insurance market.

The developers of some reform proposals have argued that states ought to permit health plans to use medical underwriting, then have state high-risk pools provide coverage for residents who cannot qualify for conventional coverage.

“In reality, many high-risk pools have had significant funding problems,” Kofman said, according to a written version of her remarks posted on the Ways and Means Web site.