PROVIDENCE – For many Rhode Islanders, health insurance can be an arcane subject full of confusing terms such as deductibles, premiums, copays, in-network and out-of-network, to mention a few. But one thing is abundantly clear: health care is expensive and hard to access.
To get some clarity, The Providence Journal reached out to Cory King, Rhode Island’s health insurance commissioner . Few people keep as close an eye on health care and its intricate financial layers as King, who was appointed to the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner in April.
King, who was previously the acting health insurance commissioner and the office’s chief of staff, has used his background with data science to create tools that help track and assess the cost of knee and hip replacements, emergency department visits, mental health services and brand-name drugs, among other things. OHIC’s reports and market analyses inform policy decisions, in many ways directly affecting – and benefiting – consumers.