October 31, 2008-Bismarck Tribune Endorsement
10-31-2008: news-opinion
Hamm for insurance commissioner
Two bright young candidates and lots of undecided voters make the North Dakota Insurance Commissioner’s race edgy. Kick it up a notch with some voter angst over health insurance premiums, and it’s the most interesting race on the ballot, well, except for president.Adam Hamm was appointed last year by Gov. John Hoeven to fill out the unexpired term of Jim Poolman as insurance commissioner. Hamm is a Republican. He’s being challenged by Jasper Schneider, a Democrat.
Both are lawyers.
Both come to the race with limited experience.
Hence, the numerous undecideds reflected in a recent poll.
Hamm has done a better job than his opponent in articulating the issues surrounding the insurance industry in North Dakota. That and his performance following the Northwood tornado disaster, in the Tribune’s opinion, gives him the edge.
If elected to a full four-year term, Hamm says he wants to open up the North Dakota market for competition among insurance companies, wants the federal government to pay its fair sure of Medicare reimbursement to the state’s hospitals, and wants to reduce health care utilization by the state’s citizens. This makes for a well-focused health care agenda.
Hamm has been in conflict with the state’s largest health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, over requests for rate increases. Hamm has been at least cautious in granting the insurance company rate increases. It has been an issue that Schneider has pushed hard on, suggesting Hamm has been too tough. Tough, yes. Too, tough, probably not. But it’s not clear who’s in the right.
In the case of the Northwood disaster, and insurance coverage for that community’s school by the State Fire and Tornado Fund, Hamm played by the book. That’s the way it must be. It might have felt good or been easy to give Northwood a blank check, but Hamm followed the lead of the department’s adjusters and rules set out in the policy. It was a sort of baptism by fire for the new insurance commissioner, and he did well.
Schneider has criticized Hamm for not attending all the meetings of the state investment board, on which the insurance commissioner sits. It’s a valid critique, especially given the mess on Wall Street. Hamm, if elected, ought to fulfill all the obligations of the office.
One year on the job doesn’t make Hamm a typical incumbent, but does give him a leg up. The insurance commissioner race could come right down to the wire and be decided by a few votes. It will be a matter for those as-yet-undecided voters to resolve.
The Tribune endorses Adam Hamm for the position of insurance commissioner.