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125 years of experience leaving with Insurance Commissioner Praeger

Kansas Health Institute

Over 125 years of experience will be leaving the state of Kansas Insurance department this month.  Four division directors are leaving as Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger concludes her third and final term reports KHI

The changes were anticipated when Ken Selzer was elected to the position.

Praeger is a moderate Republican, who went against the party line supporting the Affordable Care Act.  Selzer is a member of the GPO’s conservative wing.  He opposes the ACA.

Selzer supports the state’s membership is a multi-state health care compact.  Praeger opposes it.

Given these differences on key issues and Praeger’s long tenure, Selzer was expected to make significant changes in the department’s senior staff. 

Leaving office are:

·         Marlyn Burch, the director of the life insurance division with 53 years at the agency.

·         Former law enforcement officer Ted Clark, the director of the anti-fraud division

·         Steve O’Neil, head of the consumer assistance office

·         And Neil Woerman, the former chief of staff to Attorney General Bob Stephan, who led the         modernization of the department’s information technology.  He is also the chair of the Information Systems Task Force for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Praeger was elected in 2002, and didn’t seek a fourth term.