Following the lead of several states across the nation, Washington, D.C., has assembled a group of subject experts, including insurance, to help interpret the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Gennet Purcell

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty has established a Health Reform Implementation Committee, co-chaired by Gennet Purcell, commissioner for the District’s Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB), and Julie Hudman, director of the D.C. Department of Health Care Finance.

The committee will advise Fenty on implementation of health reform guidelines and coordinate its execution in the District, according to a statement from the DISB.

“This reform has the power to affect many District families – including our most vulnerable seniors and low-income residents – and DISB will work with the other agencies on the committee to be diligent, effective and efficient about its implementation,” said Purcell in a statement. “Our staff has been studying the law, coordinating with others, and is ready to work on putting in place the benefits that will provide greater access to quality affordable health care for all District residents.”

Also serving on the committee are District Department of Health Director Pierre Vigilance and Department of Human Services Director Clarence Carter.

Staff at all four agencies represented on the committee are to provide administrative, clerical and technical support, according to the announcement.

The DISB notes that the new reform law requires a partnership between the District and the federal government, and that there are several state-based requirements and mandates that must also be met by the District government.