New General Members Isaiah Ariza-Escala, The INS Companies Lisa Corwin, NE DOI Kylie Serpico, VA Bureau of Insurance Sam Boone, VA Bureau of Insurance Marcus Wilson, Vermont Department of Financial Regulation - Insurance Division Molly Nollette, Alaska Division of Insurance Karen Brooks, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner Susan Carroll, Examination Resources, LLC Marie Walker, Examination Resources, LLC Preeti Juturu, Examination Resources, LLC Russell Somm

Summer is the time for making plans. Start those engines and plan to attend the next IRES Foundation National School on Market Regulation. The 2026 School will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, home of the Charlotte Motor Speedway and the NASCAR Hall of Fame as well as being a hub for banking and the financial services industry.

Maine HP 1038 enacts a new section 24-A MRSA §4350-F that addresses “spread pricing prohibitions” and applies to contracts entered into or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. Definitions in this new section include “pharmacy benefits management fee” and “spread pricing” with the latter defined as “any amount charged or claimed by a pharmacy benefits manager in excess of the ingredient cost for a dispensed prescription drug plus the dispensing fee paid directly or indirectly

As I write my last President’s Remarks, I can’t help but to look back over this past year and be grateful.  I was honored to be President of IRES in 2020 and to serve again as President for a second term has been incredible.  I am reminded that teamwork, collaboration and compromise are key factors in making IRES an organization that we can all be proud of.  During this past year, IRES has continued to offer its very successful Market Conduct Management Program (“MCM”), with

Important CE Deadlines It’s that time of year again, and the deadlines for the National IRES Continuing Education (“NICE”) Program are fast approaching. The NICE Program mandates that all members holding an AIE®, CIE®, or CICSR® must earn and report a minimum of 15 hours of qualifying continuing education (“CE”) credit each year. All items submitted for credit must be completed within the current compliance period, which runs from September 1, 2024, to August 31, 2025. All cr

I am an Insurance Supervisor in the Market Conduct Division at the Louisiana Department of Insurance (“LDI”). In this role, I guide my team through all phases of market conduct work, including analysis, continuum actions, and exams. I also work closely with other divisions within the LDI as well as external stakeholders to help monitor and improve the insurance environment in Louisiana.

Saddle Up for the 2025 CDS: “Houston Rodeo of Compliance.” Dust off those boots, grab your Stetson, and head to Houston for the most rootin’-tootin’ insurance regulation roundup of the year! The 2025 IRES Career Development Seminar (CDS) is blazing a trail like never before with this year’s theme: “Houston Rodeo of Compliance: Wrangling the Latest in Insurance Regulation.” From July 27–29, we’re bringing the regulatory rodeo to the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria—and y’all won

Tell us about yourself. I have been with the department for six years. Previously, I worked in the insurance industry handling complex...

The Al Gross/Jim Long Rookie of the Year Scholarship is named after two long-serving insurance commissioners who passed away shortly after retiring from their positions: North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Jim Long and Virginia Commissioner of Insurance Al Gross. Both commissioners were dedicated to serving their constituents and were known for being dedicated leaders, innovators, and mentors. Neither were afraid to get involved in difficult issues and find solutions that l

Charles Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” This statement exemplifies the work life of a health care regulator, because to be successful in this line of work, your character needs adaptability skills, a bit of fortitude, perseverance, and a decent amount of stubbornness.

The Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs (D) had a busy six months through June of this year. This mid-year report provides a summary of the three priorities of the Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs (D) Committee, a summary of work completed in the first half of the year, and a preview of what lies ahead for the rest of 2025.

The National IRES Continuing Education (“NICE”) Program is a professional development initiative that requires all members holding the AIE®, CIE®, and/or CICSR® designations to earn 15 hours of continuing education (“CE”) credit annually. The program aims to ensure that every active designation holder actively pursues ongoing education throughout their career to stay informed about the challenges facing the insurance industry. The NICE program is designed to provide maximum

A message from the IRES President. I hope your Spring is off to a good start and you all had a Happy Easter with family and friends.  My Granddaughter is eight months old and is the “star” of the show, as my husband puts it.  We are enjoying every minute we get to spend with her!

Tell us about yourself. I graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S. in Business Management & Leadership in 2011. My insurance...

The 31st Annual IRES Foundation National School on Market Regulation took place in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico on April 6-8, 2025. This year’s theme, Reaching New Heights in Compliance, was appropriate as every year the event seems to reach a new level of excellence.

Tell us about yourself: I am coming up on 30 years with DIFI. I currently serve as the Assistant Director of the Market Regulation and Consumer Services Division which includes oversight of Market Conduct, Consumer Complaints (insurance and financial institutions), and Health Care Appeals.  Not every day results in dollar wins but providing consumer education and walking away at the end of the day knowing we did that best we could, is the best advice I can provide my staff. 

Understanding the Challenges: Regulating mental health parity under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (“MHPAEA”) presents significant challenges for policymakers, compliance professionals, and regulators. Since its passage in 2008, MHPAEA has aimed to create equitable access to mental health and substance use disorder (“SUD”) treatment. However, enforcing and interpreting its provisions has proven difficult due to regulatory overlap, ambiguous language, and ev

The Market Conduct Surveillance Model Law (MDL #693) recently turned 20 years old, as it was adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) in 2004. According to the NAIC Project History in 2004, this act was designed to provide “a legislative framework for the implementation of structured market analysis, uniform targeted examinations and interstate collaboration.” However, only about eight states have taken action to adopt the key procedural provision

Northeast Zone Massachusetts Advisory Ruling 2025-1, dated March 31, 2025, notifies all licensed appraisers concerning the time frames...

New General Members New Individual Sustaining Members Newest IRES Designees