WASHINGTON (March 21, 2025)
º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Announces 2025 Federal Legislative and Regulatory Priorities
Today, the º£½ÇÂÛ̳ (º£½ÇÂÛ̳) announced its 2025 federal legislative and regulatory priorities, which are focused on further strengthening the national system of state-based insurance regulation in the United States. These priorities aim to foster an innovative, competitive, and secure insurance marketplace, enhance access to insurance to safeguard the financial well-being of our citizens, and strengthen coordination between the federal government and the states.
Insurance is a cornerstone of personal financial security, protecting health, wealth, and property, and it supports the U.S. economy’s large and small businesses. As the industry evolves in response to emerging technologies, catastrophe risks, and economic shifts, state insurance regulators will continue working with all stakeholders, including the federal government, to keep insurance products and the market strong, resilient, accessible, and responsive to consumers’ needs.
The º£½ÇÂÛ̳'s 2025 federal priorities include:
•&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è; Preserving and Respecting States’ Primary Role as Insurance Regulators by Eliminating the Federal Insurance Office (FIO): Ensuring the future success of the U.S. state-based system of insurance regulation demands constructive coordination with our federal peers and appropriate deference and independence of the regulatory system from federal intrusion. For this reason, º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Members call for the elimination of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Federal Insurance Office, as FIO stands in direct conflict with the states' role as primary regulators, complicates the states’ engagement with fellow insurance regulators globally, duplicates confidential data collection from the insurance industry, and blurs the line that separates Treasury from independent financial regulators.
•&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è; Ensuring Natural Catastrophe Resilience: Congress has a crucial role to play in partnership with state insurance regulators and other state leaders to promote community-based resilience and mitigation efforts aimed at addressing the growing risks posed by natural catastrophes. Through targeted funding, tax incentives, and support of state mitigation programs, Congress can help protect communities by reducing the frequency and severity of losses and subsequent insurance claims. This, in turn, would support healthy property insurance and housing markets.
•&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è; Promoting and Preserving State Flexibility to Manage their Health Insurance Markets: Congress and the Administration should preserve existing state flexibilities through Affordable Care Act waivers and supporting state-based policies in areas like state exchanges and essential health benefit benchmarks. They should also enhance state authority and flexibility for Medicare Advantage, Short-Term Limited Duration Plan, and Association Health Plan oversight.
•&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è; Providing Consistent Funding for Crucial Programs: Americans have better health outcomes when they have access to health insurance. Congress should extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, which have expanded coverage, before they expire at the end of this year. The Administration should fully fund state grants and waivers without delay, as states have leveraged these to support and expand coverage.
•&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è; Producing Guidance on Key Issues: The Administration should provide long-overdue guidance and necessary clarifications to states on important federal regulations: Section 1557 nondiscrimination rules, copay accumulator rules, and Mental Health Parity grants.
Insurance regulators remain committed to working with Congress and the Executive Branch to ensure that the U.S. insurance market remains strong, resilient, and responsive to the needs of consumers. State insurance regulators supervise the largest and most competitive insurance sector in the world. The U.S. state-based system of insurance regulation’s strength is not an accident of history. It is the result of a deliberate partnership and a clear division of responsibilities between the states and the federal government.
The º£½ÇÂÛ̳’s 2025 federal priorities seek to further strengthen that partnership and ensure our insurance sector remains a pillar of strength and a global leader.
Related:
º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Health Priorities Letter to Congress
º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Health Regulatory Priorities Letter to the Administration
About the º£½ÇÂÛ̳
As part of our state-based system of insurance regulation in the United States, the º£½ÇÂÛ̳ (º£½ÇÂÛ̳) provides expertise, data, and analysis for insurance commissioners to effectively regulate the industry and protect consumers. The U.S. standard-setting organization is governed by the chief insurance regulators from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. Through the º£½ÇÂÛ̳, state insurance regulators establish standards and best practices, conduct peer reviews, and coordinate regulatory oversight. º£½ÇÂÛ̳ staff supports these efforts and represents the collective views of state regulators domestically and internationally.