Jessica Altman is charged with the responsibility of regulating the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s insurance marketplace, a role that includes educating and protecting consumers, overseeing licensed agents and insurance professionals, and monitoring the financial landscape of companies doing business in Pennsylvania. Commissioner Altman identifies consumer protection and education, and ensuring Pennsylvania’s insurance markets are meeting the needs of consumers, as her top priorities.

Among other achievements, Commissioner Altman has worked tirelessly to protect the Affordable Care Act in Pennsylvania, achieving the state’s lowest-ever uninsured rate (5.5%). Under Governor Tom Wolf’s leadership, the state worked across party lines to create a state-based health insurance exchange and a reinsurance program for the benefit of Pennsylvanians. Among other initiatives, Commissioner Altman worked closely with the Pennsylvania legislature to enact tougher annuity suitability standards to better protect consumers and seniors.

Commissioner Altman serves as chair of the Health Insurance and Managed Care Committee for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). She worked previously as chief of staff at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, where she developed policy and helped implement the Affordable Care Act. In addition, she served as a policy analyst for the health division of the White House Office of Management and Budget while completing her master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. Commissioner Altman also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in policy analysis and management, with a concentration in health care policy.

Families USA is a leading national non-profit organization that serves as a strong, non-partisan voice for health care consumers. The organization toils to promote a health system that protects consumers’ financial security as much as it does their health care security. Founded in 1981, Families USA pursues a mission dedicated to achieving high-quality, affordable health care and improved health for all. Its work, organized and driven by four pillars—value, equity, coverage and consumer experience—is rooted in public policy analysis, movement-building advocacy and collaboration with partners.

President Barack Obama credited Families USA with playing an instrumental role in promoting the enactment of the Affordable Care Act and for the organization’s work helping to implement and protect the historic health legislation.

Families USA works with a national network of stakeholders representing consumers, the health care sector and the business sector—as well as with leaders and aides from both sides of the aisle—to tackle health care problems facing the nation, provide expert advice to understand current policy and to develop new ideas. In its own words, Families USA acknowledges that “We do not stand alone in our work. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the families whose voices we take great privilege in lifting.”

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is an editorially independent, non-profit news service committed to in-depth coverage of health care policy and politics. Its reporting provides the public with crucial information and updates about our health care system—including hospitals, doctors, nurses, insurers, governments and consumers. KHN articles and stories are published on its own website and by news organizations throughout the country. KHN is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-profit organization based in San Francisco.