Last week Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley announced that Elizabeth “Beth” Sammis has been appointed as Interim Commissioner of the Maryland Insurance Administration (“MIA”). Ms. Sammis will replace Ralph S. Tyler, who announced that he would step down from his position as Maryland Insurance Commissioner to accept the position of Chief Legal Counsel to the federal Food and Drug Administration effective January 8, 2010.
Since 2007, Ms. Sammis has served as Deputy Commissioner for the MIA focusing on legislative and regulatory policy, with an emphasis on health insurance. Prior to her appointment as Deputy Commissioner, Ms. Sammis served as Vice President of Government Affairs for United Healthcare for the Mid-Atlantic region and as Senior Vice-President of Corporate Communications and External Affairs for Mid-Atlantic Medical Services Inc.