Grassroots groups in Connecticut are pressing for Gov. Dannel Malloy to oust the state's Insurance Commissioner Katharine Wade, according to the International Business Times.
Mrs. Wade is in charge of approving a requested merger between Anthem and Cigna. Prior to her appointment by Gov. Malloy, Mrs. Wade lobbied for Cigna. She is also married to a Cigna executive and related to other individuals associated with the company.
At the same time, Gov. Malloy has been under fire for his connection to both insurers through their increased donations to the Democratic Governors Association, which Mr. Malloy chairs, according to an IBT investigation.
Two of the grassroots groups — Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut and the Connecticut Citizen Action Group — in coherence with groups representing hospitals and physicians, fear approval of the merger will increase insurance premiums, according to the IBT.
Connecticut Citizen Action Group sent out an email Thursday seeking 10,000 of its members to sign a petition requesting Mrs. Wade's removal, and asking the governor's affiliated committees to deny contributions from Cigna or Anthem, according to the IBT.