This morning the Administration and Finance Secretary Tom Trimarco announced the Romney administration’s appointments to the “Connector,” the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, tasked with much of the decisions and implementation for health reform. (read their press release)

As rumored, the Executive Director will be Jon Kingsdale, senior vice-president of Tufts Associated Health Plans. The Boston Globe had reported last week that he would be named.

The Governor also appoints 3 members to the board that controls the Connector. The Governor’s appointments must fit into the categories specified in chapter 58, the health reform law.

The categories and the board members appointed to fill the slots are:

* Actuary: Bruce Butler, former chief actuary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
* Small Business Representative: Rick Lord, President of Associated Industries of Massachusetts. Rick has been on virtually every health commission since leaving the House Ways and Means Committee in 1991.
* Health Economist: Jonathan Gruber, an MIT economist who was involved in the formulation of the bill and helped the legislature analyze the implications of their proposals.

They will join the 3 Attorney General’s appointees, and 4 ex-officio members: A&F Secretary Trimarco, who will be the chair, Medicaid Director Beth Waldman, Insurance Commissioner Julianne Bowler and GIC Executive Director Dolores Mitchell.