Gov. Dannel P. Malloy 's administration prides itself on being at the forefront of implementing federal health care reform.
But the credibility of that work is threatened by questions about the roles consumer advocates and insurance executives play and the inability -- or unwillingness -- of lawmakers to find a compromise.
One critic, businessman Kevin Galvin , is so frustrated that last week he wrote U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius asking her to intervene.
"Our frustration is as much with the Legislature as with the governor," Galvin said.
The problems date back to late August, when Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman announced the 14 members of the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange she chairs. Under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, every state must establish an exchange by 2014 to aid individuals and small businesses with purchasing insurance.
Critics say Malloy and legislative leaders ignored state and federal laws governing membership, intended to give power to the consumer and prevent undue influence by insurance executives.
Named to the exchange by Malloy are Mary Fox , a former Aetna senior vice president. Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney , D-New Haven, appointed Robert Scalettar , former chief medical officer for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield . And Senate Minority Leader John McKinney , R-Fairfield tapped Mickey Herbert , the retired Connecticare CEO.
The exchange member considered truly pro-consumer by critics is state Healthcare Advocate Vicki Veltri , and she, along with the state insurance and health commissioners, has no vote.
Fox, Scalettar and Herbert could not be reached for comment, but Looney and McKinney defended their choices.
Scalettar's wife works for state Senate Democrats , and Looney said the two are true progressives.
"It's appalling frankly, he's come under any form of criticism ... given my record over the years of being somebody who's a strong advocate for consumers and having proposed legislation strongly opposed by insurers," Looney said.
McKinney said, "When (Herbert) tells me he's going to try to set up the best exchange for Connecticut, that's all I need to know. (And) I know Connecticare got very high marks from consumer groups."
But Galvin, who heads Small Business for a Healthy Connecticut and owns Connecticut Commercial Maintenance Inc., wants Sebelius to pressure the Malloy administration to remove those three from the exchange.
"The majority of voting members should be small businesses and consumers," said Galvin, who through the state Freedom of Information Act, obtained submitted lists of dozens of other potential members that lawmakers passed over. The correspondence also showed a prominent insurance lobbyist recommended Fox to Malloy, a Democrat.
The governor's office has steadfastly stood by the exchange's makeup and said the Legislature must make any changes.
But one top administration official -- Comptroller Kevin Lembo , the state's former health care advocate -- disagrees.
"I really don't take exception with anyone who's presently on the exchange board. I just think it's missing some important voices ... if the effort is to make sure the product is the best it can be and the process is viewed as credible," said Lembo, who has urged Malloy to use his executive authority to add more members. "It's an easy thing to fix."
But Wyman, in a statement last week responding to Galvin's complaint, reiterated the responsibility is the Legislature's.
House Speaker Christopher Donovan , D-Meriden, a health-reform advocate, said it can be done in the 2012 session.
"I certainly would like it (the exchange) to be more consumer oriented," Donovan said.
State Rep. Elizabeth Ritter , D-Quaker Hill, a health committee chairman, has similar concerns. But Ritter said reopening the exchange legislation will give critics an opportunity to amend it -- something supporters should seek to avoid.
Ritter acknowledged the Malloy administration appears to have dug in its heels on the matter, "And I don't get it."
Galvin and others believe the governor early on made a decision to court the state's powerful insurance industry.
But Wyman in her statement said, "I have spent my career fighting for taxpayers and consumers. And no one should have a shred of doubt that I will continue to do so as chair of the exchange."
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