Members chosen for consumer advisory council

Scott B. Lakin, director of the Mis-souri Department of Insurance, has named 10 Missourians to the department's first consumer advisory council, according to an MDI press release. The 10 council members are: Yvonne Sparks-Strauther and Elaine Diggs of St. Louis, Bill Anthony of Jefferson City, Kevin Hennosy and Elizabeth Walser of Kan-sas City, Cheryl Gammon of Park Hills, Mary D'Agostino and Les Wagner of Columbia, Leslie Jordon of Hartsburg and Jo Ann Evans of Carthage.

"I want to make sure that Missouri consumers have a key voice in state in-surance policymaking because they are affected more than any other group," Lakin said.

The council had its first meeting earlier this year after the beginning of the new legislative session. Lakin said there are several items he hopes to discuss with the council members. Among those are health-care costs, better consumer protection for Missourians who buy long-term care insurance and how credit histories are being used in issuing and pricing insurance policies.

Prior to the creation of the consumer advisory council, MDI did not have a formal mechanism allowing consumers to affect policy, the release said.