For 25 years, the Office of the Healthcare Advocate has helped Connecticut residents understand their health insurance options, resolve disputes with insurance companies, and access necessary healthcare services.

Established by the Connecticut General Assembly, we serve as your independent advocate in the complex healthcare system. Our independence ensures we can effectively represent your interests when dealing with insurance companies and healthcare providers.

Kathy has experience in health insurance, health delivery systems, health law, and patient-consumer advocacy.  She began her career working with Cigna insurance company in Bloomfield, CT where she developed insurance claim process improvement strategies. After earning a Master of Business Administration in healthcare management from the University of Connecticut, she helped protect patient rights and expand patient services as a hospital administrator, first at New Britain Memorial Hospital and then at Northwest Hospital in Seattle, Washington.

Upon obtaining her law degree from Seattle University School of Law, Kathy became a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Seattle. Following the birth of her second child who was born with significant disabilities, Holt founded a Seattle-area law practice to advocate for the needs of older people and people who have disabilities. She led this practice until she returned to CT in 2014 as the associate director and attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy, where she helped Medicare beneficiaries and represented patient voices in federal and state policy conversations prior to arriving at the Office of the Healthcare Advocate. In addition to her professional work, Kathy volunteers her time with several organizations, including as a member of the board of directors for Team Gleason, an organization that advocates for people living with ALS; as a commissioner for the Mansfield Housing Authority, which assists low and moderate-income families with safe, decent, and affordable housing; and as a public member of the Connecticut Teacher’s Retirement Board.

Sean joined OHA in 2015, after more than five years of private practice in the field of complex healthcare litigation.  His experience has provided a unique understanding of the healthcare environment as it relates to insurance coverage and the influence of insurance on patient care and provider risk management.  Prior to his work as a healthcare litigator, Sean served as a law clerk to the Appellate and Supreme Courts of Connecticut, where he assisted the Courts in addressing appeals involving complicated questions of civil, criminal and administrative law.  Since joining OHA, Sean has been actively involved in assisting consumers with accessing healthcare coverage and appealing denials of health insurance benefits.