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2008-2009 Nomination Slate Announced
The AHIA Nominating Committee has announced its slate of candidates for the 2008-2009 Board of Directors. Following is a list of the nominees and their positions:
President – Robelynn H. Abadie, LUTCF, CSA, RFC, RDA™
President-Elect – William J. Foudy, LUTCF
Immediate Past President – Thomas J. Vander Wal
Treasurer – H. Larry Fortenberry, CPA, CLU, ChFC
Secretary – Michael O. Brown, LUTCF
Additional nominees can be suggested by observing the following requirements. All nominees must be: 1) an active member of the conference in good standing, 2) willing to serve, and 3) agree to attend meetings of the National Assembly and the Board of Directors, if elected.
According to the rules and regulations of AHIA the names of additional nominees must be submitted to the Executive Vice President no later than 60 days prior to the annual meeting of the National Assembly on September 8, 2008 provided that each such additional nominee shall receive the written endorsement of at least ten percent of the entire membership.
Those interested in being nominated need to submit written petitions along with the required signatures to: Diane Boyle, AHIA Executive Vice President, 2901 Telestar Court, Falls Church, VA 22042.
In preparation for the reinvigorated reform environment, the association has spent considerable energy enhancing its infrastructure to support the role of the insurance advisor. To carry out the mission, AHIA has dedicated teams in the areas of Corporate Sponsorship, Finance, Legislation, Membership, Member Benefits and Professional Development. We encourage vigorous member involvement: our efforts are only enhanced by the ideas, participation, responsiveness and energy of our members. Please take a moment to contact AHIA at ahia@naifa.org to volunteer your expertise or to share your input.
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Health on the Hill
 Medicare Advantage Cuts (reversing physician pay cuts): On July 9, the Senate again took up H.R.6331, the Medicare bill. This time, after a 69 to 30 vote to cut off debate on the measure, Senators approved the bill by a voice vote. The veto-proof 69 to 30 vote was a on a procedural motion (to invoke cloture, or cut off debate). Hence it is unclear whether it signals a willingness among Senators to override President Bush’s promised veto of the bill. The House passed the bill last month, also by a veto-proof bipartisan vote (355 to 59). Click here to see the GovAlert on this issue.
Health Information Technology - Leaders of the House Energy & Commerce Committee say they hope to craft consensus privacy protections for patients’ medical records in time to take the health information technology (IT) bill to the House floor within the next two weeks. The key, House insiders say, is a definition of what constitutes the scope of patient privacy rights. Health IT legislation is among the handful of issues that may win Congressional approval this year. However, negotiations are not yet complete in either the House or Senate. Issues remain on privacy, funding and oversight issues. Still, odds are at least even that a health IT bill will become law before year-end.
Congressional Hearings – The House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health and the Senate Finance Committee are holding health care reform hearings this week. The House hearing will focus on the health care reform lessons learned at the state level as well the need for a national solution on health care reform and the Senate hearing will examine how to leverage innovation to improve health care quality.
AHIA continues to stress the important role of the agent as Congress begins setting the stage for health care reform in the 111th Congress.
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Medicare Enrollment Training
The 2008 enrollment period for Medicare beneficiaries is just around the corner. AHIA has teamed up with America’s Health Insurance Plans to provide training designed to fulfill federal requirements for selling Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare prescription drug (Part D) plans. You still have time to prepare to market products for the fall enrollment.
The online, self-paced course, Marketing Medicare Advantage and Part D Prescription Drug Plans allows agents to complete training and a final exam. After passing the final exam, an agent can generate a certificate to provide to any plan the agent represents to demonstrate compliance with the training and testing requirements. It will avoid the need for Medicare Advantage and Part D plan sponsors to require completion of duplicative training on core topics, and it will complement each plan sponsors' plan-specific training for brokers, agents, and plan marketing staff. In addition, MA and Part D plans will be able to verify certification information through an online clearinghouse.
The training program consists of five modules, containing material common to all MA and Part D plans, including:
- Overview of Medicare Program Basics: Choices, Eligibility, and Benefits;
- Medicare Health Plans;
- Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage;
- Marketing Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans; and
- Enrollment Guidance for Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans
You can enroll in the training at www.medicareonlinetraining.com/AHIA.
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AHIA – NAIFA Health & Employee Benefits Kudos
There are a number of state and local NAIFA associations making a difference in the health and employee benefits arena. Following are a couple recent examples:
AHIA Past President Dick Harlow was a contributor in a recent Probe® issue (Vol. 54, No. 10) discussing the importance of political involvement. Are You Politically Involved details the severity of apathy and highlights examples of how politically active agents can and have influenced health care reform.
Greg Bailey alerted us to “3 Must-Haves Before Building Wealth.” Jim Cramer (CNBC's Mad Money) explains a few moral imperatives every potential investor needs to know. He lists the three foundational items one must have in place before they invest in stocks. Once you get past the first of the three items, it seems like he could be an AHIA National Spokesman!
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'08 Health Care Debate
Presidential Candidate Health Platforms - Hewitt Associates’ 2008 election reports sift through each candidate’s political platform to discern the top issues in health care, employment, and retirement that could have an impact on employers when the new president takes office in 2009.
According to the report, Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, outlines a philosophy of “shared responsibility,” with a combination of private and public sector solutions. Obama would mandate coverage for all children in the U.S., but would not impose a general individual mandate. He also advocates a “pay or play” system whereby employers would be required to either “pay” a percentage of payroll toward the national public health plan or “play” by providing meaningful health coverage to employees.
On the Republican side, the report states John McCain favors market-based approaches and consumer-driven solutions to remedy what is not working in the current health care system, including ever-growing costs and lack of access by some Americans to affordable coverage. McCain has mad some specific suggestions regarding tax reforms that would help some taxpayers afford to purchase coverage. Notably, he also alludes to capping, or possibly eliminating, the current exclusion form taxation of employer-provided health coverage as one strategy to make the market for health insurance more fair and accessible to taxpayers.
Details on the candidates’ proposals can be found in the 2008 Presidential Election: Candidates’ Health Care Proposals report.
Big Gov Health - A new Web site, www.BigGovHealth.org, examines how government-run healthcare systems in Canada and the United Kingdom aren't necessarily the best models for the United States.
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Mark Your Calendars
August 4th – New York City Employee Benefit Summit
$100 Discount for AHIA Members
August 6 – Online Forum Critical Facts about Critical Illness
No charge
August 11th – Chicago Employee Benefit Summit
$100 Discount for AHIA Members
September 5-6th – San Diego 2008 Employee Benefits Educational Symposium
$25 AHIA Member Discount
September 8th – San Diego AHIA Annual Meeting
AHIA Member Discount
September 22nd – DC Employee Benefit Summit
$100 Discount for AHIA Members
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AHIA Presents:
2008 Employee Benefits Educational Symposium
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SEPTEMBER 5-6, 2008
Manchester Grand Hyatt • San Diego, California
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TO REGISTER:
Include Employee Benefits Symposium events on your NAIFA registration form
OR:
Visit www.ahia.net for more information
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Choose from educational sessions in the following 10 tracks:
- CHDCs/HSAs
- HIPAA Privacy
- Self-Funding 101
- LTD Contracts
- COBRA
- Medical Plan Cost Realities
- Required Plan Disclosures and Operating Requirements
- Wellness
- FLEX Plans
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Preliminary Schedule of Events
Friday, September 5
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Employee Benefits Symposium Breakout Sessions
Choose from a variety of workshop sessions focusing on employee benefit issues. Participants will attend three workshop sessions in the morning and two in the afternoon.
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Employee Benefits Symposium Luncheon Presentation:
When Everything Goes WRONG!
A dramatic presentation of an HR/Benefits department at it’s worst! Come to enjoy lunch, have a few laughs, and see what can go wrong in the world of employee benefits.
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Employee Benefits Symposium Wine and Cheese Reception
Join the speakers and panelists from the Employee Benefit Symposium as well as other attendees for networking and refreshments!
Saturday, September 6
Breakfast Presentation
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Tom Carter, Vice President, Sales and Broker Relations, Kaiser Permanente California
Tom Carter is Vice President of Sales and Broker Relations for Kaiser Permanente. In this role, Tom is able to utilize over 26 years of healthcare industry experience in the areas of sales, marketing, and account management. Tom leads the new group sales team statewide and co-leads the broker development strategy to enhance both the retention of existing business and the acquisition of new Kaiser Permanente customers.
Employee Benefits Symposium Expert Panels
Building Your Agency
Neil Simons, REBC, RHU, GBA, Founder and President, Independent Benefit Services
Simons will demonstrate how agents can successfully develop an employee benefits agency. Since it’s founding, Simons has grown Independent Benefit Services into one of the most respected benefit advisory firms in the region. Participants attending this panel aim to walk away with leadership strategies, directional approaches and other many valuable resources on how to run a prosperous employee benefits agency.
Emeric McCleary, CEO and Founder of Hispano Employee Benefits
With over 20 years of experience, McCleary is recognized for his valuable advice regarding Hispanic employee benefits and has advised numerous Fortune 500 companies in the employee benefits arena. McCleary intends to share his core principles of running a successful practice. Attendees can expect to gain valuable start up-strategies for their employee benefits agency, motivation, and retention strategies.
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Legislative Update
Join us for an informative legislative update and an engaging discussion on the status of health reform at both the state and federal level.
Meeting Expectations
Tom Carter, Vice President, Sales and Broker Relations, Kaiser Permanente California
With over 26 years of healthcare industry experience participants attending this panel will learn about the different expectations large carriers, employers and the public have of employee benefits agents.
Nick Bond, Vice President and General Manager of Russ Moore Transmission, Inc.
Mr. Bond knows well the expectations small carriers have of the employee benefits agent. Attendees will hear Bond’s key strategies to meet and exceed expectations of employee benefits agents.
Monday, September 8
AHIA Annual Meeting & Luncheon
Building a Million Dollar Practice
Roger Schultz, CLU
This presentation will address the critical steps necessary to a successful practice. Having already successfully established 250 direct reimbursement plans covering 200,000 participants in 21 states, it is evident Schultz knows the industry. Schultz has also proven his knowledge in the field by publishing over 50 articles on employee benefits. Through his expertise, Schultz will show agents how to develop innovative services, products and concepts. Schultz will also give agents advice on how to position their firm in the marketplace, adapt to the changing environment and differentiate their firm from competitors. By showing agents a few practical applications and techniques agents will be able to efficiently compete in the highly competitive field of employee benefits.
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2007-2008 AHIA Board of Directors
 PRESIDENT
Thomas J. Vander Wal
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Robelynn H. Abadie, LUTCF, CSA, RFC, RDA
SECRETARY
William J. Foudy, LUTCF
TREASURER
Sam J. Cunningham, CLU, ChFC, RHU
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Lawrence E. Lounds, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF
DIRECTORS
Christopher K. Schneeman, CLU, LUTCF
Ed Anderson, CLU, LUTCF
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