Lubbock Area Association of Health Underwriters
FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
RECRUITING
Membership Application for any member looking to recruit someone new.
https://www.nahu.org/eSeries/source/members/SignPay1.cfm?section=unknown&activesection=home&ProductValue=TXLUBBOCK&StateValue=TX
please call that person right now (before you forget) that might be a good fit with us at LAAHU and invite them to come Thursday….YOU COULD BE ONE OF OUR RECRUITING PRIZE WINNERS…..THANKS FOR HELPING!
SPEAKERS/CE CREDIT:
FUTURE SPEAKERS FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE BUILDING AND CE CREDIT PLANNING:
February: Alicia Haff – Brokers and the Business of Insurance
March: Dan Stultz-M.D., President/CEO Texas Hospital Association-‘State in
Crises: Health Coverage Unaffordable’
April: Randy Hickle – Grace Clinic – Wellness Program
EDUCATION
Looking for a great Designation Program? Check out NAHU's Designation Programs for great opportunities to enhance your career. If you are interested, please contact Monica Loya ()for more information.
FEDERAL LEGISLATION
Senators have passed the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (S. 275) by a vote of 66 to 32. The text of the Senate-passed bill has been inserted into the House measure, H.R. 2.
The bill would expand the existing coverage of roughly 6.7 million children under the SCHIP program to include an additional 3.9 million. It would provide around $31.5 billion in funding for the program and reauthorize it through September of 2013.
The goal of the SCHIP program is to provide health insurance to low-income children whose families do not make enough money for private coverage but make too much for Medicaid.
This legislation is paid for mainly by a sixty-one cent increase in the federal tax on cigarettes as well as other tax increases on tobacco products. It will now go to a conference with House and Senate negotiators to work out the differences in their two bills.
Notably, many Republicans objected to a provision that allows coverage for “certain legal immigrants” according to the Washington Post article linked below. This bill works to eliminate a previous five-year waiting period for such coverage to be obtained.
Additional Links:
· Bill Text
· Baucus Press Release (pdf)
· Democratic Policy Committee Summary
· Republican Policy Committee Summary (.pdf)
· Republican Alternative (was defeated)
· AP Story
· The Hill Story
· NY Times Story
· Washington Post Story
Written by senatus
January 29th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Posted in SCHIP
Senate Clears Remaining SCHIPAmendments
without comments
Senators have cleared a number of remaining amendments to the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (S. 275). A vote on final passage is forthcoming.
· Coburn Amendment - This amendment would have provided assistance to help individuals work toward obtaining private insurance coverage. Senators defeated it by a vote of 36 to 62.
· Bunning Amendment - This amendment would have removed an exemption for New York & New Jersey which allows them to provide SCHIP coverage to families above 300% of the federal poverty level. Senators voted to table, or kill, the amendment by a vote of 54 to 44.
· Hatch Amendment - This amendment would have codified an HHS regulation that gives states the option of providing SCHIP coverage to children before birth by defining “child” as anyone from conception to 18 years of age. Senators voted to defeat the amendment by a margin of 39 to 59.
· DeMint Amendment - This amendment would provide all eligible families with an above-the-line income tax deduction for each child comparable to the average share of government benefits given to children of non-citizens covered under the SCHIP bill. Senators defeated the amendment by a vote of 40 to 58.
· Coburn Amendment - This amendment would state that before New York can provide SCHIP coverage to those children whose families make an income above 400% of the federal poverty level, their Medicaid improper payment rates must be in line with the rest of federal government. Senator Coburn (R-OK) said that New York accounted for 50% of current fraud within the program. Senators defeated the amendment by Voice Vote.
· Bingaman Amendment - This amendment would clarify that, under an express-lane eligibility provision, the consent of a parent for the enrollment of a child into the SCHIP program can be accomplished through something other than a formal signed document at a Medicaid office. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) vehemently opposed this amendment on the floor saying it weakened fraud protections under the program and that it violated a compromise in last year’s bill that required a valid signature. Senators adopted the amendment by a vote of 55 to 43.
· Hutchison Amendment - This amendment would allow states with the highest percentage of uninsured children to be given priority for outreach & enrollment under the SCHIP program. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) said that a Congressional Budget Office “score” noted that such a provision would actually save money in the bill. Senators defeated this amendment by a vote of 17 to 81.
TEXAS AREA HEALTH UNDERWRITERS (TAHU):
Day At The Capitol Registration – please go to this website www.laahu.net. Final registration is now.
For more details and sponsorship opportunities contact Cheryl Clark, TAHU Director of Legislative Activities at 795-5959.
CE Credit for being a TAHU member!
Texas allows TAHU members in good standing to accumulate up to 4 CE hours per reporting period simply by being a member of TAHU and spending some time reviewing educational material TAHU publishes or by attending educational meetings (other than CE classes) that are sponsored by the association. You’ll need to keep a record of how you spent your time and how much time you spent. And you’ll want a letter from TAHU stating you are a member in good standing during the time period in question. You can obtain this letter from your local membership chair.
These hours are considered self study, and do not qualify for classroom or classroom equivalent hours or for the completion of the ethics course.
The link to the Department of Insurance section allowing this credit is:
http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=28&pt=1&ch=19&rl=1020
LAAHU
LUBBOCK AREA ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH UNDERWRITERS
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ALSO IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T HEARD:
Just a reminder that the Annual Symposium is set for March 11, 2009.
It it coming together nicely with a spectacular list of speakers. You will be able to get 6 hours of CE. We are also working hard to get the program HRCI approved as well. We will keep you advised. See the LAAHU Website for the Registration Form AND YOU NEED TO REGISTER NOW. The theme is Accept the Challenge.
The Vendor Booths and Sponsorships are filling up fast. We only have 9 spots available with only 2 sponsorships left. Be sure to encourage
your vendor to get their paperwork in.
We ask that you invite all HR managers that you know and please invite at least 2 agents that you know as well.
SEE YOU AT THE MEETING THURSDAY the 5th AT 11:30AM
(don’t forget to RSVP Moncia!)