Members continue annual gathering with colleagues for health reform
Massachusetts Association of Health Underwriters (MassAHU) president David A. Shore, vice president Mim Minichiello, director and legislative chair Joe Lawler, past president Mark Gaunya and director and national Region 1 representative Julie Jennings, represented Massachusetts independent brokers at the National Association of Health Underwriters’ (NAHU) 2015 Capitol Conference held in Washington, D.C. this year.
MassAHU members have been attending Capital Conference standing together, making their voices heard and joining hundreds of their colleagues across the country for health reform changes of importance.
Visits were scheduled with Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Ed Markey, Representatives Jim McGovern, Seth Moulton, Joe Kennedy, Niki Tsongas and Richard Neal. The message brought forth during these meetings was to ask for their support in three critical areas to smooth transition issues for Massachusetts employers, employees, and their families:
- Encouraging State flexibility and sensible ACA waivers related to upcoming (2016) employer group size and rating rule changes
- Preserving choice and competition in the private insurance market (e.g. risk adjustment challenges specific to Massachusetts)
- Legislation to simplify and improve the employer reporting requirements, so that they do not place an undue burden on both small and large employers. Furthermore, supporting and allowing reporting to be done on a prospective basis, which will be more efficient for many employers and greatly improve the accuracy of exchange subsidy verification.
As president David A. Shore stated in his letter to Representative Kennedy's office: "NAHU members work every day with individuals, families and employers of all sizes to help them purchase health insurance coverage and use that coverage in the best possible way.
We are a dedicated group of more than 100,000 benefit specialists across the nation who advocate on behalf of our clients – American health insurance consumers. The professional health insurance agent and broker community looks forward to playing a constructive role in a reformed health system."
The Massachusetts Association of Health Underwriters is a nonpartisan, statewide association of employee benefits specialists – an elite group of brokers and consultants who reflect the highest professional and ethical standings in the industry. For more information about MassAHU, contact Kate Bardsley, Executive Director at kbardsley@massahu.org.
