Under the leadership of Cathy Daugherty (that’s Cathy in the photo!), Region 8 Health Insurers Political Action Committee (HUPAC) chair, it looks like Cali agents meant business when they visited D.C. for NAHU’s Capitol Conference this year. Region 8 cleaned up in two categories: the region achieved the highest percentage of membership contributing to HUPAC and the highest amount of contribution. According to Naama O. Pozniak, CAHU Region 8 media chair and a Cal Broker advisory board member, Capitol Conference represents an “unprecedented opportunity to present positive solutions that will contribute to a stable, competitive and efficient health insurance market.”
Among the many award highlights:
* Patrick Burns (Region 8 RVP) : Spirit of Freedom Award
* Jim Morrison (CAHU Leg Chair): Legislative Achievement
* Naama O. Pozniak (LAAHU Community Outreach Chair and Region 8 Media Chair) : presented with the HUPAC recognition of recruiting the highest percentage of new members for HUPAC with a flag flown over the U.S capitol building by Hon. Brad Sherman (congressman representing L.A.’s San Fernando Valley).
*Legislative awards were presented to Inland Empire and Orange County.
* LAAHU won the award for the highest percentage increase (20 percent) of HUPAC contributions.
“We are heading in the right direction for a very strong PAC,” says Pozniak. “But we need everyone to make a contribution!” Find out more and donate here.
And look for Pozniak’s article about the Capitol Conference in the April issue of Cal Broker!
HEALTH
Pelosi Doubts Medicare for All A Great Thing
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi did a Rolling Stone interview last month in which she openly doubted Medicare for All could be financially feasible. Here’s part of what she said when asked about her response to the folks who want Medicare for All:
When they say Medicare for All, people have to understand this: Medicare for All is not as good a benefit as the Affordable Care Act. It doesn’t have catastrophic [coverage] — you have to go buy it. It doesn’t have dental. It’s not as good as the plans that you can buy under the Affordable Care Act. So I say to them, come in with your ideas, but understand that we’re either gonna have to improve Medicare — for all, including seniors — or else people are not gonna get what they think they’re gonna get. And by the way, how’s it gonna be paid for?
Covered Cal Issues First Look Report
Covered California released an extensive report, “Covered California’s Efforts to Lower Costs While Ensuring Consumers Get the Right Care at the Right Time,” to provide a first look at the results of its efforts to assure those enrolled get quality care and that contracted plans work to lower costs throughout the delivery system. The initial analysis shows that Covered Cal’s health plans are making steady progress in improving quality and safety. The report also detailed the progress contracted plans have made in increasing their efforts to “pay for value.” Covered California’s efforts are part of its contracts with health plans that set standards and requirements for quality improvement and delivery system reform. The contracts have been in place since Covered California first opened its doors in 2014 and are currently being revised for the 2021 plan year.
March 26 Webinar: Increasing Your Agency’s Value
Mark you calendars for Tuesday, March 26. From 10-11a.m. pacific, Beta Benefits will offer a must-watch webinar: 5 Tips to Enhancing Your Agency Value. Increasing an agency’s value will result in a higher price for the agency than just selling the agency at a multiple of the agency’s revenue. RSVP jesse@betabenefits.com for the webinar log-in code.
LifeMark Partners Offers Every Consumer Complimentary Lifetime Subscriptions to LegacyShield®
Consumers doing business with any affiliated LifeMark agency advisor are now entitled to a lifetime subscription, at no charge, to LegacyShield’s Life Mission Control® consisting of MyLegacy, which includes MyVault, MyAccounts, MyWishes, and MyLife Stories.
LegacyShield Solutions, Inc., provides an all-encompassing solution enabling companies and advisors to build and protect their clients’ legacies through a digital growth platform. LegacyShield helps consumers store, organize and share the right information with the right people at the right time®. Through its highly secure, military-grade platform, consumers are able to store all of their important information and decide to share that information now or based on an event such as incapacity, disability or death. Consumers using LegacyShield’s services are able to provide clarity to love ones and pass on valuables and values in the form of information, memories, recipes and stories. More info here.
Prescription Med Cost Still a Problem
We’ve heard recently that prescription drug prices haven’t risen at the rates that many people think. But it looks like many medications are still too expensive. Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concludes that over one-third of U.S. adults aged 18-64, without health insurance, did not take their prescription medication as prescribed in the past 12 months because of cost. Among all adults –those with insurance, on Medicaid and the uninsured –about one in five asked their doctor for alternative medication to lower the cost.
ICMG Elects Ritzke Prez, Names Board
The Inter-Company Marketing Group (ICMG), a non-profit association that fosters and promotes business networking among insurance and financial services companies, announced the election of its board of directors to serve throughout 2019 and into early 2020. The election was held at the ICMG’s annual business meeting on February 6, 2019, in conjunction with its annual conference, held this year in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Chuck Ritzke, FSA, MAAA, was elected ICMG’s president. Mr. Ritzke is a long-time active member of the ICMG who has been involved in the association’s leadership for many years. He is the owner of actuarial consulting firm Problem Solving Enterprises (PSE), which he founded in 1995. Mr. Ritzke’s work focuses on product development, marketing, software, the internet, and general problem solving for insurance organizations.
Prior to forming PSE, Mr. Ritzke held various management roles in actuarial, marketing, and administration at Zurich Life and Bankers Life and Casualty. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
The following executives were elected to serve on the ICMG board along with Mr. Ritzke: Lauren Woods, Crum & Forsters, vice president; Ted Baran, National Association of Professional Agents, second vice president; Rich Katz, American National, treasurer; Senia Gramajo, Agent Link, immediate past president; Ted Williams, Williams and Company, at-large director; Todd Cowan, Ameritas, at-large director; David Burke, Everest Re, at-large director; Victor Castellanos, Swiss Re, at-large director; Justin Snapp, Innovative Brokerage Network, at-large director; and JoAnn Wray, Senior Market Specialists, at-large director.
The ICMG’s 2020 conference is scheduled for January 29 – 30, 2020, in Orlando, Florida. More info here.
Dickerson Sales Excellence Broker Workshop- March 26
9a.m-2p.m., 1918 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles
- Aflac – Named one of the world’s most ethical insurance companies in the U.S. for the 13th consecutive year
- GeoBlue – Travel and expats insurance
- MyBenefitsAdvantage – Your personal lead generator
- CE certification with Naama O. Pozniak – How to reduce healthcare costs with yoga & meditation (this is not an active yoga class)
IICF March Madness- March 28
BenefitsPRO Broker Expo
April 2-4, 2019, Hyatt Regency, Miami, FL
A leading educational and networking event for employee benefits brokers and agents. Cultivate important relationships and obtain the most practical industry education for positioning your business for sustainable growth. More info here.
CAHU Women’s Leadership Summit -We’ll see you here!
April 3-5, Marriott, Las Vegas
Small group breakouts with introspective discussions focused on self care, relationships, and career success, lead by dynamic speakers, from both within and outside the industry. More info here.
LAAHU Annual Conference- We’ll see you here!
April 17, 2019, Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles. Register here. Exhibitor info here. Sponsorship info here.
LAAHU’s Annual Conference is the largest in the state and includes updates from D.C., breakout sessions for IFP, small group, large group, medicare and more!
LAAHU Annual Conference- We’ll see you here!
April 17, 2019, Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles. Register here.
IICF Women in Insurance Global Conference- save the date!
June 12-14, 2019, New York City
