CAHU =CAY-hip
California Health Insurance Agents Rename Their Professional Association
The association representing California’s professional health insurance agents has changed its name to California Agents & Health Insurance Professionals (CAHIP, pronounced CAY-hip). The association, made up of more than 1,600 members in 13 chapters, is the state’s largest organization of professional health insurance professionals. The organization, previously known as the California Association of Health Underwriters (CAHU), made the decision to rebrand after receiving feedback from members and lawmakers that its prior name was confusing. The management team of CAHIP, as well as the group’s status under a national corporate structure, remains unchanged
Bye, bye CAHU. Hello CAHIP. We need some time to get used to this re-brand!!
WOMEN
CAHIP WLS
CAHIP’s Women’s Leadership Summit is next month at Green Valley Ranch in Las Vegas. You should definitely go.
MEDITATION POWERED
Ommmm to the You Powered Symposium
The You Powered Benefits Symposium is wrapping up today in Phoenix. We hear that it has been incredible gathering of positive, proactive people! Here’s a shot of Cal Broker contributing editor Naama O. Pozniak leading meditation. Ommmm to a great year of employee benefits.
MEDICAID/MEDICARE
Internet Access Becoming Health Insurance Issue
There seems to be a growing movement, especially with Medicaid/Medicare, to consider internet connectivity a social determinant of health. From a recent story on STAT:
…some Medicaid plans are making sure their members know they’re eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program, an extension of a pandemic broadband benefit. Signed into law in November as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, it provides $30 internet subsidies for the poorest households, plus a $100 one-time credit for a connected device — but people have to opt-in through a complex, counterintuitively online application process. Health plans can be a go-between to help reach the patients who need it most.
Look for a lot more activity in this area.
SUPPLEMENTAL
Insured But Exposed
Aflac made an important discovery in its inaugural Aflac Care Index. The survey of more than 6,500 adults was designed to help measure Americans’ awareness of and exposure to debt resulting from medical bills not covered by health insurance. Findings revealed that a staggering 46% of respondents don’t have enough savings set aside to pay for potential unexpected medical expenses, even when they have insurance. For those living in economically distressed communities, that percentage is even higher.
According to the Aflac Care Index, 24% of respondents report having no money in their savings accounts and 48% say they have less than $1,000. Further exacerbating the situation is that 33% of insured Americans cannot go more than a single week without a paycheck, while 71% can’t endure a month without pay, leading many (25%) to have to borrow money in the event of a medical emergency. Almost a quarter (22%) saying they would need to find an additional job, and 6% would have to file bankruptcy. At the same time, approximately three-quarters of insured respondents underestimate their financial exposure to common medical challenges, such as heart disease (79%) and breast cancer (73%).
INSURTECH
EIS Marks One Year of Life and Annuities Expansion with Good News
EIS, a core and digital platform provider for leading insurers, says its commemorating a year anniversary of expansion of its core EIS Suite™ to carriers in the life and annuities markets by announcing a slate of new life insurance products with a host of industry-leading features. Innovative features include:
- Illustrations: Built-in graphical illustrations that demonstrate policy performance over time, as well as strong analytics and modeling capabilities, which enable policy administrators, agents/brokers, and consumers to visualize how financial decisions and life events can impact future performance.
- Tax Testing: Testing of policies in real-time to make sure they meet the definition of life insurance under regulation 7702 and ensure consumer tax efficiency.
- Cash Value Management: A cash flow management microservice tool that provides real-time cash value calculations and loan access through self-service portals for policyholders, agents/brokers, and customer service.
- Associated Riders: Eight of the most popular and commonly requested life insurance riders are available out-of-the-box.
- Coverage Summary Screen: A robust, persona-based agent workspace that provides a singular view of rates, renewals, changes, and loan terms for all market types, driven by analytics, with the ability to quote any product from a single page.
TOMORROW
CAHIP Vanguard Hosts Lip Sync Contest
California Agents & Health Insurance Professionals (the organization formerly known as CAHU) will host a virtual lip sync contest on February 9! You can register to attend the event right here. Good luck and happy syncing.
SELF INSURANCE
Calling All Future Leaders
The Self-Insurance Institute of America, Inc. (SIIA) announced the formation of its Future Leaders Forum, scheduled for April 11-12, 2022 in Indianapolis.
This new in-person event has been developed by the association’s Future Leaders Committee, specifically for under-40 self-insurance/captive insurance industry professionals. Consistent with this mission, it combines highly targeted educational content combined with both structured and unstructured networking opportunities.
SIIA says that if you are younger professional and plan to build your career within the self-insurance/captive insurance industry, this a must-attend event. SIIA also hopes that companies make the conference available to their “rising stars”.
Early event sponsors include Hi-Tech Health. If your company would also like to support this initiative, contact Justin Miller for sponsorship information at jmiller@siia.org.
For additional event information and to register, click here.
EVENTS
- NAAIA, National Black History Month Program, Feb 18, 8-10am PT. Info here.
- NAIFA-LA & FSP-Pasadena Will G. Farrell Awards Event, online, Feb 24, Info here.
- LIMRA’s 2022 Distribution Conference, in-person, March 1-3, Miami, FL, Info here.
- CAHIP’s Women’s Leadership Summit, in person, March 14-16, 2022, Green Valley Ranch, Las Vegas, Info and registration here.
- LAAHU Annual Symposium, in person, April 26, Pasadena Convention Center. Info here.
- BenefitsPro Broker Expo, in person, May 23-25, 2022, Austin, TX. Request more info here. Register here.
