To: All NAIFA Members and AHIA Members
From: Cliff F. Wilson, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, CLF, NAIFA President and Robelynn H. Abadie, CSA, LUTCF, RFC, AHIA - NAIFA Health & Employee Benefits President
Date: June 9, 2009
Subject: Oppose HELP Committee Health Reform Plan Draft

Reason Action Is Urgently Needed: The Senate's HELP (Health, Education, Labor & Pensions) Committee is circulating draft statutory language of a systemic health reform plan. The plan as it is currently drafted excludes licensed professional agents from participation in the reformed health care system. It also seriously undercuts the ability of private health insurers to compete against the proposal's public plan option.

Please contact your Members of Congress today and ask them to oppose an exclusion of licensed professional health insurance advisors from a reformed health insurance system. Also oppose onerous restrictions on private health insurance that would make it impossible for private insurance to compete with the public plan option. You can access a sample letter to your Member of Congress and Senators here. A letter in your own words would be even better - view talking points you can use to craft your own letter.

It is crucial that you continue to communicate with your members during each step of the legislative process. This includes writing, in-district meetings and flying into DC on July 15. During the June Recess (June 29 - July 3), you should plan to participate in state district meetings and attend town hall gatherings to weigh in on the various committee mark-ups and of course join your colleagues in DC for the July Fly-In.  (You can go to http://www.naifa.org/advocacy/ and click on NAIFA's Legislative Action Center to look up your representatives and link to their websites which will have information about town hall meetings.)

Technical Assistance? If you have technical questions about using NAIFA’s Legislative Action Center, please contact Vicky Dobbin at 703-770-8113, or communications@naifa.org.