The Insurance Center of Ogden

TUBE Winner

2011-10-24T17:25:00.002-06:00

Vaughan Schow was the big winner from The Top of Utah Business Expo put on by The Ogden Weber Chamber of Commerce that was held at the Golden Spike Arena. Vaughan guessed the closet correct number to the amount of money in the jar. Congrats Vaughan!

FLO!

2011-10-24T17:22:00.002-06:00

The Insurance Center helped to organize a charity golf tournament for the YCC in Ogden and Progressive Insurance Participated in it. Golfers were given a prize for the person who hit the closet ball to Flo. Here is shot of The Insurance Center staff with Flo. From left Jason Call, Kierstin Goodell, and Scott Millward.

Raptors Pictures

2011-08-29T09:22:00.018-06:00

Here are photos of The Insurance Center's Customer Appreciation Night at The Raptor's baseball game. Due to techinal difficulties we are still working on posting the video of the big night.

Steve George plays the Strike-O-Baseball Toss during the middle of the fifth inning.

Lucy Davidson sings the national anthem before the game.

Porter Iverson enjoys a pre game dinner while his brother Jace looks on.

Carston and Dax Iverson show off their mad jumping skills before the game.

While his older brother Jace smiles Jett Iverson shows off why he enjoys coming to Raptor's games.

Jamie Phippen and her children Liz and Brandon come to support the Raptor's.

Nancy Millward of Megaware Keelguard and her friend enjoy their dinner before the big game.

Chad Stephens, owner of Comfort Solutions, and his daughter Maya Stephens get checked in.

Troy and Kristy Iverson are pictured here along with two of their four children.

Here are sister's Sheri Norseth and Stacey Dixon entering the park with their families along with Sheri's husband Clint.

Here is Val Iverson, owner of Get Air, with his sister Carol Ann talking to Insurance Center employees Kierstin Goodell and Candice Burke.

Here is Shawn Iverson, owner of The Insurance Center, greeting Steve George of Riverside Electric and his family.

Here are Scott and Robin Maughan agents from the Logan office.

Here are Bob and Pamela Moore two of the Raptor's biggest fans!

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)

2011-08-19T10:01:00.003-06:00

According to Independant Agent Magazine last Friday, a three-judge panel at the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the individual mandate portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The court sided with the 26 states, led by Florida, which filed suit against the law stating that the federal government did not have the power under the U.S. Constitution to require individuals to purchase health insurance. This case was notable both because it is arguably the most high-profile of all the court challenges to the PPACA, and because it makes the likelihood of a U.S. Supreme Court decision before the 2012 elections all but certain.

Most court-watchers believe this latest ruling against the constitutionality of the individual mandate has greatly increased the chances of the U.S. Supreme Court taking up a case on this issue in its next term, which begins this October and ends in June 2012. This is because two appellate courts have now ruled in opposite directions on the constitutionality of the law, since the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to uphold the law in June Also, since the Obama Administration lost this particular case, it is up to them to file an appeal. Most believe the Supreme Court would be loath to turn away the Administration in a case as high profile and wide in scope as this one.

Customer Appreciation Night at The Ogden Raptors!

2011-08-03T16:12:00.003-06:00

Last night was The Insurance Center's annual customer appreciation night at The Ogden Raptors. Although The Raptors didn't win our insureds still had a great time at the ball game. Some of our insureds participated in activies that occured between innings such as the bat spin and baseball toss. Video of these events and others are to be posted soon on our blog and facebook page. Remember to get a free quote for insurance that fits your lifestyle to give The Insurance Center a call today!

Raptors Night!

2011-07-27T15:04:00.002-06:00

For the past five years The Insurance Center has sponsered a "Night at the Raptors". This year the event will be held this year on Tuesday August 2, 2011. Free tickets can be printed off our website at www.insurancecenterUT.com or you can stop by our office at 3020 Washington Blvd Ogden UT 84401 to pick up tickets. See you there!

Summer Fun!

2011-07-01T09:01:00.004-06:00

With the Fourth of July almost here and the middle of summer approaching there is a new trampoline park opening this weekend in Roy. Check it out for tons of summer fun!

Their website is www.getairsports.com where you can find more information and directions to the park along. Below is a description from the website about the facility.

"We are Utah’s newest trampoline arena! Our trampoline park includes 4 pit trampolines with competition rectangular trampolines. The dodge ball arena includes 4 - ten feet wide, fifty-one feet long tumble tracks with angled sides. We have two Aeroball Courts for competitive players. Aeroball is a combination of volleyball, basketball and trampolining merged into one. Another section includes an AirJam basketball. In addition we have a large free jump area and “Small Air” for children under 48 inches in height."

"Our trampolines are built of the finest quality materials with your safety and enjoyment in mind. We would love for you to come by and check us out!"

Summer!

2011-06-10T11:12:00.003-06:00

Summer may finally be here and families are headed off on vacation. The photo above shows Shawn, one of our agents, on a past family vacation with his family. Many people hit the open road like Shawn and his family did and drive to their vacation destinations. Here at the insurance center we can give you a quote for auto insurance and save you money. Give us a call today for a free auto quote!

Gold Award

2011-06-02T13:32:00.003-06:00

The Insurance Center was presented today with the Gold Award from Auto Owners Insurance. We were the the top production leader for Life Insurance for the Northern Utah Territory in 2010. Shown in the picture above from left to right is Jason Call, Matt Hedquist, Shawn Iverson, and Scott Millward. Matt is the marketing rep for Northern Utah for Auto Owners while Shawn, Jason, and Scott are all life agents at the insurance center. If you are looking to purchase some life insurance give The Insurance Center a call today!

Disability Awareness Month

2011-05-27T14:18:00.002-06:00

May is Disability Awareness Month. Disability insurance can help protect your paycheck if you are injured or ill and unable to work. Why not insure one of your most vauable assets? www.protectyourpaycheck.com is a good website to check out with information about disability insurance and a personal disability quotient calculator that calculates your chance of becoming disabled. Here at The Insurance Center we write disability policies and would be happy to do a quote for it.

UAIIA Convention

2011-05-27T09:00:00.005-06:00

The Utah Association of Independant Insurance Agents Connvention was held this past weekend at the Eccles Conference Center in Ogden. All the agents from The Insurance Center were able to attend and enjoyed it very much. Shawn Iverson was able to take some picture with some of the vendors that were at the trade booth fair last Friday.

This is Shawn Iverson with Charlie Anderson who is the president of Multico.

This is Wayne Spence of Advanced Restoration with Shawn Iverson.

Big Winner!

2011-05-25T14:24:00.002-06:00

Congrats to Jason Call from our office who won the Young Agent of the Year Award at the UAIIA Convention which was held in Ogden this past week. Jason has worked at the insurance center for over seven years and we are proud of the hard work he does!

Facebook

2011-05-18T11:19:00.002-06:00

Check out our new page on facebook and like us! Our new facebook page is designed to let you let know what the insurance center is about and what is going on at the agency as well as to receive feedback from you our clients on how you feel about us. Make and comment and let us know what you think!

Real Salt Lake

2011-04-28T15:09:00.003-06:00

Here at The Insurance Center we have employees who are huge fans of Real Salt Lake. Shawn Iverson the owner and his family were able to attend the big game last night and support their favorite team while showcasing their true colors. Although Real Salt Lake did lose the team put up a good fight and acheived what no other MLS team has been able to accomplish before them. They will continue to finish out the season and earn their second MLS cup while the Iverson family cheers them on from the sidelines.

Healthcare Reform Timeline

2011-03-31T13:51:00.002-06:00

Now that it's been a year since the Affordable Care Act Coverage was passed here a timeline of what changes occurred last year and what will happen in the future.

Effective 2010
Expands dependent coverage to include adult children until age 26.

Eliminates lifetime benefits caps on basic health benefits and restricts annual caps.

Keeps plans and insurers from charging more for emergency services that are obtained out of a plan network.

Requires plans to cover preventive services without cost to members.

Effective 2011
Requires plans to spend at least 85% of large group revenue and 80% of individual and small group revenue on health care and quality improvement.

Creates a system for reviewing "unreasonable" rate increases.

Effective 2013
Limits deductibility of health insurance company executive compensation.

Effective 2014
Creates a health insurance exchange distribution system

Creates a health insurance purchase subsidy tax credit

Requires health insures to sell coverage on a guaranteed issue, mostly community-rated basis.

Requires states to make Medicaid available to individual and families with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level.

Anniversary

2011-03-24T13:24:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of when President Obama signed the Healthcare Reform Act into a law. Changes have taken place in the last year with more to come until the transition is complete in 2014. While popular opinion at first was supportive of the law lately more and more individuals are questioning if this law is really beneficial.

House GOP Votes to Defund Healthcare Law

2011-02-25T12:54:00.002-07:00

According to the NAHU newsletter the House voted on Friday, February 18th, to block funding for the healthcare law in several ways. Republicans charged the law is an unconstitutional government takeover of healthcare and a budget-buster, while Democrats blasted attempts to eliminate consumer protections, such as allowing individuals with pre-existing conditions access to health coverage. President Obama announced he 'strongly opposes' it before the new amendments even passed. In fact, the Administration stated, "If the president is presented with a bill that undermines critical priorities or national security through funding levels or restrictions, contains earmarks, or curtails the drivers of long-term economic growth and job creation while continuing to burden future generations with deficits, the president will veto the bill."

Obamacare

2011-02-01T09:17:00.003-07:00

A federal judge yesterday ruled that the health care reform is unconstitutional. The judge said that the federal governement cannot require Americans to buy health insurance. 26 states have joined together to fight the law. In December a federal judge in Virgina issued a similiar rulling although two other federal judges have upheld the law. Many expect the fight to reach the Supreme Court.

New Employee

2011-01-31T14:34:00.003-07:00

The Insurance Center would like to welcome Candice Burke to our agency. Candice has worked in insurance before and is a great addition to The Insurance Center. She enjoys snowbarding and golfing and is a huge Steelers fan and looking very much toward the Steelers winning the Superbowl this year!

House Repeals Health Reform Law, but Senate Will Not Follow Suit

2011-01-26T13:37:00.002-07:00

According to NAIFA on January 19 the GOP-controlled House of Representatives approved H.R.2, the bill to repeal the health reform bill enacted into law last March. The repeal vote was followed on January 20 by a vote on a resolution (H.Res.9) to instruct the House committees of jurisdiction to craft replacement health reform legislation.
It is widely expected—by supporters of H.R.2 as well as by opponents—that the Democratic-controlled Senate will not even consider H.R.2. And should the bill somehow unexpectedly get through the Senate, President Obama on January 6 issued a Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) stating he would veto any legislation that would repeal the PPACA.
House and Senate GOP lawmakers say that the largely symbolic House vote on H.R.2 is important as a prelude to the party’s real strategy, which is to dismantle the PPACA piece by piece.
It is not yet clear what kind of bill the House GOP will offer as an alternative to the PPACA. However, certain elements are likely. They include authority for interstate sales of health insurance, tort reform, and expansion of self-directed health plans - high deductible health plans (HDHPs) in conjunction with health savings accounts (HSAs). House GOP health reform legislation is also likely to include reenactment of some of the more popular insurance reforms contained in the PPACA—for example, limits if not outright bans on use of preexisting conditions, and/or requiring health plans to allow plan participants to insure their children up to age 26.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

Senate Agrees To Postpone Medicare Physician Payment Cut

2010-11-19T09:56:00.002-07:00

The NAHU Newswire reports good news concerning Medicare cuts that were to take place Dec 1st have now been postponed.

The AP (11/19) reports, "The Senate late Thursday voted to postpone a massive cut in Medicare pay for doctors, agreeing to pay doctors at current levels through Dec. 31. If the House goes along, Congress would stave off a 23 percent cut in doctors' pay scheduled to take effect Dec. 1." The AP adds, "The cost of the one-month postponement, $1 billion over 10 years, will be paid for by changes in Medicare reimbursement for outpatient therapy services." AARP Senior Vice President David Sloane "hailed the Senate vote and urged to House to follow suit to avoid what he called 'a potentially devastating pay cut to doctors in Medicare, ensuring seniors can continue to see their doctors during the holiday season.'"

The New York Times (11/19, Pear) reports in The Caucus blog, "The American Medical Association says many doctors are already limiting the number of Medicare patients they treat. The continuing threat of cuts could worsen the problem, the association said." Likewise, "AARP, the lobby for older Americans, urged Congress to act immediately." AARP CEO Barry Rand said, "Over 80 percent of our members are concerned that a Medicare pay cut will threaten access to their doctors. ... With baby boomers starting to retire, it's more important than ever that Congress take action to keep doctors in the Medicare program."

Winner!

2010-10-20T14:48:00.002-06:00

Congrats to Matt Webb from 97.9 KLO Radio Station who won the drawing at our booth for the Top of Utah Business Expo on Oct. 13th! Matt won a leaf blower in our drawing. Thanks to all those who stopped by our booth at the expo and talked to one of our agents Shanna Long about their insurance needs. Give our office a call at 801-622-2626 for a free quote today!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-15T13:57:00.002-06:00

From all of us here at The Insurance Center we would like to wish everyone a Happy Halloween!

Healthcare Premiums Rising

2010-09-28T16:20:00.000-06:00

The Los Angeles Times (9/28, Helfand) reports, "Healthcare premiums paid by large US employers have more than doubled over the last decade, but the costs to their employees more than tripled, a study released Monday found." And "next year companies can expect healthcare costs to rise nearly 9% on average -- the largest increase in five years -- as they confront an aging workforce, large medical claims and changes brought by healthcare reform." Employees "face higher costs as companies shift an ever-larger share of insurance premiums and healthcare costs to them." The "recently adopted healthcare reform package also is expected to drive up insurance rates and saddle employers with new costs," in particular the new rule that allows "adult children to remain on their parents' health insurance plans through age 26."

Golf Tournament

2010-09-17T08:43:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to Shawn Iverson and Scott Millward from our Ogden office, along with Creed and Nick from ASA Insurance for taking First Place in the annual Progressive golf tournament held at Bountiful Ridge on Wednesday, September 15th! Way to go guys!

Congrats

2010-09-14T11:04:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to Dave Batchelor who ran the bases at our night at the Ogden Raptors. His time was the fastest this season and he won a new watch!

Health Care Reform Provisions

2010-09-09T16:49:00.002-06:00

The first section of the health care refrom takes place on September 23, 2010. Here are some of the changes that will be in effect according to Humana to new policies . This changes will take place on policies already in place on their renewal.

-Adult children will be allowed to remain on their parent's plan until they reach age 26.
-Plans will have an unlimited lifetime maximum
-No annual dollar limits on covered essential health benefits.
-Plans will cover services for emergency medical care administered in a hospital's emergency facility at the in-network benefit level.
-Plans will will cover in-network preventive care services at 100 percent. Members will not pay a copayment , coinsurance, or deductible.
-Pre-existing condition limitaions will not apply to a covered person under age 19.
-Covered person will have the right to an internal appeal and external claims review.

Employers Shifting More Healthcare Costs to Workers

2010-09-03T09:27:00.001-06:00

The LA times reports that “the average annual cost of a family health plan is reaching $13,770. Workers picked up 30% of that bill. The average plan for an individual cost $5,049." The Times adds that "the squeeze...could further complicate the Obama administration's efforts to rally support for the law, which is expected to do relatively little in the short term to contain rising medical bills."

Get A Life!

2010-09-02T09:35:00.004-06:00

September is "Life Awareness" month and here at The Insurance Center we sell a variety of life insurance products to meet your needs from whole life to simplified issue policies. We even have life insurance policies that do not require your blood to be drawn! Life insurance is an important financial investment that can help you to take care of your loved ones after you are gone and help to secure a sound financial future for them. Give us a call today for a free quote!

Small Business Tax Calculator

2010-08-31T15:52:00.002-06:00

Customer Appreciation Night!

2010-08-04T15:48:00.001-06:00

Two of our customers got to participate in the bat spin at the Raptors game on Aug. 3rd. Joan Iverson who is in the black shirt and Rachel Julien, who is behind her in the pink shirt, from Avantguard Monitoring Systems spun 10 times around the bat and then had to run to a base. Joan Iverson narrowly won the contest. More pictures will be posted soon showing all the exciting action from the evening.

Raptors Night!

2010-07-27T09:28:00.001-06:00

Every year The Insurance Center treats our clients to a free night of baseball watching the Ogden Raptor's baseball team to say thank you for giving us your business. This year our customer appreciation night at the Raptor's will be on Tuesday August 3, 2010. We have free tickets that can be picked up at our office so stop by today and get yours!

Health Care Reform Bill signed March 23, 2010

2010-04-05T13:55:00.000-06:00

2010:
• Small business tax credit
• National risk pool is created. However there is a question on how many this will help given the limited amount of funding
• Lifetime benefit limits are not allowed and cancellation of insurance based is not allowed unless fraud is involved
• Preventative services will be paid for by insurance companies
• Allows your dependents to be covered until age 26
• No Pre-existing condition exclusions for dependent children 19 or younger

2011
• Forms and documents will be uniform with a goal to compare plans easier
• Insurance companies are required to allocate a larger portion of revenue to health care
• Your W2 will now have the value of your health insurance paid by your employer
• Annual fee for manufacturers of brand name drugs
• Community health insurance offices will be funded for those without insurance

2012
• Hospitals are held accountable for preventable re-admissions and may face a reduction in payable Medicare benefits

2013
• Individuals making $200,000 a year or couples making $250,000 would have a higher Medicare payroll tax of 2.35% on earned income and a new tax of 3.8% on unearned income
• Flexible spending accounts can be funded up to $2,500 a year
• Itemized deduction for health care expenses are only allowed if the amount is 10% of income
• Manufactures of medical devices will have a 2.9% sales tax. Some exemptions apply
• Elimination of employer tax deductions for Medicare part D subsidy for employers that maintain prescription drug plans for retirees

2014
• Addition of new taxes on health insurers
• Coverage gap in Medicare prescription benefit is fully phased out
• Individual and employer coverage responsibilities are effective.
• Individual affordability tax credits are created and small business tax credits are expanded
• State health insurance exchanges are fully funded and operational
• All Pre-existing condition exclusions are prohibited
• Annual and lifetime dollar limits are eliminated for all essential health care
• Guaranteed issue, guaranteed renewability health insurance plans
• Tax (“Cadillac tax”) imposed on employer sponsored health insurance plans

Health Care Reform Passes

2010-03-22T12:42:00.000-06:00

According to a Humana newsletter after a long and sometimes contentious day of debate, at 10:45 p.m. Sunday night the health reform bill passed the House. The vote was 219-212, with all Republicans and 34 Democrats voting no. Since the bill already passed the Senate on Christmas Eve, it will become law as soon as the President signs it – probably in the next two days.

Less than an hour after the House passed the reform bill, it passed a package of fixes in the form of a budget reconciliation bill. That vote was 220-211. The reconciliation bill will now go to the Senate. Senate leaders say they are likely to take it up later this week – perhaps as early as Tuesday. At this point there is no way to know if the process in the Senate will go fast or slow. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he has the votes to move the bill quickly, but the Republicans may challenge whether some parts of it are appropriate for the reconciliation process.

The Senate bill would:
Mandate everyone must get insurance
Result in about 30 million additional people becoming insured
Subsidize coverage for people who can't afford insurance; increase the number of people eligible for Medicaid
Raise money to pay for these things through new fees, taxes and cuts to Medicare Advantage
Change the payment formula for Medicare Advantage
Make many changes in the way insurance companies operate, from saying they have to sell insurance to everyone, regardless of pre-existing conditions and health status, to selling insurance to individuals and small businesses through an exchange

White House building support for health reform package

2010-03-22T09:40:00.000-06:00

According to a newsletter from Aetna Insurance the White House last week continued to rail against rising health insurance premiums to help build popular support for his health care reform package. But the effort to focus the blame for rising costs on insurers was questioned, in particular, by state insurance experts and economists quoted in a New York Times story last week (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/health/policy/09rates.html?scp=1&sq=State%20Insurance%20Experts%20See%20Flaw%20in%20Obama%27s%20Plan%20to%20Curb%20Health%20Premiums&st=cse). Insurance commissioners said that trying to hold down premiums before costs were under control would be very risky. This approach could mean solvency issues in some cases, they told the Times. To help educate Americans about the true drivers of rising health care costs, America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry trade association, last week launched a new national ad campaign (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O8CxZ1OD58). The ad demonstrates that health insurance company costs represent a small slice of the overall health care cost pie.

Deem and Pass

2010-03-17T13:58:00.000-06:00

A key focus of the media coverage of the healthcare reform debate was the House leadership's plan to use a legislative rule known as "deem and pass" or a "self executing rule," to pass the Senate bill without an explicit vote on the measure in conjunction with the reconciliation package of "fixes." Most media outlets noted that it has been used in the past by both parties, but not on landmark legislation, and that it has contributed to the growing partisan warfare on the healthcare issue.

White House Health Bill To Include GOP Ideas

2010-03-08T08:16:00.000-07:00

According to a newsletter from NAHU the President's new healthcare reform plan will include ideas from Republicans. Some of the president's commentators suggest this is an effective strategic decision for improving his public realtions battle as well as improving the measure's prospects for a House passage. Americans are seen as disillusioned by the lack of agreement on healthcare between both parties. According to the "everyday americans" that were invited to the White House summit on healthcare they blame the Republicans' intransigence as well as the special deals Obama and the Democratic congressional leaders made in order to win votes. According to The Christian Science Monitor (3/3, Feldmann) Obama is not making any major concessions but simply incorporating small ideas from the Rebublicans to help his public realtions battle to show Americans he is working with both sides althought no Republican in the House or Senate was expected to sign onto the Obama plan on the basis of Tuesday's announcement.

Dew Tour

2010-01-25T10:37:00.000-07:00

A couple members of The Insurance Center were able to attend the Dew Tour at Snowbasin this year. They even cheered on Ogden native Lynn Neil who competed at the event. Both had a good time and enjoyed the amazing abilities of the athletes that participated.

Stalled Health Care Reform

2010-01-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

Scott Brown wins in Mass Senate Race and evens the stake in the Senate. Now Democrats don’t have total control and are without the needed 60 votes that would have passed the healthcare reform bill. President Obama will have to come up with bipartisan health reform in order to get it passed. Many are saying the current bill should be scrapped and they should start from scratch to create a new bill that both parties can agree on. Only time will tell what the outcome will be.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-05T16:46:00.001-07:00

Happy New Year to everyone! The new year brings about the task of the Senate and the House merging their versions of the Health Care Refrom bill into one. According to UAIIA a House and Senate Democratic Leadership committee are formed and once they come to an agreement on a compromise bill, they will likely send the bill to the House for a simple majority vote and then the Senate where Democratic Leadership will once again need 60votes to fend off a filibuster from Republicans. Pending passage of both chambers, the bill will be sent to the President for his signature and then become law.

H.R. 3590

2009-12-30T15:44:00.000-07:00

On December 24, 2009 the Senate approved it's version of the health care reform bill. Now the differences between the House and Senate versions need to be resolved so that one version can be presented to President Obama. Some of the differences according to Humana Health Insurance are:

•Abortion: The House version includes stricter language designed to prohibit the use of federal funds for abortion coverage, except in cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is in danger. That helped appease House conservatives, but abortion was even more of a make-or-break issue in the Senate, so that chamber’s slightly milder language could win out.

•Taxes: The House and Senate bills would fund health reform in entirely different ways. The House bill would tax individuals making more than $500,000 a year and families making more than $1 million. The Senate bill would tax so-called “Cadillac” or high-cost health plans – an idea opposed by labor unions and many House Democrats. The Senate version would also impose annual fees on health insurers starting at $2 billion in 2011 and going up to $10 billion in 2017.

•Public plan: The House bill includes a government-run plan that progressives fought hard to include. Instead of a government-run plan, the Senate version would instruct the federal Office of Personnel Management to contract with private insurers to offer at least two national health plans for individuals and small businesses. One of those plans would have to be nonprofit. Conventional wisdom says the final, combined bill will not include a public plan, but House leaders could seek other tweaks in exchange for dropping the idea. Possibilities include increasing federal subsidies to help low- and middle-income people afford coverage, creating a single, national insurance exchange instead of one in each state, or introducing those exchanges earlier – in 2013, a year earlier than the Senate bill stipulates.

•Medicare Advantage: Each bill would cut funding for the Medicare Advantage program, but the amount differs substantially. The House bill includes cuts of $170 billion over ten years. The Senate bill would trim reimbursements by $118 billion over the same ten-year period.

NAHU & Health Care

2009-12-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

This came from the National Association of Health Underwriters

On Saturday, December 19, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) released his manager's
amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009, or H.R. 3590. This
383-page amendment, which makes substantial changes to the 2000+ bill, has only been available
for Senators and the American people to read and digest since Saturday morning.

Over the course of the weekend, through a series of deals with various Senators, the Democratic
leadership secured the 60 votes they needed to move forward with the legislation on the Senate
floor. At about 1:15 a.m. on Monday, December 21, the Senate voted 60-40 on a cloture vote
on the manager's amendment to H.R. 3590. This vote sets the Senate procedural clock hurling
toward an eventual vote on the entire reform bill later this week. No opportunity will be allowed
for our Senators to debate or make changes to the manager's amendment between now and then.

The need to pass a health care reform bill before Christmas is an artificial deadline, and it does
not give our Senators enough time to read and thoroughly debate this $878 trillion dollar bill that
will dramatically impact all Americans and 1/6 of our nation's economy. Unless a Democratic
Senator agrees to switch his or her vote and oppose the overall bill, H.R. 3590 will pass this
week and a conference committee with the House will begin in the New Year.

NAHU has many concerns with H.R. 3590 as currently structured, as it contains many elements
that will only serve to drive up private health insurance costs significantly for millions of Americans
families and businesses. Instead of passing this flawed measure under a compressed time-frame
during a holiday week, we need to encourage our Senators to instead work together on a
bipartisan basis to develop an affordable and responsible means of achieving the needed reforms
to our nation's health care delivery system.

More Health Reform News!

2009-12-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

According to the Washington AP here is an update on the health care legislation that is going on in Washington right now. Washington is trying to push the vote through before Christmas. A time when most Americans are only thinking of the holidays.

The legislation represented the culmination of a year's work for Democrats, pressed by President Barack Obama to remake the nation's health care system. Sadly this reform will only make insurance more expensive for those who have it.

Under Senate rules, Democrats needed 60 votes on three separate occasions to pass the measure. While it looked like this many not happen for while things feel in to place and Democrats were able to secure the 60 votes they needed.

Democrats hoped Republicans would relent in the face of a clear 60-vote majority, but if GOP critics choose to do so, they could delay a final vote on the bill until early Christmas Eve.

The House has already passed legislation, and attempts to work out a compromise are expected to begin in the days after Christmas.

The Senate legislation is predicted to extend coverage to more than 30 million Americans who lack coverage and would ban industry practices such as denial of insurance on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions. The Congressional Budget Office said it would reduce deficits by about $132 billion over a decade, and possibly much more in the 10 years that follow.

At its core, the legislation would create a new insurance exchange where consumers could shop for affordable coverage that complies with new federal guidelines. Most Americans would be required to purchase insurance, with subsidies available to help families making up to $88,000 in income afford the cost.

In a bow to Senate moderates, the measure lacks a government-run insurance option of the type that House Democrats placed in their bill. Instead, the estimated 26 million Americans purchasing coverage through new insurance exchanges would have the option of signing up for privately owned, nonprofit nationwide plans overseen by the same federal agency office that supervises the system used by federal employees and members of Congress.

Sen. Ben Nelson D-Nebraska won numerous changes, including tougher restrictions on abortion coverage and an estimated $45 million in federal Medicaid funds, enough to completely cover his state's costs of complying with an expansion of the program mandated by the bill.

Vermont and Massachusetts also won additional Medicaid funds; plastic surgeons were persuasive in their bid to strip out a proposed tax on elective plastic surgery; hospitals in the Dakotas, Wyoming and Montana won additional Medicare funds; and there was more money for hospitals in Hawaii to treat the uninsured.

Brrrrrrr!

2009-12-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

Winter is finally here and with that of course comes snow and ice. Since accidents tend to increase during bad weather we would like to remind everyone to drive safely and to make sure they are properly covered in case of an accident. We have many different auto companies that we write business with that have excellent claim service and offer coverages to fit your insurance needs. Give us a call today for a quote at 801-622-2626!

American Health Insurance Plans

2009-11-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

AHIP Overview of Senate Health Reform Bill
AHIP HI-WIRE
AHIP Staff
November 23, 2009

The "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" - the health reform bill announced by Senate leaders this week - contains nine titles addressing: (1) market reforms and coverage expansions; (2) the role of public programs; (3) the quality and efficiency of health care; (4) chronic disease prevention and public health improvements; (5) the health care workforce; (6) transparency and program integrity; (7) access to innovative medical therapies; (8) the CLASS Act; and (9) revenue provisions.

Below is an overview of the Senate bill, discussing a sample of the hundreds of provisions contained within the 2,074 pages of this very large bill.

Immediate Reforms: The following reforms would take effect within the first year after the bill's enactment:

a ban on lifetime limits and unreasonable annual limits;

a prohibition on rescissions except in cases of fraud;

an option for unmarried individuals through age 25 to remain on their parent's coverage as dependents;

a benefit mandate for preventive services;

reporting requirements on medical loss ratios and administrative costs;

rebates to be paid by plans with non-claims costs exceeding 20 percent in the group market and 25 percent in the individual market (or a lower percentage established by the state);

a premium justification process established by the HHS Secretary in conjunction with the states, including discretionary authority to exclude plans from the health insurance exchanges for unjustified premium increases in the 2010-2014 period;

a $5 billion temporary high-risk health insurance pool program to provide coverage to uninsured individuals with preexisting conditions;

a $5 billion temporary reinsurance program for employer-based plans providing coverage for early retirees; and

an internet portal to provide consumer information on coverage options.

Insurance Market Reforms: Beginning in 2014, plans would be required to offer coverage on a guaranteed issue basis and would be prohibited from excluding coverage for preexisting conditions. Plans would be allowed to vary premiums based only on age (3:1), tobacco use (1.5:1), family composition, and geographic differences.

Individual Coverage Requirement: Beginning in 2014, an individual coverage requirement would take effect, with exemptions allowed in cases of hardship and if the premium exceeds 8 percent of a person's income. Penalties for failing to obtain coverage would be set at $95 in 2014, $350 in 2015, and $750 in 2016 (with this amount updated for inflation in subsequent years).

Government-Run Plan: Beginning in 2014, a Community Health Insurance Option would be established with an option for states to prohibit the offering of this government-run plan in their state. The HHS Secretary would be directed to negotiate provider reimbursement rates that are not higher than the rates paid by private plans participating in the exchanges. Premiums must be sufficient to cover expected costs. A Start-Up Fund would be established to cover the costs associated with initial operations of the government-run plan and to cover claims during the first 90 days, subject to a requirement that these funds must be repaid within nine years. Providers would not be required to participate in the government-run plan and could not be penalized for non-participation.

Health Care Cooperatives: Federal funding would be authorized for a CO-OP Program to foster the creation of nonprofit, member-run health insurance companies that would offer coverage in the individual and small group markets in one or more states. Federal loans would be provided to assist with start-up costs and federal grants would be provided to meet state solvency standards.

Exchanges: Federal funding would be provided to assist the states in establishing American Health Benefit Exchanges no later than January 2014. The exchanges would facilitate the purchase of qualified health plans, provide for the establishment of a Small Business Health Options Program, implement procedures for the certification of qualified health plans, maintain an Internet website to provide standardized comparative information on qualified health plans, and carry out other responsibilities specified in the legislation.

Excise Tax on High-Value Health Plans: Beginning in 2013, an excise tax would be imposed on employer-sponsored coverage for any health insurance plan with a premium exceeding $8,500 for single coverage and $23,000 for family coverage. Higher thresholds would be established for retirees and for plans covering workers in high-risk professions. The thresholds would be adjusted annually based on the CPI plus one percentage point. The tax would be set at 40% and would apply to the amount of the premium exceeding these thresholds. This provision is estimated to generate $149.1 billion in new revenue over ten years.

Health Insurance Premium Tax: A $6.7 billion annual premium tax would be imposed on the health insurance sector, allocated by market share, beginning in 2010. Self-insured coverage and governmental entities would be exempt from the tax, but fees paid to third party administrators would be assessed under this provision. Other taxes would be imposed on the pharmaceutical sector ($22.2 billion) and medical device manufacturers ($19.3 billion).

Interstate Sale of Insurance: Beginning in 2016, states would be permitted to form "compacts" to allow for the purchase of non-group health insurance across state lines. The HHS Secretary, working in consultation with the NAIC, would issue regulations for the creation of such compacts.

Benefit Options: Four benefit categories would be created with the following actuarial values: Bronze (60%), Silver (70%), Gold (80%), and Platinum (90%). A separate catastrophic plan (i.e., the "young invincibles" policy) would be available for young adults under age 30 and for those who are exempt from the personal coverage requirement due to hardship or coverage not being affordable.

Medicaid Eligibility Expansion: Beginning in 2014, Medicaid eligibility levels would be expanded to 133 percent of the federal poverty level. The costs associated with this expansion would be covered by a 100 percent federal match rate in the first three years.

CLASS Program: A national voluntary long-term care insurance program, funded by premiums, would be established to provide cash benefits to meet the needs of individuals who have functional limitations. Under this program, premium collection would begin in 2011 and benefits would begin in 2016 under a five-year vesting requirement.

Medicare Advantage: Payment reforms would reduce Medicare Advantage funding by an estimated $120 billion over ten years, beginning in 2011. Special Needs Plans would be extended through 2013 and Cost Plans would be extended through 2012.

House Approves Medicare Physician Payment Bill
On November 19, by a vote of 243 to 183, the House approved H.R. 3961, the "Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act." This bill proposes to permanently overhaul the Medicare payment formula that, in the absence of congressional action, will result in negative updates to Medicare physician reimbursement rates next year and for the foreseeable future.

H.R. 3961 would prevent a 21 percent reduction in Medicare physician payment rates from taking effect next year and instead provide an update in 2010 based on the Medicare Economic Index. Additionally, to achieve a long-term "fix," the bill recalibrates the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula, which is used to calculate Medicare physician payment rates, by establishing 2009 physician expenditures as the new baseline for computing whether total physician payments exceed the expenditure targets in the SGR formula. The CBO score (PDF) for this bill estimates that it would cost approximately $210 billion over ten years.

The Obama Administration released a statement (PDF) this week expressing strong support for H.R. 3961 and describing the bill as "an important step forward in comprehensively reforming the way Medicare pays physicians to provide the very best care to the Nation's Medicare beneficiaries."

CMS Chief Actuary Issues Analysis of House-Passed Health Reform Bill
Richard Foster, the Chief Actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), recently released an analysis (PDF) of H.R. 3962, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act," as approved by the House on November 7.

The analysis by the CMS Chief Actuary focuses largely on the bill's impact on federal expenditures and does not examine all of the revenue provisions. Key findings include the following:

Proposals aimed at reducing the growth rate of health care spending would achieve only $2 billion in non-Medicare budget savings over ten years. These savings are attributed to comparative effectiveness research. The analysis states that other proposals aimed at containing costs would have "a negligible financial impact over the next 10 years."

The coverage provisions would cost $935 billion over ten years. This includes $512 billion attributable to the proposed Medicaid expansion, $592 billion for premium assistance, and $11 billion for small business tax credits - partially offset by $180 billion that would be collected from penalties on individuals that do not obtain coverage and employers that do not offer coverage.

The Medicare provisions would achieve net savings of $571 billion over ten years. The bulk of these savings would come from Medicare Advantage payment reforms ($201 billion) and from reductions to the Medicare Part A and B provider payment updates ($282 billion).

While discussing the bill's impact on coverage, the analysis indicates that by 2019, the number of uninsured would be reduced from 57 million, as projected under current law, to an estimated 23 million. The expected increase in coverage is attributed to 21 million new enrollees in Medicaid, 10 million persons purchasing individual coverage through the newly created exchange, and an additional 2.5 million persons receiving employer-sponsored coverage.

Chairmen Waxman and Rangel Request GAO Report on Prescription Drug Pricing
On November 17, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) addressed a letter (PDF) to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting an analysis of recent trends in prescription drug pricing.

The Waxman-Rangel letter expressed concerns that the pharmaceutical industry "may be artificially raising prices for certain pharmaceutical products in expectation of new reforms that could otherwise reduce prescription drug prices or price growth by encouraging patients and the government to be more efficient purchasers." To address these concerns, the chairmen asked the GAO to prepare on an expedited basis a report that analyzes recent trends in prescription drug pricing and, additionally, take steps to monitor the pricing practices of pharmaceutical manufacturers on an ongoing basis and periodically report to Congress on these issues.

Health Care Reform

2009-11-16T16:29:00.001-07:00

The latest on health reform for Humana brokers

What next? All eyes are on the Senate

By the slimmest of margins, the House passed its health care reform bill on Saturday. Of course, the fight over this issue is far from over. In fact, Saturday’s vote was just the first of several big votes on the journey to health reform.

The next step is for the Senate to pass a bill, but despite President Obama’s encouragement last weekend “to take the baton and bring this issue to the finish line,” the Senate is currently stalled. Majority Leader Harry Reid has merged the two different bills passed by the two Senate committees with jurisdiction over health care, but the Congressional Budget Office has not yet attached a cost estimate. That probably won’t be done until the end of the week.

Further, no date has been set for the start of debate. Debate in the Senate is expected to last several weeks. So the question now is whether to attempt to start debate before Thanksgiving, which would mean pausing while everyone goes home for the holiday. Some senators think it would be best to hold off even starting until after the break, but on Tuesday Reid said he would like to start debate next week.

And there’s another problem with trying to anticipate the Senate’s schedule: It takes 60 votes to approve the start of debate, and right now Reid doesn’t have those 60 votes. For example, Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut Independent who caucuses with the Democrats and whose vote Reid is likely to need, says he won’t vote to start debate until the public plan is removed from the bill.

Then, any bill the Senate passes is likely to be very different from the one the House just passed. For example, the House bill includes more generous subsidies for people to buy health insurance, and it pays for reforms in a different way than the Senate would. So merging the House and Senate bills will be a complicated exercise.

And if any of these negotiations drags too far into 2010 – an election year – some moderate Democrats are likely to lose some of the courage the President has been praising them for this week. Their votes on the final bill that emerges from the Senate-House conference committee could be far from a sure thing.
Saturday in the House: Democrats prevailed – but by a slim margin
Saturday was a long, long day in the House of Representatives, with almost 14 hours of health reform. Much of that time was filled with speeches – there was a constant parade of members to the microphones at the front of the chamber. In general, Democrats and Republicans took turns, arguing their points in the one to three minutes they were allotted. Republicans, focused on the new requirements for business and the bill’s high gross cost – $1.1 trillion for the first 10 years – referred to the House version of reform as a “jobs killing bill” that would increase debt and threaten the economy. Democrats, focused on bringing 36 million uninsured people into the system, described it as “the moral thing to do” and an opportunity to make history.

But away from the House floor, speeches and C-SPAN cameras, the last arm-twisting and vote-tallying was going on. In a Rules Committee meeting that had lasted half the night before, a compromise had been worked out with anti-abortion Democrats who had threatened to vote against the bill. Early Saturday afternoon, the President arrived in the Capitol to address the Democratic caucus. Still, the vote count was close.

Democrats needed 218 votes, and in the end they passed their bill 220-215 – the tightest of margins. One Louisiana Republican voted yes; 39 Democrats voted no.

Afterward, House Democratic leaders were jubilant, noting the historic moment and praising Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In the Rose Garden on Sunday, President Obama praised everyone who had voted for the bill. “For years,” he said, “we’ve been told that this couldn’t be done. After all, neither chamber of Congress has been able to pass a comprehensive health reform bill for generations. But last night, the House proved differently.”

On Fox TV on Sunday, Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., expressed his feelings about how this vote would fit into history. “I’ve got to tell you,” he said, “if Democrats keep ignoring the American people, their party is going to be history in about a year.”

Actually, both political parties seemed to come out of the weekend feeling as if they were well positioned for the next round of battle. As CNN’s John King wrote in his “State of the Union” blog, “Democrats saw the victory, as narrow as it was, as a major step forward and a momentum boost they say dramatically increases the odds of getting legislation to President Obama this year. Republicans took the 220-215 margin and the 39 Democrats who voted “No” as proof of jitters in the Democratic ranks, and proof that they will end up on the winning side of the politics of health care.”
Late nights in the Congressional Budget Office
Two new “scores” from the Congressional Budget Office were released last week: one on the cost of the reform bill that was offered by House Republicans, another on the cost of the House’s “doc fix” bill.

According to the CBO, if the Republicans’ alternative bill had passed, it would have cost about $60 billion over the next 10 years and would have resulted in about 3 million more people having insurance. This is in contrast to the House Democrats’ bill, which would have a gross cost of $1.1 trillion and result in 36 million more people having insurance.

What the Republicans’ approach would do, however, is reduce the average premium cost for those who do have insurance. The CBO says that in 2016, small group insurance premiums would cost 7 to 10 percent less than they would under current law, and individual insurance prices would cost 5 to 8 percent less. Prices in the large group market would be zero to 3 percent lower, but some people – including older, sicker people – could see higher premiums.

Minority Leader John Boehner has said the GOP favors a step-by-step approach to reform, and that their first step is to reduce health care costs. Expanding access would come later.

The CBO also released cost estimates on the “doc fix” – the AMA’s top priority, which is to repeal the law that automatically reduces Medicare payments to physicians when budget targets aren’t met. The CBO says the cost over 10 years would be $210 billion. House leaders have removed the doc fix from the big health reform legislation and turned it into a separate bill to keep the cost of reform lower.

The Senate voted down a similar bill in October because the legislation didn’t include a plan to pay for the fix.
About those AMA and AARP endorsements of the House bill
The AARP endorsed the House’s health reform bill on Thursday. President Obama responded, “They're endorsing this bill because they know it will strengthen Medicare, not jeopardize it. They know it will protect the benefits our seniors receive, not cut them. So I want everybody to remember that the next time you hear the same tired arguments to the contrary from the insurance companies and their lobbyists. And remember this endorsement the next time you see a bunch of misleading ads on television.”

The AMA also announced its “support” for the bill, although the organization stopped short of endorsing it. As the AMA president told reporters, "The way we use words, an endorsement of a bill means you completely accept it 100 percent and you leave the table," he said. "Support of a bill, in our way of viewing it, is that we agree with many of those components in it, but we still need to work to make it better. And that's where we are."

Meanwhile, several state medical societies broke with the AMA last week on the issue of health reform. For example, the Illinois State Medical Society distributed “An Open Letter to Patients” through the media. “Illinois physicians have grown frustrated as we watch the best opportunity for health reform in decades potentially slip away,” stated the group’s president. “Bad policy proposals and political partisanship must not be allowed to destroy this rare opportunity to guarantee access to health care for our patients.”

The Ohio State Medical Association also announced its opposition to the House Bill. The group's president said the association "supports many of the goals of this bill. However, the total proposal lacks many of the critical elements necessary for successfully reforming America’s health care delivery system and strengthening the physician-patient relationship.”

Twenty surgical organizations, led by the American College of Surgeons and including neurologists, urologists and oncologists, also broke with the AMA over its support of the House plan.

House Passes Health Reform

2009-11-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

The following is from NAIFA GovWatch.

Action Taken: On November 7, the House of Representatives voted 220 -215 to pass its version of health reform (H.R. 3962). Thirty-nine Democrats voted against and one Republican, Cao of Louisiana, voted in favor of the bill. To see how Members of Congress voted, view the roll call vote here. To see how Members in your state voted, simply click on the “State-by-State” tab.
NAIFA Position: NAIFA President Thomas D. Currey, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF issued the following statement immediately after the vote on Saturday night.

"H.R. 3962 contains many provisions that NAIFA has long supported including affordability credits, wellness and prevention provisions, guaranteed issue and consumer access to professional agent services.

However, there are a number of health reform issues that need further consideration before the bill will meet NAIFA's reform goals, and we are disappointed that the House passed the bill without fully vetting these concerns. In addition to controversial health provisions, we are particularly troubled with the use of health care reform legislation to expand the FTC’s authority over all lines of insurance and to limit the McCarran-Ferguson protection of pro-competitive activities in the medical malpractice and health insurance markets. Excessive authority is unwarranted, and would have negative impact, particularly on property-casualty and life insurers and their consumers.

NAIFA is dismayed by the sweeping changes to the regulation of all lines of insurance in the context of a health reform bill.

We continue to believe that the health care reform challenge can be met by bringing millions of uninsured Americans into the system and reducing the high cost of health care for everyone. We look forward to working with the Senate and the Reconciliation Conferees to address our concerns."
Next Steps: While all eyes will turn to the Senate, don't expect the Senate plan to follow the House on health care overhaul. The House bill will be deemed unacceptable to many in the Senate.

The details of the merged Senate bills will be released after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) releases its analysis of the merged bills. The Senate bill is expected to be more to our liking in achieving affordable coverage for all Americans. All indicators are that it, too, will have specific authorization for agents to participate in the reformed health system. Currently, it contemplates including a government plan with a state opt-out, but indicators are that that provision will drop out during Senate floor debate.

The Senate process will also differ from the House floor vote which allowed limited amendment opportunities. Once the CBO score is released, the Senate debate is expected to last several weeks. Debate will include many amendments and we expect to have a number of our concerns addressed there, including strengthening the balance between penalty and purchase of insurance.

The Senate floor debate will not begin until after Thanksgiving. If the Senate does pass a bill, it will be different enough from the House bill that a lengthy and contentious conference is probable.
Our current strategy is to support health reform that includes a meaningful, fairly compensated role for agents, no tax on workers based on their employer-provided health insurance, meaningful coverage requirements and no public plan. NAIFA will work to improve our issues in the Senate bill as the initiative moves toward final passage.
What You Can Do:
• Meet with Your Senators over Veteran’s Day Recess.
• Urge your friends and colleagues to have their voices heard.
• Engage the Media Members and their constituents pay close attention to their local media. Make the voice of agent heard by sharing your comments with the media.
• Visit HealthChat to read articles, view videos and learn what others are doing. (Note: Please make sure you are logged into the NAIFA website in order to access HealthChat.)

Health Care Reform

2009-11-06T16:22:00.000-07:00

Check our blog often for info on the healthcare debate! The following is an excerpt from NAHU's Newswire Newsletter from the Nov. 6th edition.

Obama touts AARP, AMA backing for House healthcare bill.
In what media reports termed a surprise appearance, President Obama visited the White House briefing room to tout the endorsements of AARP and the American Medical Association of the House Democrats' healthcare bill. The visit was noted on each of the networks last night, albeit in stories that were largely devoted to the raucous conservative protests at the Capitol. ABC World News (11/5, story 6, 2:45, Karl) reported, "President Obama touted two big endorsements of the healthcare bill, from the AARP and the American Medical Association." President Obama said, "I urge Congress to listen to AARP, listen to the AMA, and pass this reform for hundreds of millions of Americans."
The CBS Evening News (11/5, story 4, 2:15, Reid) reported, "The White House is worried enough about the vote that the President made an unannounced appearance today to tout endorsements of the bill by the senior's lobby, AARP, and by the AMA, the nation's largest organization of doctors." NBC Nightly News (11/5, story 8, 2:25, O'Donnell) reported, "AARP, the lobby group for Americans over 50, signed on and showed off boxes of supportive petitions."
The Washington Times (11/6, Ward) reports that Obama "urged Congress to heed new endorsements of the House healthcare bill by the AARP and the American Medical Association and pass the bill on Saturday, in a rare appearance at the White House briefing." The New York Times (11/6, A18, Hulse, Herszenhorn) reports Obama "noted that the endorsements covered viewpoints from two distinct sides of the debate: elderly Americans fearful that a healthcare overhaul could cut into Medicare, and the nation's doctors and medical professionals." Obama said, "We are closer to passing this reform than ever before. And now that the doctors and medical professionals of America are standing with us, now that the organizations charged with looking out for the interests of seniors are standing with us, we are even closer."
The Chicago Tribune (11/6, Levey) reports that AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond "said the group saw the House Democratic bill as the most promising proposal." The AARP's backing "counters mounting opposition among employer groups who are stepping up their advertising campaign against the House Democratic bill." The Wall Street Journal (11/6, A8, Bendavid, Adamy, subscription required) also covers the story, noting that the AMA endorsement was not without qualifications.
The Los Angeles Times (11/6, Muskal) points out that "Obama especially lauded AARP, saying the organization's nonpartisan support was important to reassure seniors worried about losing Medicare benefits if the health plan is signed. Critics contend that as part of the healthcare overhaul package, Medicare would be cut, but proponents say the decrease is just a cost savings and would not affect benefits."
The Christian Science Monitor (11/6), The Hill (11/6, Young), Roll Call (11/6, Koffler, subscription required), the AP (11/6), USA Today (11/6, Kiely), Politico (11/6, Brown), CNN (11/6), Bloomberg News (11/6, Rowley, Dodge) CongressDaily (11/6, Edney, subscription required), and the Financial Times (11/6, Fifield, subscription required) also cover the story.

Holidays

2009-11-06T15:59:00.001-07:00

From all of us at The Insurance Center we wish everyone Happy Holidays. We will be closed at 12:30 on Veteran's Day on Nov. 11 and closed Nov. 26 & 27 for Thanksgiving. In December we will be closed on Dec. 24, 25, and 31 for Christmas and New Year's. Season's Greetings!

Raptors Night

2009-07-14T09:30:00.000-06:00

Here at the The Insurance Center we have sponsored a night at the raptors for the past two years as a customer appreciation night. This year is no exception. For the third year in a row we have free tickets to a Raptors game that can be picked up at our office. This year we are sponsoring the August 4th game where the Raptors play the Casper Ghosts. If you would like free tickts to the game then come on down to our office today and pick some up. It's a night at the Raptors on us!

Ski Day

2009-01-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

Here at The Insurance Center every Martin Luther King Jr. holiday we take off work and head over to the ski slopes of Snowbasin. All the employees and their families are welcome to participate in a day of fun. Many levels of skiing were demonstrated from beginners to experts. It was a great day of skiing that everyone enjoyed including a tasty lunch and great weather. We all skied safely and came home in one piece which is a reminder that disability insurance is a good thing to have. Call our office today at 801-622-2626 for a free disability quote!

Happy Holidays

2008-12-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

All of us here at The Insurance Center would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays from all of the agents here at the office.