South Central Indiana AHU

SCIAHU’s March meeting will be 3 hours of Ethics CE presented by Zach Wilding of AUL. Make sure this is on your calendar to attend and get your required Ethics! Thursday March 12th at 9:00 AM at the Mid-America Science Park in Scottsburg.

Our February meeting was a presentation by the Department of Labor on COBRA. It was well-attended and everyone learned something they didn’t already know about COBRA.

Patricia A. Griffey, National Association of Health Underwriters

(Indianapolis, IN) – Indiana Health Insurance Agent and President of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), Patricia Griffey is named to the Insurance Business America Magazine’s Insurance Hall of Fame.

“Patricia has been an asset to the Indiana State Association of Health Underwriters (ISAHU) and NAHU for many years and our goals of supporting agents and educating the American public about the healthcare options available to them.  Patricia has been an unwavering advocate of the consumer for her entire career.  ISAHU is very proud of Patricia and congratulates her for being recognized industry-wide for what Indiana insurance professionals have long known,” said Jeff Goodwin, ISAHU President.

Griffey has been a licensed life and health agent since 1979. She is currently a risk management advisor for the Healy Group located in South Bend, Indiana.

As a member of NAHU since 1997, she has served in many leadership positions in her local and state chapters and is a multi-year qualifier for the Leading Producers Round Table. In 1998, she co-founded the Greater Northern Indiana Association of Health Underwriters, which was established in South Bend and served in multiple leadership positions with ISAHU. Since then, Griffey completed a three-year term as Region III vice president of NAHU, serving members in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. In 2010, Griffey became the sixth Indiana resident to be named Honorary Insurance Commissioner by the Department of Insurance for the state of Indiana. Also, she has received the NAHU Distinguished Service Award in 2011 and was named Member of the Year for both her local and state chapters in 2006 and 2008.

Throughout her career, Griffey has diligently pursued continuing education earning professional designations of LUTCF, CSA, RHU, REBC and ChHC. She is certified by NAHU in Wellness, consumer-driven health care, worksite marketing, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Medicare. Griffey has also served multiple years on the Agent Advisory Council for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Indianapolis, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s health committee, as well as the Agent Advisory Board for Select Health Network in South Bend.

“NAHU has been instrumental in affecting health policies nationwide, and we must continue to be engaged in this process to find private-market solutions,” Griffey said. “I look forward to serving the agent community in providing ongoing access to additional education and information.”

Griffey is an active member of her community, where she supports causes such as Hope Ministries. She resides in Elkhart, Indiana, with her husband, Don, and enjoys spending quality time with her five children and nine grandchildren.

On August 8th, we hosted 4 hours of CE, including a 2 hour CE on “The Uninsured” and a 1 hour CE on “Drug Pricing: Pulling Back the Curtain”. Thanks to Arnie Saunders and Ralph Gray for taking the time to present!

On 9/12, we will host our annual 9/11 Remembrance meeting at the Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum in Columbus. This will feature a 1.5 hour CE from Michael Jones, Lunch, and 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony. Make sure it’s on your calendar and make sure to RSVP to Andrea Bogard!

We are always trying to provide the most up-to-date, relevant information to our members, so make sure one (or all) of our meetings are on our calendar!

South Central has been busy planning the 2019-2020 year! Bob Tretter came and installed our new Board at our July 11th meeting, where we also discussed the new year, as well as received a great update from Andrea Bogard on the Annual Convention!

We have our annual CE day on August 8th at the Mid-America Science Park in Scottsburg, where we are offering 4 hours of CE credit.

Our annual 9/11 Remembrance program will be September 12th at the Atterbury-Bakalar Museum in Columbus with CE included, as well. This is a great event!

We already have our annual golf outing scheduled for next year on May 22nd, 2020 at Timbergate Golf Course, so make sure that you mark it down on your calendar and don’t miss it!

Thank you to all of our members and if you haven’t been to see us in a while, make sure you visit at one of our next meetings. Great value and quality coming up in the next few months!

Hello from South Central!

Our June meeting brought us incoming NAHU President Patricia Griffey as our guest speaker, which made for an awesome event for us. Her presentation was spot on with our lives and what truly is important to us. THANKS PAT!!  Thanks to everyone who sent a card, note, or email to help us celebrate Keith Hattabaugh’s retirement.  Also we welcomed many of the State Board members and we are always glad to have them for a visit.

For the July 11^th meeting, Dave Berman is coming to present “ACA Then and Now.” Come join us for an interesting overview of the ACA. Things are continuing to change daily and it’s always good to stay on top of the most current info.

August 8^th we will be having a 5 Hour CE day! Anthem is scheduled for 3 hours and we are looking at two additional hours of great CE. We will keep you posted as additional speakers are added.

Sadly, this is my last contribution as Chapter President and everyone in our Chapter is excited for our incoming President Jessica Croquart! We just completed our Strategic Planning meeting and have many exciting programs lined up for the next year. Please join us when you can!

Charlie

There are as many viewpoints about politics as there are people.  Some pay close attention and follow multiple news outlets; others are more passive and disengaged.  Many steadfastly and strongly support their preferred party whether financially, through volunteer time or by simply having debates at the water cooler or dinner table.  There is no doubting that the discourse has taken a disturbingly nasty turn in recent years and it probably has soured many, including myself to the entire process and makes us wonder why we would take our time and treasure to support those we consider to be nothing more than untruthful, power hungry narcissists.  That certainly shouldn’t be a global description of all politicians, but many would subscribe that it covers a good portion.  We all know the old joke about the origin of the word “Poli-tics”.

If you feel as I do, you probably find yourself conflicted about contributing a dollar of your hard-earned money to a politician at any level whether it be directly or through a Political Action Committee.  Eventually you make your own determination to do so, perhaps because you believe in that person’s ability to support issues that matter to you, either personally or professionally.

I am currently celebrating my 20^th year in the insurance industry and have served in varying capacities in organizations that support our industry and the brokers/agents/consultants that make their living from it.  For a long period, I felt that giving of my “time” was good enough and that I wasn’t going to contribute my “treasure” to politicians I didn’t trust or respect.  I’ve always understood that politics is driven by money and that money buys access and influence.  It sometimes feels gross, but that‘s how the game is played and our industry is so heavily regulated that we need to be able to have the access to gain the influence to make sure our future and the best interests of our clients are protected.

ISAHU-PAC (Indiana’s State Political Action Committee) provides the avenue for which members (and non-members) can contribute to an organization that very carefully analyzes and builds relationships with those figures that we hope to build influence with and support the platforms that are important to our industry and our clients as it relates to benefits.

If the future protection of your role as an agent or if you work for a vendor, the agents you recruit to sell your products are important to you, please consider supporting the organization that is working hard to make sure that our voices are heard locally.  At least you will know that the money you contribute will be thoughtfully allocated for the access and influence that will help protect what matters to you.  To learn more about ISAHU-PAC and/or to contribute directly, please visit the ISAHU-PAC website.

Sincerely,

David Skinner

What about ISAHU-PAC?

I guess as a professional insurance agent I have always seen the value in being a “joiner” and trying to advance the cause of this most noble business that I have chosen to pursue. If you are reading this article, you tend to agree with me, as you are a member of NAHU and ISAHU, thus doing “some” of your part to keep our cause going forward!

However, just being a “member” as much as it is needed and appreciated, is only part of what your commitment should be to our industry. Having made this statement, I am sure that a lot of you already contribute to HUPAC, our national PAC, but have you ever thought about being part of the ISAHU-PAC?  Since you and I live in Indiana and derive our income from this wonderful state, should we not also help State candidates and legislators that support what we do within the free market system and private sector health insurance industry? A “wise” friend of mine that is always talking “about membership” in our great association, is always breaking down the cost of this down to a daily basis…so here goes…it would only cost you about .33 cents per day to contribute to the ISAHU-PAC! Good Lord, our Jessie James easy chairs at home have more than that lurking in the cushion and underneath along with the popcorn hulls!!

Under the leadership of Roger Skinner, and ISAHU-PAC “champions” as representatives in most Indiana chapters, we have done a pretty good job of spreading the news and increasing our PAC members and contributions. However, we need YOU to join us in this effort! This is the best way for us to support and have an impact with our Indiana State legislators.

In closing, THANK you to those who already have joined us, and to the rest of my professional insurance associates, would you please think about contributing .33 cents per day or more to such a worthy cause?

Larry Mayfield. ISAHU-PAC Chair
South Central AHU

Marcy Buckner’s June 20^th Webinar, “Live from NAHU: Maintaining Compliance Amidst Health Law’s Legal Challenges” has been approved for 1 hour of CE credit for Indiana.

This session will provide an overview of the ongoing legal challenges to the ACA and its regulatory reforms and how to stay in compliance as these challenges continue through the courts. This includes the Texas v. U.S. case challenging the constitutionality of the individual mandate and ACA, the AHP and short-term plan challenges, and others that are underway.

If a local chapter is interested  in hosting the Live Webinar or the recorded webinar for CE, please contact Jessica Clayton for instructions.

We’ve got a lot going on in the South Central these days. Our Feb 7^th free lunch and CE was a hit with Carolyn McNairy of TASC presenting. Our March meeting brought Attorney Scott Waters to our location for a discussion on wills and transfer on death provisions – really interesting stuff and Scott is a great presenter. Many great questions followed the discussion.

Our April meeting brings more CE for our members presented by Anthem and Arnie Saunders. Ethics which is required every two years will be provided so come and be educated.

Our May meeting will include one hour of CE and will be a NAHU presentation. More to follow on it.

Finally, we are having our Annual Golf Scramble on May 17^th at Timbergate in Edinburgh, IN – nice course. Come and play!

With all of this feel free to contact us if you are interested in attending or playing!

We have started the year off with a bang. Our recently instituted effort to partner with our various carrier members and other markets is going to give us a better budget to work with on our efforts to grow and provide great venues for CE.

In February, we have an upcoming 2 hours of free CE and lunch on the 7th provided by TASC on all things compliance. Carolyn McNairy will be presenting, and if you’ve never heard her speak, I highly recommend you attend. We are opening this up to potential new members we have identified in the counties we draw from as well as employers who need to know what they should be doing to be compliant.  This will be held in Scottsburg and will be replacing our regular meeting normally on the 2nd Thursday of the month.

At our January meeting we had speakers from Covering Kids & Families of Indiana, who are navigators, that are working not only on the Marketplace but mostly on helping individuals get HIP and now with understanding the new Gateway to Work requirement. It’s always good to understand these issues when talking with clients so you know all of their options and this was well worth hearing.  We hope to see you on the 7th to hear Carolyn McNairy – for more info, contact me!!

Charlie Mayberry
2018-19 SCIAHU President