Whether or not your agency sells health insurance, there’s a lot about the federal law that should give you pause. Whether or not your agency sells health insurance, there’s a lot about the federal law that should give you pause.
First, if you’re an employer, the ever increasing costs of providing health insurance coverage to employees is a monumental expense. Whether or not the federal law survives the legal challenges it is simply going to take too long to provide financial relief to businesses any time soon. As Governor McDonnell said, "It doesn’t matter whether the law survives in the next couple of years, we have a cost crisis today."
And as employees....if you haven’t been asked yet, you will soon be asked to share in the expense of this ever increasing business cost and you may have already found your employers selecting insurance plans with greater deductibles and higher co-pays.
But we’re also challenged with certain sections of the health care plan that make it virtually impossible for professionals to survive selling health insurance plans for individuals and small businesses. In short, legislators need to understand the intricacies of just what it takes to be a licensed agent, the responsibility that entails and what it means to the consumer.
It’s with this in mind that I URGE YOU TO ATTEND Insurance Day on the Hill this February 2-3 in Richmond (further information on the conference in this newsletter). We really need you to come to Richmond to hear what’s going on in the health care arena and then visit with your legislators to explain to them that this is, indeed, a professional business.
I’ve always been amazed to hear legislators who have never had to create or meet a payroll themselves explain how easy it is to select health care insurance. I would suggest that 80 percent of those legislators have employer provided health insurance and have never had to make difficult decisions related to this insurance.
Just who is allowed to sell this insurance and how will be a major legislative discussion in the coming years. Do you want to participate in this discussion or just leave it to others? I urge you to be an activist and attend Insurance Day on the Hill – please register today.
Sincerely,
Robert N. Bradshaw Jr., MAM
President & CEO
Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia