Editorial from Erica Massey from the Self-Insurance Institute of America

 As healthcare reform reaches its possible endgame, two powerful interest groups have pulled out the “long knives” and directing them toward self-insurance.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) sent a formal letter to Congressional Leaders this week expressing their concerns with the healthcare reform bills. They cite as negative consequences that the reform might bring, are that some of its provisions might encourage more businesses to self-insure in order to avoid costlier coverage that would result from the bill. They express that an increase in the self-insurance marketplace will be “devastating” for businesses, employees and healthcare providers.

The self-insurance industry was also attacked yesterday by the President of the America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), Karen Ignagni. In order to help fund the proposed reforms, the House healthcare reform proposal assesses fees on commercial insurance carriers as well as self-insured plans. SIIA was successful in keeping self-insured plans from having to pay these fees in the Senate’s version. AHIP is arguing that self-insured plans should be paying these fees just as their plans will have to. AHIP is claiming that as a significant number of Americans are covered through self-insured plans, these plans, and their employer sponsors, should be contributing to the funding as well.

While these are not new threats and while they are not from new advisories, they should not be taken lightly by our industry. These efforts once again show that we must continue to educate to our elected-officials about self-insurance and defend against these baseless claims.

SIIA Urges the Self-Insurance Industry to Make our Message Heard
SIIA urges all those in the self-insurance industry interested in preserving the way we do business and the benefits we provide to 75 million Americans covered by self-insured plans, to use the resources provided in SIIA’s Grassroots Toolkit and contact their Members of Congress to voice our message.

The threat to the self-insurance industry and the employer-based system under which we operate in has never been more significant. Now is the time to voice our powerful and unified voice to politicians in Washington that we will not stand for any proposals that would cause significant damage to our industry and to those lives we cover.

SIIA’s Grassroots Toolkit can be found by clicking here. If you have any questions, or would like any further information, please contact SIIA’s Government Relations office.

Join SIIA and Let Your Voice Be Heard
SIIA’s 24th Annual Legislative and Regulatory Conference, March 10th-12th in Washington, DC is your opportunity to hear directly from the policy-makers and experience the political process first hand. Participate in SIIA’s popular “Walk on Capitol Hill” and let your voice be heard! For more information click here or call SIIA’s Government Relations office.