Don't swallow the AHP Placebo
Agents caution against the lure of faulty Association Health Plans
For Immediate Release
Contact: Diane Boyle 703/770-8252, dboyle@naifa.org
March 18, 2005
FALLS CHURCH, VA - The Association of Health Insurance Advisors (AHIA), the health insurance division of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) is disappointed in the House Education and the Workforce Committee's approval of H.R. 525. AHIA cautions members of Congress on the appeal of false promises embodied in Association Health Plan (AHP) legislation.
"Enactment of H.R. 525 that would exempt AHPs from patient protections, solvency standards and other critical state insurance reforms is not the type of reform needed to ensure affordable coverage," states Fred R. Bean, AHIA President.
"As a small business owner, I can identify with this issue. However, current AHP legislation is not a solution," adds Bean.
AHIA believes that Congress has already created a solution for overcoming the increasing cost of small employers and self-employed health insurance.
"Congress' creation of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) offers small businesses and self-employed individuals the prospect of meaningful health insurance coverage at a substantial savings in cost. But, Congress needs to give the private sector time to distribute HSAs throughout the small business community," states Bean.
As the link between the consumer and the insurance company, the professional insurance agent earnestly seeks to offer affordable coverage to small employers. However, "AHPs are nothing more than placebos - there are no real benefits" concludes Bean.
For more information about AHPs, visit http://www.protectyourhealthcare.org/ or request AHIA's position paper at ahia@naifa.org.
The Association of Health Insurance Advisors' (AHIA) mission is to provide leadership in sustaining and improving the business environment for NAIFA Federation members marketing a broad range of health related products and services. AHIA takes a lead advocacy role on issues, which impact members involved in the sale of group and individual health related products including major medical, disability, long-term care, critical illness and Medicare supplement insurance.
Founded in 1890 as the National Association of Life Underwriters, NAIFA's umbrella of organizations includes the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU), the Association of Health Insurance Advisors (AHIA) and GAMA International.
