Advocacy in action blog

NAIFA supports the bipartisan Retirement Simplification and Clarity Act reintroduced by Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) and Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), which would require the IRS to rewrite documentation that employers must provide exiting employees who request distributions from their 401(k) plans. The new notice would use “clear, straightforward language” to explain various options for 401(k) distributions and rollovers along with their tax implications. The bill would also allow people aged 50 and over to roll over employer-sponsored 401(k) accounts into annuities.

NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE, issued the following statement on the bipartisan INVEST Act:

The Department of Labor’s fiduciary-only rule will not go into effect. NAIFA has strongly opposed the misguided regulation, which would have restricted consumer choice and access to retirement advice. NAIFA was similarly instrumental in defeating an earlier version of the rule in 2016.

Across the country, licensed financial professionals are stepping up on behalf of the seniors they serve and their efforts are making a difference. Following the regulatory alert issued by NAIFA, hundreds of advisors from all 50 states reached out to their state insurance regulators demanding action to curb carriers’ practices that undermine consumer choice and steer vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries into restricted or biased product lines.

Representatives of NAIFA’s Medicare Collective, an initiative of the Lifetime Healthcare Center, met with officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to discuss the role of brokers and agents in providing vital guidance, services, and protections to consumers in the Medicare space. They presented the Collective’s plan to work with CMS and insurance carriers to ensure Medicare beneficiaries receive the best possible coverage and care in these challenging times. They also addressed rising concerns that the failure to adequately compensate agents for their work would harm consumers by leaving them vulnerable to misinformation or without competent, personalized assistance as they navigate complex coverage options, plans, and regulations.

UPDATE: New Hampshire, Oklahoma,  North Dakota, Montana, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina and Colorado join Idaho and Delaware in addressing unfair trade practices.

In a powerful display of grassroots advocacy, hundreds of NAIFA members representing all 50 states have written to their state insurance commissioners urging immediate action against unfair trade practices harming Medicare beneficiaries and the licensed professionals who serve them. These letters, sent following NAIFA’s nationwide regulatory alert, underscore the profession’s determination to protect seniors during a particularly challenging enrollment period.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) acknowledges the recent actions taken by the Idaho Department of Insurance, which issued two cease and desist orders to address concerns in the Medicare Advantage marketplace. We appreciate the Department’s commitment to maintaining a fair, transparent, and competitive environment for both carriers and consumers and applaud Director Cameron’s leadership.

NAIFA, alongside a coalition of industry partners, submitted a follow-up letter to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) expressing appreciation for the NAIC’s consideration of our prior comments and support for the continued refinement of the Annuity Best Interest guidance.

NAIFA President Doug Massey has called on state insurance regulators to take decisive action to protect consumers and insurance professionals from unfair trade practices in the Medicare marketplace. In a letter submitted to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Massey praised Idaho Department of Insurance Director Dean Cameron for his leadership in issuing Bulletin No. 25-06, which condemns carrier practices that restrict consumer access and manipulate compensation structures for agents serving Medicare beneficiaries.

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 943 (sponsored by Assembly member Rodriguez) into law, making California the latest state to eliminate its insurance producer pre-licensing education requirement, a major win for the industry and aspiring professionals.