Advocacy in action blog

In March, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, which included provisions that provide 100% COBRA subsidies from April 1 through September 30 of 2021.

The U.S. House of Representatives is currently considering introduction of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) along mostly party lines, likely in April 2021. This wide-reaching bill seeks to reform current labor law in a variety of areas. Impacting the insurance industry, the bill amends the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 152(3)) by adding language that expands the definition of “independent contractor” by adopting an “ABC” test to define who is an “employee.”

On Friday, February 12, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that, in accordance with an Executive Order signed by President Biden, a Special Enrollment Period for the Health Insurance Marketplace will be available in the 36 states using the HealthCare.gov platform. The SEP will be available from Monday, February 15, through Saturday, May 15 for most states.

On Wednesday, January 13, NAIFA members Elie Harriett and Alan Winstead participated in an invitation-only roundtable hosted by the Department for Health and Human Services’ Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services. The discussion centered around marketplace policies and initiatives that impact agents and brokers.

On December 9^th, the Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), held a hearing entitled “Investigating Challenges to American Retirement Security.”

The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner recently announced that two NAIFA-WA members were selected to serve on the commissioner’s Life & Disability Producer Advisory Committee. The members, Robert Rockett and Mark Ingersoll, are both independent Life Insurance, Annuity, Disability Income, and LTCi wholesalers.

Rockett, of Rockett Financial Services, in Raymond, WA, is a New York Life Advisor and long-time active member of NAIFA. “He brings decades of rural financial planning experience as well as the relationship with New York Life,” said Wayne Lundy, NAIFA-WA’s immediate past president.

Ingersoll is President and CEO of Washington Brokerage in Seattle. “Mark also has decades of experience and brings the wholesaler side of the industry to the ear of the Commissioner’s office,” Lundy said. “NAIFA Washington is very pleased to have these two very knowledgeable members sitting on this committee.”

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner appoints members to act as consultants to the agency. One committee represents life and disability markets. Another committee represents property and casualty markets.

The commissioner and agency executives meet with committee members twice a year to discuss critical issues and developments within the industry.

NAIFA-NJ is fighting two bills that establish a tax on high quantity processors of financial transactions, S-2902, and A-4402. NAIFA’s opposition is strengthened by coalition partners that consist of other trade associations representing 200,000 workers in the financial services industry in New Jersey, throughout the U.S., and other business groups in the state. On October 6, the coalition sent a letter to John McKeon, Chairman of the General Assembly, and Senate President Stephen Sweeney. The letter encouraged the lawmakers to consider the following as they debate moving forward with the legislation: