TAHU Update January 2005
Next Meeting
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Brier Creek Country Club
Main Clubhouse
11:45 am, Luncheon Meeting
Please RSVP before Friday, January 7, 2005
to David Smith, at
david@beninslaw.com
GUEST SPEAKER
To Be Announced
SPONSORED BY
To Be Announced
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President's Message:
Barry Hill |
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Our last meeting of 2004 was once again very informative. Medcost sponsored the meeting. Doug Susong and Robert Symes provided a presentation on health care utilization and trends in the marketplace. Medcost has been a big supported of the Triangle Association as well as NCAHU as a whole.
As the Triangle enters 2005 we have several events planned. Our largest fund raiser is our golf tournament. The golf tournament is scheduled for April 4th at Brier Creek Country Club. The benefactor of our charitable contribution this year will be, Project Access. Project Access is a program sponsored by the Wake County Medical Society and was formed to assist in aiding the uninsured. We have donated to great organizations in the past with this being no exception and this organization goes to the core of what our association is about, providing access to affordable health care.
The Triangle also plans to offer six hours of CE classes in the spring. More information will be forthcoming.
Fran Richardson, our Public Services Chair, announced that we raised $150.00 at our October meeting. The funds were donated to the Raleigh Rescue Mission’s Holiday Fund.
The Triangle Association’s first meeting of 2005 will be January 11 at Brier Creek Country Club.
For additional information please contact Barry Hill at 919-878-7576 or barry.hill@mmicnc.com.
Barry Hill
MMIC
700 Spring Forest Road
Raleigh, NC 27624
919-878-7576
919-878-7590 Fax
barry.hill@mmicnc.com
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HUPAC/NCPAC:
Sam King, CHC |
The New Year is upon us. An exciting year it will be. There will be surprises, and disappointments no doubt. Our newly elected officials will all want to make their mark in the political world. Our Association can offer guidance to these individuals but it is only through our PACs that we can truly get the elected officials attention. If you have not made a contribution to the NCPAC and to HUPAC I request you do so. Our monthly raffles while appreciated, will not make the impact that is needed. I urge you contribute either in a lump sum or through monthly contributions. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions on how to contribute. I look forward to seeing you at the next meeting.
Archie Samuel King
1711 Mohegan Drive
Durham, NC 27712
919-815-0433
SamKingTAHU@aol.com
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Law and Legislation:
Bill Hendrickson |
As the Congress and the State Legislature gear up for a new session, health issues will be important to both parties and it will be interesting to see the direction that will be taken by the GOP controlled Congress compared to the Democrat controlled Legislature in Raleigh. In the meantime, here are some reports which will have an effect on the ultimate Social Security and Medicare legislation that will come along, hopefully soon enough to protect both of these massive entitlements which are under tremendous pressure.
WASHINGTON POST—Robert Samuelson wrote in the Post that the recently passed Medicare drug benefit will worsen America’s ability to pay for senior entitlements. He says the Federal government is making promises to seniors that it can’t keep and that the politicians are too timid to do anything about it. The out of pocket drug expenditures by seniors in 2000 averaged only $623 and three quarters of Americans over 65 already have some type of insurance to help pay the cost of drugs. Samuelson says “Americans are living in a self-created culture of delusion” and that the cost of today’s lavish lifestyle will be foisted onto younger taxpayers and that will lead either to massive tax increases or dramatic program cuts.
WALL STREET JOURNAL AND THE GOVENRMENT ACCOUNTING OFFICE (GAO)—On the same topic of the cost of the drug program and other entitlements, this report says that over the next 75 years, the Medicare drug benefit will cost $6.306 trillion for the current retirees and workers and will cost $8.119 trillion if future workers are added to the numbers. Counting Social Security, Medicare, Veterans health benefits, and other unfunded commitments and liabilities, these costs add up to $45.9 trillion, or about $145,000 per person in this country. These numbers are almost possible to assimilate, but, this report states, as does the one above, that without immediate reform, these liabilities will cripple the economy, cripple our national security and adversely affect the quality of life for future Americans.
PACICIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE—A report written by Sally Pipes explains the positive results of a Health Savings Account plan adopted by Whole Foods, a retailer we are all familiar with in the Triangle. The plan has a $1,000 deductible, $500 for prescription drugs. Total employee out of pocket spending is capped at $3,500. Whole Foods deposits from $300 to $1,800 into “personal wellness accounts”, depending on an employee’s length of service. The plan has been a success in that after only one year costs have dropped 42% and Whole Foods now spends only $2,998 on health costs per employee while the average retailer spends $5,804. Along with the overall savings, the employees are pleased with the new plan.
HEALTH CARE THAT WORKS FOR ALL AMERICANS ACT—As part of the massive appropriations bill recently signed, this act creates a “working group” of citizens charged with studying health care policy issues. The persons to be on this group will be appointed early in 2005. Any volunteers? The group is to publish a guide on how health care dollars are currently being spent, then Americans will be invited to get involved online and at town hall meetings to discuss whatever the “working group” delivers. It should be interesting.
WALL STREET JOURNAL—As we all know, out neighbor state, Tennessee, has had a government managed health insurance plan since 1994. The plan was modeled partly on the plan the Clinton administration attempted to place on all of us in the last decade. Well, the predictions of many have been fulfilled. TennCare is about to be dismantled before the state loses more millions trying to support it. The program now accounts for one-third of the state’s entire budget. Even worse, social activists have sued the state constantly to demand almost unlimited care and the state spends as much as $1,600 in legal fees on these suits which number about 10,000 each month. This ugly monstrosity and its problems surely will lower the voices of those who favor such a program on a national basis.
DURHAM HERALD-SUN—a recent column by David Broder outlined what is called a “Smart Buy Alliance” recently set up in Minnesota to allow companies, both large and small, to band together and negotiate payments of most medical care providers, hospitals included. Without outlining the details of this purchasing alliance, suffice is to say that with the anticipated 3.5 million members joining together to control the costs of their medical care, an impact will be made on providers and also on professionals like NAHU members who normally advise individuals and groups on their health insurance purchases. The alliance would seem to seem to avoid the use of health insurance advisors for those 3.5 million members. This bears watching.
William Hendrickson
Hendrickson & Company, Inc.
2219 Lawrence Road
Hillsborough, NC 27278
919 644-8636
919 644-6433 Fax
bill2219@mindspring.com
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Media Relations:
Elizabeth Barnard |
Monthly meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of each month starting at 11:45 AM
The next meeting will be held on January 11th, 2004 at the Brier Creek Country Club, Main Clubhouse
Come enjoy the food, fellowship, and presentation.
Featured Speakers: TBA
Subject: TBA
Sponsors: TBA
All members and their guests are invited to attend.
Member Lunch: $12.00
Guest Lunch: $16.00
Guaranteed seating for the luncheon meeting is by reservation only.
RSVP to: david@beninslaw.com
Plan now to attend the 16th Annual North Carolina Association of Health Underwriters Symposium:
THE CHANGING FACES OF HEALTHCARE
March 2, 3, 4, 2005
New to the agenda is a Panel Discussion featuring CEO’s from Healthcare including Charlie Pitts, CEO UnitedHealth Care; Bob Greczyn, CEO Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina; Dr. Bill Atkinson President of NC Hospital Assoc and CEO Wake Med; and Dr. Lawrence Cutchin President NC Medical Society and President and CEO HealthCare Savings. Other speakers include old favorites such as Karen Kirkpatrick on COBRA Compliance Changes, and Robert Pascal on State Legislative Issues. John Hood speaks on The Tort of Medical Malpractice.
Keynote speakers:
Byrd Baggett is the distinguished “American Culture Coach” who has helped many Fortune 500 companies build and sustain cultures of excellence through leadership development. He’s the author of 13 best-selling books including Dare to Lead, Taking Charge, The Pocket Power Book of Leadership, Dare to Soar, and The Soul of Winning.
Learn more about his the ways he’s used to develop winning cultures by rebuilding trust, developing open and honest communication and showing sincere, consistent appreciation.
Dr. David E. Chadwick is a highly respected speaker, minister, counselor, and author on character-based leadership who lives in North Carolina. A member of Carolina’s ’69 Final Four Basketball Team and a starter on the ’71 N.I.T. Championship Team, lead by the legendary Coach Dean Smith, Chadwick speaks on Smith’s principles of putting people, teamwork and integrity first.
Click here for Brochure and Registration
Elizabeth Barnard
Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
Eastowne 600 3d Floor
5901 Chapel Hill Road
Durham, NC 27702
919-765-4686
919-765-3819 Fax
elizabeth.barnard@bcbsnc.com
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Membership:
Beth Donner
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Membership:
Doug Young
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Greetings from the Membership Committee: I hope everyone has had a terribly hectic December... remember this is health insurance we are dealing with and hectic, overworked December's mean happy, prosperous New Year's. We can all rest after the first of the year.... I hope!
We have had good growth of members so far this year with 18 "new" members over the summer and fall. Some of these "new" members have been previous old members that have re-activated membership and yet others are brand new to our organization. I would like to list the new membership we have had this year and remind all members to welcome these new or re-newed members. They are:
Michael Addison
Jeffrey Bontekoe
Daniel Burrell
Todd Gecewicz
Michele Goss
Andrew Harding
Ida Johnson
Mary Jones
Vernelle Jones
Eugene Lee
Jim McEntee
Juliana Nouriel
Wendy Price
Chris Shoffner
Doug Sutton
Ann Swinson
Patrick Tedeschi
Michele Saunders
I know some of these new members are coming to our monthly meetings, but others are not. If these new members are friends or co-workers of yours, please encourage them to attend our meetings; offer to stop by and pick them up or to meet you at the monthly meeting. These monthly meetings represent the core of information and knowledge we all possess and grow through. If new members are not coming to meeting they are missing out on the basis of our organization.
Also I want to thank the ones among us that diligently work and put forth effort to assist me in recruitment of members. The following is a list of members and associate members that have brought us one or more of the new members listed above. They are:
Chris Harrison
John Henson
Barry Hill
Rufus Langley
David Moore
Tom Snell
Zoraya Swearingen.
I thank you for your commitment to TAHU and for your personal assistance to make my job easier and so enjoyable.
**Note: If you are a new member and you do not see your name listed above, please let me know and I will check with National for the status on your membership.
I hope you all have a restful, happy New Year--- and remember "IEMPTBIANM"!!!
(Translation: "It's Every Member's Privilege To Bring In A New Member".)
Elizabeth C. Donner
Diversified Planning
10 Ivy Hollow Court
Morrisville, NC 27560
919-460-6076
919-380-0908 Fax
bdonner@investment-works.com
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Website:
Michele Gregory, MHP, RHU, REBC |
New Year’s Resolution
January is the time for making resolutions, so here’s mine for the website:
I resolve to continue posting new data to the website almost as soon as I receive it – usually within a couple hours.
One of the main reasons for having our own website is so that our members will have access to current information about the local chapter. If there is any information on the site that is missing or incorrect, please send me updates and they will be added to the appropriate page before the next business day.
I hope all your resolutions are as easy as mine.
Michele Gregory, MHP, RHU, REBC
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina
2501 Aerial Center Drive, Suite 200
Morrisville, North Carolina 27560
919-765-4671; 800-228-6216
919-467-2823 Fax
Michele.Gregory@bcbsnc.com
Special Announcements:
Please remember that the cost of lunch for TAHU members is $12. Guest and non-member lunches are $16.
There will be a $3 charge for lost or misplaced name badges. Please remember to turn in your badge at the conclusion of each meeting.
As the success of the Triangle Association of Health Underwriters largely depends upon the benevolence of corporate contributors, we are proud to honor the following organizations for their continued support of our many programs and activities:
Diamond Sponsors
2004-2005
Pfizer Managed Care
WakeMed
Please extend your appreciation to the Triangle members representing these organizations and remember their generosity when placing coverages.
Triangle Association of Health Underwriters
P.O. Box 19177
Raleigh, NC 27619-9177
