16 The Self-Insurer | www.sipconline.net

SIIA Members are Effective Advocates in Many Ways, from Testimony, to Lobbying Resources, to ‘Pyramid’

OUTSIDE the BeltwayWritten by Dave Kirby

Continuing the series of articles on SIIA government relations activities among the states.

During the summer lull in legislation among the states, SIIA government relations staff took time to review some lessons learned while defending self-insurance interests during the fi rst half of the year. While legislative results were mixed, the increased level of volunteer

advocacy by SIIA members was gratifying.

“SIIA members have stepped up their participation in various ways, including direct personal influence with high-level

government officials, multiplying their efforts through outreach to their own business and

professional networks and even sharing lobbyists to gain the best influence

in specific jurisdictions,” said Adam Brackemyre,

director of state relations in SIIA’s Washington, DC, office.

A few SIIA members joined in a virtual panel discussion on the subject of their motivation for involvement in political issues:

Robert P. Madden, benefit consultant of broker Lawley Service Inc. of Buffalo, NY, offered a succinct reason he takes time for political advocacy: “It’s important to provide a living for my family.” SIIA’s efforts to preserve stop-loss insurance availability for New York groups of 51-100 that would have been prohibited in 2016 were successful in gaining a two-year extension for existing plans while the state studies the issue.

Madden reached out to several layers of contacts to gain support for

continuing stop-loss coverage for the affected plans. “We contacted our clients to express their support for SIIA’s bill and urged them to relay the message to their own clients,” he said. “One of our clients is a major accounting firm that I believe relayed the urgency of the issues on to their many clients.”

Madden agreed that the multi-level communications effort was a kind of pyramid scheme. “In a good way,” he added. “Our clients have been particularly responsive. In our programs for them, they know that the less state constraint, the better.”

Catherine Bresler, counsel and vice president of government relations for The Trustmark Companies, relies on her national business and professional networks to leverage up interest and support in issues affecting their own businesses or those of their clients. From her base in Chicago she initiated strategically valuable contacts that served SIIA’s interests in the far-flung states of Maryland and New Mexico.

August 2015 | The Self-Insurer 17

© S

elf-

Insu

rers

’ Pub

lishi

ng C

orp.

All

righ

ts r

eser

ved.

SLM-6221 7/15

Symetra Life Insurance Company and First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York (collectively, ‘Symetra’) are subsidiaries of Symetra Financial Corporation. Each company is responsible for its own financial obligations. Symetra Life Insurance Company and Symetra Financial Corporation do not solicit business in the state of New York and are not authorized to do so. Stop loss, filed as the Group Excess Loss policy, is insured by Symetra Life Insurance Company, 777 108th Avenue NE, Suite 1200, Bellevue, WA 98004 and is not available in any U.S. territory. In New York, stop loss, filed as the Group Excess Loss policy, is insured by First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York, New York, NY. Mailing address: P.O. Box 34690, Seattle, WA 98124. Coverage may be subject to exclusions, limitations, reductions and termination of benefit provisions. 1 Ten years for First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York.Symetra® is a registered service mark of Symetra Life Insurance Company.

It’s all in the numbersWhen evaluating stop loss coverage, competitive rates only tell

part of the story. Compare these numbers and see why groups

across the nation trust us to help protect their self-funded health

care plans. From a best-in-class policy that mirrors the plan

document to timely, accurate claim payments; when you choose

Symetra, you know your stop loss plan is in the hands of an

experienced, knowledgeable team.

We know this business and can help protect yours.

100% <5

39

2228

22

Business days until most stop loss claims are paid.

Our authority over all stop loss claims

decisions.

Years we’ve provided solutions to self-funded groups.1

Average years’ expertise of our

sales team.

Average number of years our underwriters have

been on the job.

Average years’ experience of our claims team, including on-staff registered nurses.

MEDICAL STOP LOSS | GROUP LIFE AND AD&D | GROUP DISABILITY INCOME | FIXED-PAYMENT MEDICAL

LEAVE MANAGEMENT | CRITICAL ILLNESS | ACCIDENT

To learn more, visit www.symetra.com or www.symetra.com/ny.

18 The Self-Insurer | www.sipconline.net

Would you go on a hike without a map?

As a Stop Loss expert, Berkley Accident and Health can put you on the right path.

Our innovative approach to risk management can lead to greater stability, transparency, and control with your self-funded plan. When it comes to risk, let Berkley be your guide.

Stop Loss | Group Captives | Managed Care | Specialty Accident

BAH AD-2014-0139 www.BerkleyAH.com

Insurance coverages are underwritten by Berkley Life and Health Insurance Company and/or StarNet Insurance Company, both member companies of W. R. Berkley Corporation and both rated A+ (Superior) by A. M. Best. Coverage and availability may vary by state.

©2015 Berkley Accident and Health, Hamilton Square, NJ 08690. All rights reserved.

August 2015 | The Self-Insurer 19

© S

elf-

Insu

rers

’ Pub

lishi

ng C

orp.

All

righ

ts r

eser

ved.

“Currently, SIIA is the only self-insurance trade association representing stop-loss carriers specific to the interests of employee health benefit plans,” is how she explains her continuing involvement in SIIA legislative and regulatory issues.”

In Maryland, her network contacts were the basis of communications to brokers and their clients to oppose legislation that would have hampered stop-loss programs with inordinately high attachment points. That bill was scaled back to a compromise level and existing stop-loss plans may be maintained at current levels. A state study of stop-loss insurance that will include SIIA members’ input is due for completion next year.

In New Mexico, Catherine was instrumental in enlisting an influential local business leader who helped head off a regulation that would have required self-insured plans to meet all ACA coverage mandates.

“Government relations is at best a matter of teamwork,” Bresler says. “Nobody has to act alone. It’s invaluable to have local employers testifying and meeting with government figures and to utilize local lobbyists.”

Philip Healy, president of the Automobile Wholesalers Association of New England, was influential in helping to end a New Hampshire legislative threat that would have raised stop-loss insurance attachment points. His letter to the chairman of the pivotal New Hampshire House committee aided the favorable result of the bill’s withdrawal.

Healy, a member of the SIIA PAC governing committee, believes the organization could be even more effective in state capitals as well as Washington if it could bring a greater number of self-insuring employers into grassroots advocacy.

“Actual employers of representatives’ constituencies will

have far greater effect than our industry’s service providers,” he said. “It’s fine to have our current members testify on bills and issues but it would be even more effective to bring the benefits managers of soft drink companies and auto manufacturers.”

Brooks Goodison, president of The Diversified Group TPA, became involved in political advocacy when Connecticut first required state licensing for TPAs. “Then we were on their radar screens,” he says. At present, Brooks says the state has followed a confusing strategy of looking to TPAs as a tax revenue source while also treating them as a threat to the ACA exchange.

“At the end of the day the most frightening thing is that legislators generally don’t have an idea what we do or how we serve the business community,” he says. “If no one is there to express the contrary view they just go ahead with free rein to establish unfair and damaging laws.”

SIIA shared in working with Diversified’s lobbying firm on the New York stop-loss bill, benefiting from its local position and knowledge of the issue. “SIIA has been huge in stepping up its government relations activity on the state level,” Goodison notes, adding

that the more people who get involved

in grassroots advocacy, the better. “We

can only hope that examples by the

activists stimulate people to do their

part in their own backyards.”

Jay Ritchie, senior vice president

of HCC Life, a medical stop-loss

insurance company, has the benefit

of the long view of SIIA government

relations. He has been active for

more than a decade including former

leadership of the Government

Relations Committee and the SIIA

PAC and now sits on the Board of

Directors. He believes the increased

participation and effectiveness of

members’ political advocacy is a

reflection of SIIA’s momentum in the

political arena.

“The SIIA brand has gained in

significance and people want to be

part of that,” he said. “Our members

are saying ‘we want the organization

to lead and we’ll help,’ rather than

asking what SIIA can do for them.

“A big part of that momentum is

SIIA’s increased credibility that members’

money will be put to good use. That

radiates from the staff ’s continual

gains in knowledge and effectiveness

– it’s a real example of maturity of an

advocacy organization.” ■