Legislative Update Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters

1. Legislative Update Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters Presented by Cindy Sovine-Miller

2. How a Bill Becomes a Law

3. Legislative Resources

4. Colorado State Budget Source: Colorado Legislative Council

5. Colorado State Budget Colorado is Constitutionally required to maintain a balanced budget • $800 Million Revenue Shortfall in Colorado • Program Cuts across the board • 10% Reduction in all State Agencies (includes 8 furlough days for state employees) • 2% - 4% cut to Medicaid Reimbursement Rates • $180 cut to Senior Property Homestead Exemption • Over $150 Million in cuts to Higher Education Desperate times for legislators: Pinnacle Assurance

6. 2009 Legislative Session Introduced Bills House              368 Senate             296 Total               664 CSAHU tracked 40 bills and actively worked on 22 of them.

7. 2010 Legislative Session CSAHU Leg Committee Criteria for Evaluating Legislation: • Will the legislation if implemented increase the cost of insurance? • Will the legislation if implemented increase access to insurance • Will the legislation if implemented improve competition? • Will the legislation if implemented increase regulation? • What is the practical ability of CSAHU to influence this legislation? • How can this bill be made better? • Does this bill move us closer to a state run health insurance plan?

8. 2009 CSAHU Legislative Agenda • Billing Claim Transparency • Medicaid Option (Insurance Safety Net) • SCHIP Enrollment • Individual Market Reforms • Price Transparency

9. CSAHU Next Steps • Staying involved in the Dialogue • Public Option • Individual Mandate • Employer List Bill • Education and Advocacy Efforts • Continued focus on awareness of the value the broker brings to health care. • Work to achieve CSAHU policy goals and resist efforts that work against a healthy market place. • Strengthening Grass Roots Efforts • Accept the political landscape. Make an effort to get to know and establish a relationship with your Congressional and State elected officials. • Communicate what CSAHU is doing for your clients and keep them aware of what is happening. • Speaking with One Voice • Being consistent with CSAHU’s message is the most important thing any member can do for the organization. Take the time to understand what CSAHU is doing on your behalf. • Communicate with your chapter’s representative on the CSAHU Legislative Committee to communicate suggestions, questions or concerns. • Partnership for a Healthy Colorado • Multi-stakeholder group initiated by CSAHU who meets independent of Government to work on meaningful steps for health care reform.

10. Get Involved – Stay Involved • Visit www.nahu.org to locate your elected officials • Visit www.csahu.org to access copies of this presentation and access CSAHU’s entire bill matrix. • Contribute to the CSAHU PAC PAC Chair: Bill Killgore (970) 257-7700 bkillogore@qwest.net

11. CSAHU Legislative Committee CSAHU Rep Marie De Wolfe (303) 774-2614 mgdewolf@frii.com Dorothy Marshall Co-Leg Chair (303) 516-0522 dorothy@davidmarshall.com FRAHU Jessica Warren-Schultz (303) 516-0522 jessica@davidamarshall.com David Marshall (303) 516-0522 david@davidmarshall.com MDAHU Bea Green (720) 207-2321 Bea.green@gemingrp.com Sheryl Briles-Thompson (303) 831-2057 sheryl.r.thomson@kp.org NCAHU Kristi Rankin (970) 356-8162 kristi@leadingedgefinancialgroup.com Scott Rankin (970) 356-8162 Scott.rankin@wilbansecurities.com SCAHU Sharlene Yabe Co-Leg Chair (719) 314-3510 sharlene@transbens.com John Beerman (719) 578-5570 john.beerman@bsg-co.com WRAHU Christine Boggart (970) 254-9745 myhealthinsurance@bresnan.net

12. Cindy Sovine-Miller Political Consultant Sovine Miller & Co Cindy@SovineMiller.com 720-290-5327