Politico Pulse reports that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius met with NAIFA and several of our allied organizations on Friday to discuss issues related to implementation of the Obama administration’s health care reform law. The organizations reiterated that it is important for HHS to protect the crucial role that agents play in helping consumers get and use health insurance coverage.
They asked HHS officials to exclude agents’ commissions from medical loss ratio calculations, or at least delay or phase in the reclassification of commissions in the MLR. Additionally, the NAIC told HHS that including commissions in the MLR could cost states tax revenues.
HHS officials agreed with the industry groups that agents should be allowed to participate both inside and outside of state health insurance exchanges.
Related News: Several members of Congress, including Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), Rep. Mike Rodgers (R-MI), Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ) and Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), expressed their support for the role of the agent in the health care system, Employee Benefit Adviser reports.