On lunches and politics: An open letter to CCAHU members

I’ve received some feedback regarding our luncheons that I wanted to share with membership and more importantly, address. One point is highly controversial and the other is more for understanding.

The first is our choice of speakers this month, Sharron Angle. We’re primarily an educational association--we’re certainly not a political organization. However, my duty as President is to help preserve the good of the order and to allow us to thrive into the future. With PPACA now the law of the land, my ability to comply with these duties has come under serious attack so that we are now in survival mode. I’ll be on vacation in Kansas shortly so I’ll borrow an appropriate maxim from that neck of the woods-- you don’t plant your crops when your storehouse is on fire.

Over our history, we’ve traditionally tried to be neutral in the political arena. Opinions, as well as political leanings, tend to be a highly personal thing and the potential to offend by promoting a particular agenda is high. NAIFA faced a similar quandary when they were presented with an opportunity to have Sharron speak at a national level, which they declined. The reasons for the declination were many but it boiled down to this: NAIFA’s core business is life insurance and investments, not health insurance. In fact, I was informed that they actually lost membership because they did not support the PPACA legislation.

We, however, ARE involved in the health insurance market…intimately. For those who understand the legislation, we know that it will threaten our livelihood, possibly even eliminate it. I don’t know about you, but my chosen profession is an extension of who I am, which is HIGHLY personal to me. Between the MLR provisions, the Exchange provisions and the calling to resurrect the public plan option, our industry and profession continues to be threatened. This legislation will not, as one uninformed, wishful-thinking agent (not a member) recently told me, “just go away”. No, it needs to be fought long and hard on multiple points.

Which brings me to our speaker, Sharron Angle. The reason I asked her to speak is two-fold: 1) She supports free-market reforms as a way to reform the system, and 2) to give our membership a close-up look at this candidate. She is far different than how some perceive her. A member recently told me that they would not attend the luncheon because they didn’t want to listen to that (less-than-flattering-colloquialism). I asked if she had spoken to her personally and what she based that upon—answer was “no” and “the media” respectively…she’s coming to the meeting.

As President, I do not necessarily need to support all of Sharron’s positions nor do you. Her position on health reform is the only issue that matters to me as President of CCAHU. Personally, I may not see eye-to-eye with her on other platforms or even health reform. I would suggest however, that if that’s case for you on health reform, you’re in the wrong business. I also understand that as a junior Senator, she won’t have a rubber-stamp, but instead will be one more vote against the current majority party’s support of PPACA in it’s entirety. The same goes for her other positions: She’s one vote, not the decision-maker. But it’s how health reform is ultimately enacted that’s the key here. That’s where our focus should be.

The other point will be brief. I’ve been told that our lunches are too expensive for what is served. You’re right—I can get our lunches for much less than $30—if that’s all we were getting. That $30 covers not only the food, but the serving staff, the audio-visual equipment, the internet connection, the microphone and sound system, the private use of the venue, etc etc etc. The alternative would be to fold the costs into the dues like NAIFA does and include lunch—NAHU’s monthly dues are currently less than half of what NAIFA’s dues are. (Note: NAHU National dues are going up January 1st $75 a year).

In closing, as President I do what I think is right for the association, our industry, and our clients who look to us for guidance. How you vote come November 3rd is up to you. At least you’ll have a first hand look unfiltered by media on which to base your decision on the newest candidate.

P.S. I’ve made a similar request of Reid’s office, even so far as to extend it to Reid’s Senior Health Liaison Officer a month ago. I’m still waiting for a response.

Dan Heffley
CCAHU President