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FIRST TIME OFFER: Place and Promote your company or product in the very first edition of the new quarterly newsletter - MassAHU Messenger

Dear Members:
MassAHU’s membership has increased two fold, and with that has come many requests for a printed publication to share with clients, community groups and legislators. This newsletter will also serve as a printed reference for our professional association and a more personal tool for our members to use in between the many electronic communications received daily. For many of our members - the small family owned business to the large corporate brokers – our needs are the same – to be better informed and to educate our clients.

We are offering you the opportunity to place and promote your company or product in this very first edition of the quarterly MassAHU Messenger. Ads placed in this newsletter will reflect your business, and our association, dedicated to advocate for the best possible application of all health insurance and related products whether through the Commonwealth Connector or commercially for the Massachusetts consumer. In order to get our first edition out in a timely manner, we request you submit your Ad to us in a pdf or htm format no later than January 8, 2008. Checks can be made payable to MassAHU.

Our available Ad space will be:
1/8 page Ad for $350 (1.5 X 4.5) for three months
½ page Ad for $600 (4.5 X 7.5) for three months (pending)

Please contact Kate Bardsley at 508.663.0239 or by email at kbardsley@massahu.org if you would like to discuss this opportunity further or have any questions. I look forward to hearing from you.

Distribution of Products: The Connector is established to operate as a health exchange and not intended to negotiate rates or benefits with carriers. Click here for full position.

Producer Compensation: The reform law states that commissions will be paid. Click here for full position.

Producer Accreditation: Massachusetts already requires licensed producers to obtain 45 continuing ed hours per three year period. We do not support a separate certification or accreditation for selling products through the Connector. Click here for full position.

Minimum Creditable Coverage: Regulations for minimum creditable coverage should not impede consumers from purchasing or carriers from developing federally qualified high deductible plans. Click here for the full position statement. Click here for full position.

Health Insurance Mandates: We do not believe that mandates should be modified for a specific market segmnet (i.e. young adults), as families and older adults need affordable options as well. Click here for full position.

Transparency: The rapid expansion of information technology will only be meaningful if we offer plans in both the subsidized and commercial market that encourage active consumerism and "individual responsibility" and move away from the concept of unlimited access without regard for cost in the future. Click here for full position.

Insurance Partnership Subsidy Program: MassAHU supports the expansion but limiting eligibility to employees of small groups should be removed. Click here for the full position statement. Click here for full position.

Individualized Subsidized Products: MassAHU favors the expansion of subsidies that encourage productive employment but in the future, it may be necessary to open up the market to more plans with increased flexibility. Click here for full position.

S-CHIP: National level research has shown that parents and children are more likely to go for preventative and routine medical care when covered by the same plan. Click here for full position.

Tax Policy: MassAHU commends the state for its initiative and we support further addressing of this issue on a national basis. Click here for full position.

Employer Assessment: MassAHU feels that an employer mandate provides a platform for further regulartory control and precedent for increasing the mandate amounts over time. Click here for full position.

Medical Malpractice:: MassAHU supports preserving quality providers and quality care options and effecting meaningful malpractice reform to help portect providers from frivolous law suits. Click here for full position.