Untitled Document

MassAHU also supported Rep. Frank Hynes' amendment to the House Budget, which would have removed the mandate for purchasing prescription drug coverage from the Health Connector as part of the Minimum Creditable Coverage. The amendment was not adopted.
Senate Budget, it appears that Sen. Moore's amendment that would increase the HCC&QC's budget from $1.4 Million to $2.3 Million was adopted. MassAHU supported this amendment along with MAHP, the AG, the State Auditor and the Inspector General.
MassAHUPAC has been established to support candidates and incumbents who are interested in the concerns and needs of independent employee benefit brokers who deal in the area of health benefits and long term care insurance.
Advocacy through the legislative process and MassAHU’s lobbying efforts:
- Amendment: Senator Moore's amendment that would increase the HCC&QC's budget from $1.4 Million to $2.3 Million was adopted. MassAHU supported this amendment along with MAHP, the AG, the State Auditor and the Inspector General.
- Amendment: MassAHU supported Rep. Frank Hynes' amendment to the House Budget, which would have removed the mandate for purchasing prescription drug coverage as part of the Minimum Creditable Coverage. The amendment was not adopted.
- S-2660, The Senate President's bill, An Act to Promote Cost Containment, Transparency and Efficiency in the delivery of Quality Health Care, which MassAHU supported, passed the Senate but the House has yet to take any action on this bill to date. This legislation (also known as HCR II), addresses the critical areas of primary care access, transparency and efficient use of resources and technology to help drive down escalating costs within the health care system. This bill is currently in the House, Ways and Means Committee.
- S-2367 An Act to Establish Standards for LTC Insurance - MassAHU testified in favor of this legislation which is based upon the NAIC model Long Term Care Act. This bill has passed the Senate and currently in the House, Ways and Means Committee.
- S-2426, Chapter 205 of the Acts of 2007, the Health Care Access
  Technical Corrections Bill – this bill regulates health care access to data, provides for a health disparities council within the executive office of health and human services to eliminate disparities in health care related diagnosis. Although not successful in amending the bill to include a 6 month crowd out provision – a technical correction addressing the Connector to not “seek” employers already providing ESI for Commonwealth Choice products, as a result of MassAHU’s lobbying efforts, we were successful in getting a special legislative commission established that would monitor the activities of the Health Care Connector, in order to avoid duplication of efforts in the marketplace.
- H-4144 now Chapter 82 of the Acts of 2007, the Identity Theft Bill – was part of a coalition of organizations representing physicians, hospitals, health plans and information technology (IT) groups with regard to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Professional Licensures efforts to develop a consensus ID Theft Bill.
- H-1004, An Act Relative to a LTC Partnership Program - MassAHU testified in favor of this bill. If signed into law, this partnership program would allow MA to join other states across the nation who has enacted standards for long term care insurance and partnership programs. MassAHU testified in favor of this bill. This bill, however, has been placed into a Study Order.