December 2014 - President's Newsletter 
President's Message
A Word from the President
This year we find ourselves faced with more challenges as we move into year two of the ACA (Affordable Care Act) AKA Obamacare. As I think about the term "affordable care act", I wonder what is affordable about it. This year is starting out much like last year did. There is confusion, misunderstanding, unknowns and fear everywhere.
However, we as agents, brokers and health insurance professional have to focus on what we can control.
In an effort to be a catalyst for positive change, we have focused our attention on the "Small Group Employer Renewal Campaign". AAHU and GAHU have been working behind the scene to address the concerns of agents through meetings with the Department of Insurance and discussions with individual carriers as well.
In addition to the Small Group Employers Renewal Campaign, The State Association and the Atlanta Chapter have been working on drafting suggestions to recommend to the Department of Insurance methods that carriers should use to count lives for health insurance. We want to make sure that every agent and or group is getting the same treatment. Because any counting method in use has its positives and negatives, this way agents will know which carriers to use in a particular client circumstance.
There has been discussion that because eligible employees have been used in the past, that everyone should use that method. This would correspond with the guidance from DOI and would be in sync with the regulations regarding employee count in the small group market.
Another alternative mentioned is that all groups use FTE count since it is used by ACA to ACA, that there is value in a consistent rule. That would cause groups that are small for purpose would be small in any situation, since the count would be done the same way.
Hopefully action will be taken quickly on these two concerns as soon as possible with large numbers of plans renewing.
Updates will be forthcoming on the efforts in these areas.
Mychal H. Walker, Sr.
President, Atlanta Association of Health Underwriters
UPDATE
“The Department has informed us that the count methodology of carriers not using the eligible counting methodology must be transitioned to eligible counting by 3/1. However, those carriers can utilize current non-eligible counting methods from 1/1 to 2/28 as long as the policyholder also has the right to be underwritten (or reunderwritten if already underwritten during this period) using the eligible counting method during the same period.”
Past President's Message
Message from the 2013-2014 Chapter President-Leslie Wiernik, CEBS
Thank you for the privilege of representing our chapter for 2013-2014. Undoubtedly, it has been a most historic year for our industry and a challenging year for you and your clients. We’ve been confronted with the implementation of the exchange, interruptive changes and delays of ACA provisions, questions and more, yet we survived.
Our chapter focus is:
Our Members -- our priority is you. We have added over 50 new members this past board year. AAHU strives to be a valuable resource for you where you can gain knowledge, network, grow, continue your education and further your profession. I welcome all our members and encourage you to get involved. Thank you to all our members for getting involved in our public service events and scholarship fund. Together we’ve contributed priceless volunteer hours and raised significant funds for our charities.
Our Meetings and Special Events – our goal is to provide informative, relevant topics that you can apply to your life and business when you leave a meeting or special event. Thank you to all of our excellent presenters and sponsors!
Communication – our goal is to be a resource to our members, consumers and the media. Our renewed website can and should be shared with colleagues, clients and prospects. Let us know where we can improve – we ask for your feedback. Working together we can create a presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. In fact you can go to Facebook and view pictures from our meetings and events anytime – please “like us”. Our chapter really shined in the area of media communication and legislative involvement this past board year. Plan to make it to Capital Conference 2015 and let your voice be heard!
It has truly been an honor and a most memorable experience highlighted with the opportunity to commemorate our chapter’s 30th anniversary and bring recognition to all the presidents I’ve followed.
Leslie Wiernik, CEBS
Welcome New Members
Welcome to all new members of AAHU! We are very excited you are here and we look forward to partnering with you all!
| First Name | Last Name | Company Name |
| Nicole | Hill | Colonial Life |
| Warren | Felder | |
| Cynthia | Anderson | |
| Randall | Ware | Health Care Specialists |
| Jack | Bruce | Apollo Healthcare |
| Barin | Powell | The Cason Group, Inc. |
| Diane | Freeman | Brown & Brown Insurance of Georgia |
| Patrick | O`Rourke | New World Benefits |
| David | Hatter | Arista Consulting Group |
| Glenna | Doyle | Assurant Health |
| Michael | Lank | The Lank Group, Inc. |
| Ed | Hodgson | Synergy Benefits |
| Amy | Hilburn | KSA Insurance Agency, LLC |
| Jonathan | Horowitz | S.S. Nesbitt & Company |
| John | Speaks | |
| Brian | Suchyna | Swiss Re Corporate Solutions |
| Michael | Zenchuk | Hay Companies |
| Jesse | Smedley | iHealthBrokers.com |
| Shelia | Butler | Shelia J. Butler & Company, Inc. |
| Cory | Rodgers | HCC Life Insurance Company |
| Wilkins | Arnall | Matrix Insurance Agency,Inc. |
| Valda | Flowers | HCC Life Insurance Company, Inc |
| William | Rasmussen | A.J. Gallagher |
| Sarah | Nichols | BCBSGa |
| Geneva | Griffin | HCC Life Insurance Company |
| Cynthia | Goings | BB&T Insurance Services |
| Robert | Burns | Association Concepts (ACON) |
| Jeffrey | Gentry | Johnson Bryan |
| Thomas | McCaw | Capitol Administrators |
| Lisa | Fryar | McCart Insurance |
| Audrey | Leeman | Digital Insurance, Inc. |
| Roy | Downey | Holmes-Shaw Agency |
| David | Holmes | Holmes-Shaw Agency |
| Tommy | Miller | AYB Benefits, Inc. |
| Blake | Molina | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia |
| Barry | Strand | Humana |
| Steven | Snipes | Ameritas Group |
| Debra | Parkes | Hodges & Associates |
| Aaron | Anthony | Aflac Worldwide |
| Brad | Surrett | The Surrett Group, LLC |
| Nathan | Hombroek | Multiple Benefits Corporation |
| Patricia | Sierota | Wellpoint/Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia |
| Adrian | Davis | MYidealDOCTOR |
| Tracy | Lightsey | Colonial Life |
| Felipe | Barganier | Colonial Life |
| Claire | Howes | Coventry Healthcare of GA |
| Tracy | Clausen | Hays Companies |
| Amber | Taylor | BIS Benefits, Inc. |
| Kristen | Looney | Piedmont WellStar Health Plans |
| Eileen | Horowitz | Pritchard & Jerden, Inc. |
| William | Vreeland | Senior Health Solutions |
| John | Aden | Aden Insurance Consulting |
| Richard | Bullard | Transamerica Employee Benefits |
| Brad | Granger | Specialty Care Management |
ATL NABIP News
AAHU News-What's Going On?
Meet Your 2014-2015 Board of Directors
Mychal Walker-President of AAHU along with Leslie Wiernik-Past President and Brent Simmons-Public Service presents a check to the Atlanta Children's Shelter. The funds were raised at the AAHU Annual Golf Tournament
AAHU Gold Event and Fundraiser - June 2014
Yes, it rained but it wasn't rained out! Our second annual golf tournament benefiting the Atlanta Children's Shelter was a tremendous success thanks to Alpharetta Athletic Club, our golf teams, sponsors, in-kind contributors, and volunteers! Together, we were able to donate $5,500!
Our 2015 Sponsorship Opportunities Packet has now been released!
AAHU provides opportunities for companies or organizations to gain name recognition by sponsoring an AAHU meeting or special events. Sponsor names are listed on all pre-meeting promotional correspondence distrubuted to the entire AAHU membership.
Our Professional Development Team has put together some great package options for our Monthly Meetings, Benefits Forum and Educational Sessions
Thank you to all that came out to our AAktoberfest event! We had such a great turn out and it was great to see everyone!
Look for an upcoming spring mixer event!
Calendar of Events
January 22, 2015 - Special Education Event
Proven Tax Strategies for the Insurance and Financial Professional
January 23, 2015-AAHU Monthly Program - Legislative Update
featuring Jessica Waltman, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs with NAHU
February 27, 2015-NAHU Cap Conference Update
March 25, 2015 - Annual Benefits Forum
NABIP's News
NAHU News
2015 Capitol Conference
February 23-25, 2015
Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill
Washington, DC
For twenty-five years, NAHU members have been coming to Washington, D.C., to stand together and make their voices heard. This year, make sure your voice is amongst the crowd.
HealthCare.gov’s insurance marketplace for small businesses gets off to a slow start
Washington Post (December 1, 2014)