'A Groundswell Like I've Never Seen'

In meetings with congressional leaders on the Hill yesterday, Thom Mangan of Hub International brought the benefits professional's perspective straight to legislators like Sen. Chris Dodd. Watch as he describes the "fundamental movement of change" in the Senate and explains why he says the House's desire to act on health care is "a groundswell like I've never seen."

Tune in tomorrow for part 2 when Thom discusses how he plans to take that groundswell back home with him.

Bracing For The COBRA Bite

As the Senate gets ready to (most likely) pass its version of the stimulus bill today, allow me to share the thoughts of Christopher Nadeau, chair of The Council of Employee Benefits Executives, on the COBRA regulations included in the bill.

Whatever the final regulation is, in a press conference yesterday I asked him about the role of benefits advisers and brokers in its administration:

"If reimbursement comes directly out of a payroll tax then there may not be a lot for the broker intermediary or the COBRA administrator to handle."

He was more concerned from the claims perspective:

"COBRA populations historically have run about 50% higher than an active population employee."

When the stimulus bill passes, what will be your first communication with employers? Share your thoughts below.

The Benefit Of A Retirement Adviser

On Wednesday, the DoL decided to put off implementing changes to ERISA that would expand access to 401 (k) and IRA investment advice thanks to a White House request for more time to review final rules published before the administration change. The Employee Benefits Security Administration has proposed to extend the implementation date from March 23 to May 22.

Recently, I was on Capitol Hill stalking tourists to comment for our blog when I met John Skelton, a retired teacher from Oregon. Here, John explains the benefit of working with a retirement adviser.



The DoL wants to hear what you think about the investment advice final rule, and so do we. Share your thoughts below.

HSA issues

Expanding on yesterday's House hearing "Health Care Reform in a Struggling Economy" (hey, I was there for 3 hours — I deserve two blog posts about it!), Small Business Committee ranking member Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri brought up the issue of health savings accounts. Several panelists gave their real-world perspective on them:

"Virtually zero people want it."

—Dave Ratner, Dave's Soda & Pet City

"I'm not seeing any."

—Dirck Clark, Heartland Regional Medical Center

"As times get tougher, the employee tends to pull back coverage for money for something else."

—Janette Davis, Southeast American Financial Group

"[HSAs] could keep people from going to the doctor when needed."

—Michael Beene, National Association for the Self-Employed

What has been your experience offering health savings accounts to employers? Share your thoughts below.

Mandated Health Insurance?

Today I ventured to the House side of the Hill to attend a Small Business Committee hearing entitled "Health Care Reform in a Struggling Economy: What is on the Horizon for Small Business?"

A couple of small business owners testified, including David Ratner, owner of Dave's Soda & Pet City in Agawam, Mass., who has this to say about the state of health care in America: "My customers know more about the pet products on my shelves than they do about the doctors they use."

The topic of states mandating that employers provide their employees with health care coverage came up repeatedly, with most witnesses firmly against mandates ("It will kill jobs," said Ratner) unless there is a tax credit involved to offset costs.

During a Q&A session with the representatives, Alissa Fox, senior vice president of policy and representation for Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, expressed her support for a mandate on the individual level. I asked her to further explain her position as the hearing adjourned:



(Hear highlights of the testimony yourself)

Daschle Is Done

Today Tom Daschle withdrew from the confirmation process to become Secretary of Health and Human Services. Since news first broke of the former Senator's $120,000 tax lapse Daschle had been facing a growing battle to be confirmed.

In a statement, Daschle called being chosen for the post an honor, adding, "But if 30 years of exposure to the challenges inherent in our system has taught me anything, it has taught me that this work will require a leader who can operate with the full faith of Congress and the American people, and without distraction. Right now, I am not that leader."

What do you think about Daschle's choice to withdraw? Vote in our poll to the right of this post. Any thoughts on who Obama should choose to replace him? Comment below.

More Time With Jim Klein

As promised, here is the second part of our interview with Jim Klein, president of the American Benefits Council. Jim discusses comparative effectiveness research (also in the House bill), how turning the focus from sickness to wellness can lead to savings and what the future holds for the council.