New Mexico Rio Grande Association of Health Underwriters
Board Meeting

April 14, 2011

Present: Mike Wallace, Anne Sperling, Julia Moore, Rhawnie Milliorn, Jennifer Sedillo, Danine Baca and Barbara Lardner

Topic

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Discussion

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Action/Follow-Up

/ Responsible Party/
Due Date /

Status

Call to Order

/ The meeting was called to order at 9:16.

Approve Agenda

/ The committee approved the agenda.

NNMAHU President’s Report

/ Danine reported that NNM’s president Jenny Garcia has moved to Las Cruces. A meeting needs to be called to get things in order. / Danine will organize a meeting to discuss NNM’s leadership / Danine / Open
President Elect / Danine plans to get the sponsorships in order for the next fiscal year. She also needs a current membership list and a list of criteria for local awards, specifically the Pat Miller award, which Julia said she’d supply.
Danine is forming a committee to organize a golf tournament late summer or early fall. Monies raised would enable the association to be able to retain a lobbyist.
Danine is also going to put out an announcement to all members that she’s looking for board members. / Julia will provide Danine a current membership list and a list of criteria for local awards.
Danine will get sponsorships in order for next year.
Danine will put out announcement that she’s looking for board members. / Julia
Danine
Danine / Open
Open
Open

NMRGAHU President’s Report

/ Mike announced that he’d like articles for the newsletter by the end of the month from the board members, especially legislative, membership, awards and from the president-elect.
Our next CE will be Thursday, April 21 at La Vida LLena. Mike asked Rhawnie to check the P.O. box for checks etc.
Our May CE will be held at Presbyterian unless a better location can be found. Jenny said that she’d check on the Hispano Chamber meeting room and Anne said she’d check on the meeting room in the HUB building. The Association of Commerce and Industry was another recommended meeting place.
Mike is still looking for someone to do an Ethics CE. There is one that has been filed with DOI. Anne said she will present this on the 5/19 CE meeting. Humana will also present and their presentation is filed, approved and ready to go.
The June CE will have Jim Hinton speak. Suggestions were brought up to have a panel discussion from the various carriers as well.
The National conference will be in June in San Antonio. We need to send a couple of people. Anne and Julia will be going anyway for their national positions and Danine will go as well.
There is a leadership meeting coming up in Santa Fe. The Director for Healthcare Reform has been hired. We don’t know his name yet, only that it’s a he. He hopes to start work by May.
Regarding reform, several stakeholder groups have been formed. On May 9, all of the stakeholder groups will meet at the PRC.
There are two grants available from the Federal government to help with planning and implementing the Insurance Exchange. New Mexico will apply for both. New Mexico has to have their Exchange ready by 1/1/13. / All board members need to provide Mike with articles for the newsletter by the end of the month.
Rhawnie needs to check the P.O. box.
Jenny will check on Hispano Chamber for a possible meeting room.
Anne will check on the Hub meeting room and the ACI meeting room.
Anne will do ethics CE on 5/19 / Everyone
Rhawnie
Jenny
Anne
Anne / Open
Open

Secretary’s report

/ There was no report. / . / .

Membership

/ Julia checked on the dues and there is no longer a discrepancy. One new member signed up through the web site and there may be one more new member signing up. / .

Legislative report

/ Anne reported that the Legislative team meets next Tuesday at BCBS.
A report showing all of the life and health bills that were presented in the most recent legislative session was passed out. There were over 70 bills presented and only 13 made it to the governor’s desk. Of the 13, nine were signed into law. A couple of particularly nasty bills were SB 89 which provides for the creation of health insurance purchasing cooperatives among employers and SB 208 which provides for greater transparency and more stringent review of requests for health insurance premium rate increases through public hearings and judicial reviews. This bill alone may prevent new insurance companies from entering the NM market.
It is imperative that people in the insurance business become involved as the insurance exchange takes shape and there is a stakeholder meeting on May 9 at 1:30 at the PRC in Santa Fe.
Financial report / Rhawnie passed out the financial report. The lobbyist is being funded by the state account, but we will be able to fulfill the contract through its entirety. Next year will be difficult unless we are able to raise more money. We currently have $16,331 total from all bank accounts.
Awards report / Jenny has submitted all of the paperwork for the Landmark Award. For next year, Jenny is going to make it part of every meeting to be more organized and gather information for the awards throughout the year instead of waiting until the end. Julia, who is National Awards Chair will work with Jenny and help.
Jenny needs to update her section of the website. Mike offered to do it if she will send the information to him.
Several people have earned the LPRT Soaring Eagle Award.
Barbara will do a press release for the newspaper. / Jenny will send Mike information to update the awards section of the new website.
Barbara will write an article on the LPRT Soaring Eagle qualifiers. / Jenny and Mike
Barbara / Open
Open

Around the room discussion

/ Ideas for future CE were discussed, such as a panel discussion with carriers.
Meeting Adjournment / The meeting was adjourned at 10:55 Our next meeting will be May12 at 9:00 at Delta Dental. Mike will take the minutes in Barbara’s absence.

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