NAHU’s Capital Conference Website NAHU has an entire section of our web site devoted to Capitol Conference. The link is: If you haven’t been there already, please go to it ASAP to check it out On this section of our site you will find: Travel, hotel and registration information The latest agenda Overview of our issues List of registered attendees Tips for setting up your hill visits Much more!

Meeting Logistics Headquarters Location: Hyatt Regency (Capitol Hill) 400 New Jersey Avenue, NW Washington, DC The room block at the Hyatt Regency is full. If you would further information regarding possible hotels, please send an to right away.

Meeting Logistics Meeting Dates Regular Conference—Monday, Feb. 14-Wednesday, Feb. 16 th Leadership Meeting (Invitation Only for Future Leaders)— Sunday, Feb. 13 The first meeting begins at 8:00am on Monday, so make your travel plans accordingly. We will end the general session on Wednesday afternoon by 12pm, but your delegation will likely have lobbying visits that afternoon. So check with your State’s legislative chair for information on your appointments

Meeting Logistics Other Capitol Conference Events In addition to the regular meetings and Hill visits, there are other important events scheduled. Regional Meetings—Monday, Feb. 14 th 11:45am - 12:45pm Regions 1, 3, 5, and 7 1:00pm-2:00pm: Regions 2, 4, 6, and 8 HUPAC Congressional Reception at Top of the Hill at the Reserve Officers Association—Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 5:30pm 365 Club Breakfast (invitation only for members who give at least $1 per day to HUPAC)—Wednesday, Feb. 16 th 7:00-8:00am HUPAC Capitol Club Luncheon (invitation only for HUPAC’s largest contributors)--Wednesday, Feb. 16 th from 12:00-2:00pm at Johnny’s Half Shell

Meeting Logistics Free Time Washington, DC is an exciting city, with tons to see and do. However, we also have a packed meeting schedule, and you will not want to miss any of our exciting speakers. Good times to sight-see include Sunday afternoon and Monday evening. A restaurant guide will be part of your conference materials. Most DC restaurants require advance reservations for large parties.

Meeting Logistics Attire The dress code for the meeting is professional business, with the exception of the events on Sunday, which will be business casual. Washington is a conservative city in terms of dress. Most of the floors in the hotel and on Capitol Hill are marble, and you will be walking a lot between Hill appointments. Bring comfortable shoes!!! Weather is Washington, DC is on the colder side during mid February- lower 30s (if we’re lucky!). Bring warm clothes, including a good overcoat- its also one of our wetter months, so pack an umbrella!

Meeting Agenda You may have noticed that the agenda that is posted on the NAHU website and printed in HIU is vague and does not specifically list any speakers. That is done on purpose. We invite many high-ranking Members of Congress and administration officials, and we have to give them maximum scheduling flexibility in order to assure attendance. Something major can come up at the last minute that could require a high-ranking official to effect a schedule change, so that requires us to keep the schedule fluid. You will receive a final updated agenda when you register for the meeting, but please note that even it is subject to change!

Meeting Etiquette Please be aware that there will be print and possibly television/radio media in the room during all sessions (except on Monday, which is a closed session). Please keep your cell phones off or on vibrate during the entire meeting. Please try and keep talking/lingering in the hall outside the general session room down to a minimum. The noise from the hallway/registration area can be very loud and distracting inside the meeting room. Please be aware that many of our distinguished guests have very busy schedules and may not have time for picture requests, questions, etc. before or after they speak. If there is an opportunity for questions, it will be announced from the podium. Photos are usually limited to members of that individual’s state delegation for time purposes. If there is time for additional photos with a specific individual, we will let you know at the conference.

Capitol Hill Visits Members and chapters are responsible for making their own appointments with legislators. Capitol Hill appointments should be made in advance and scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons after 1:00pm. If you are going to the HUPAC reception, remember event starts at 5:30pm Once you have made your hill appointments, please go to and enter in the information for NAHU’s tracking purposes. If you need to send a hill office a summary of what issues will be discussed at your meetings, you can download NAHU’s overview of federal issues from the Capitol Conference section of the NAHU web site. If you need help making your appointments or would like an NAHU staff lobbyist to attend a meeting with you, please call Kristin Leighty at (703) or

Working With Congress With the shifts in Congress over the last few months, the political landscape keeps changing Some of our past priority issues have taken a back-seat to new priority issues. NAHU has positive relationships with key legislators on both sides of the aisle and has made many strides with the Democratic AND Republicans over the past year. There will be a session meeting on Monday morning, February 14 th at 8:30am where we will go over in detail how to make your hill visits most effective Our government relations staff will also go over the issues in detail and answer member questions on Monday afternoon at 5pm during the general session

Key Issues MLR and Agent/Broker Access Employer/Economic Issues of PPACA Insurance Market Reforms Helping People Afford Coverage Cost Containment Medicare and LTC Improvements

MLR and Access to Agents and Brokers A statutory fix to exempt agent and broker fees from the MLR calculation is NAHU’s top legislative priority. Stress the economic impact that is reducing our ability to stay in business and perform client services at the very time the economy is the weakest and clients have the most need for support. Also we are constantly advocating against any imitations on licensed benefit specialists serving as a consumer resource in either traditional insurance markets and/or the exchanges.

Employer Issues PPACA burdens on employers are making them anxious about hiring, affording compliance and being in the health insurance benefits business altogether. Targeted improvements are needed to make health reform employer-friendly and spur job development rather than hinder it, including: Repeal of employer mandate Repeal of the 1099 and 105(h) nondiscrimination provisions Improvements to the employer waiting period, W2 reporting, employee notification and auto-enrollment requirements to make them more consistent with time tested benefit practices

Market Reforms Insurance reforms in the new law are increasing premiums and will lead to a huge adverse selection problem if not addressed right away. To start we suggest: A national open enrollment period/late enrollment penalties for child-only plans Improvements to the grandfathered plan provisions Annual limit waivers through 2014 and beyond, with greater waiver process transparency Incentives to maintain continuous health insurance coverage like open enrollment, late enrollment penalties, and increased coverage verification Graduated shift to modified community rating requirement and expanded age rating bands and other premium rating factors Eliminating the deductible cap on small employer health plans. CDHC improvements

Helping People Afford Coverage We have to help the truly needy affords private coverage, but assistance should not be contingent on coverage type or place of purchase. Assistance programs must be adequately funded and financially viable in the long-term. We need improvements to the small business tax credit program so that it helps insure more Americans. Individual health insurance consumers and the self-employed need the same tax benefits as those with group insurance, but not at the expense of the existing employer-coverage income tax exclusion

Cost Containment PPACA fails to tackle the key driver of soaring insurance premiums: skyrocketing medical costs Ways to reduce government and private-sector health care costs through the health insurance coverage system include: Wellness programs improvements Medical liability reform Greater provider quality and medical cost transparency Provider payment reforms Other health care stakeholders need to propose cost containment ideas that fall under their areas of expertise Reducing costs through healthier lifestyles for all Americans should be a top priority Congress also must take a hard look at public health care spending and make tough changes

Senior Issues We need Congressional action to restore funding cuts from PPACA on the Medicare Advantage program We support restoring the Open Enrollment Period for Medicare beneficiaries. The CLASS Act, an under-funded government-run long-term care benefit program established PPACA, must be repealed and replaced with incentives to purchase private long-term care insurance.

For More Information or Assistance NAHU’s Capitol Conference General Information (703) Hotel Reservations/Logistical QuestionsAgenda/Legislative Questions (703) (703) Meeting RegistrationHill Visits (703) (703) HUPACMedia (703) (703)