FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2008
CONTACT: Al Schiebel
Media Relations/Communications
404-256-2171
The Atlanta Association of Health Underwriters (AAHU) Elects New Officers
Atlanta, Georgia -- The Atlanta Association of Health Underwriters, a chapter of the Georgia Association of Health Underwriters and National Association of Health Underwriters, is an organization of health insurance agents, brokers and other professionals. AAHU installed its 2008-2009 Executive Board at its July 9, 2008 monthly Board meeting.
Kevin W. Smith of KSA Insurance in Sandy Springs was installed as president. Kevin was promoted to president of the association after serving over 5 years in leadership positions on the Board of AAHU. Jodie E. Braner of Pritchard & Jerden, Inc. in Buckhead was installed as president-elect to serve as president for the 2009-2010 term.
"I am pleased to be recognized as the new leader of our organization,” said Kevin Smith. “AAHU not only provides the ongoing educational programs and credits for health insurance professionals, we focus our efforts at the state and federal levels of government on behalf of the private insurance professional. Consumers now more than ever need our expertise in choosing the right plan. What we do simply can't be done by a website, a distant bureaucrat or government manual. Our focus over the next year will be not only to demonstrate this value but to enhance it."
"We will push for the passage of sensible health care reforms, we will help improve and spread the word about important coverage such as long-term care insurance, and we will fight mandates and other onerous legislation that make health insurance more expensive for everyone."
The new officers are as follows:
· Kevin W. Smith – President
· Jodie E. Braner – President Elect
· A.L. Hombroek – Vice President
· Clifton McKnight – Immediate Past President
· Michael Brent Simmons – Secretary/Treasurer
The mission of the Atlanta Association of Health Underwriters is to educate the public and decision makers about the value health insurance professional delivers in helping consumers access the health care system and, through education and association involvement, increase members’ ability to better server consumers. We will do so in a financially prudent and responsible manner.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
AAHU Awards William Duffy Scholarship
( Atlanta, GA)—The Atlanta Association of Health Underwriters (AAHU) awarded the William Duffy Scholarship to Joonas Kohtla and Nicholas Donald Hendricks at an awards breakfast on Friday, June 13 at the Cobb Galleria.
“By awarding these scholarships, we hope to assist students who we feel will be an asset to the insurance profession,” said Clifton McKnight, president of the AAHU. “Both Joonas and Nicholas stood out as perfect examples of what Bill Duffy tried to accomplish through education, and we’re extremely proud to have them carry on his legacy.”
William Duffy was an early member of the Atlanta Association of Health Underwriters and a strong promoter of continuing education. Duffy served as one of the instructors for the first Registered Health Underwriter class held by the AAHU in 1984.
The William Duffy Scholarship is a $500 award granted to a deserving full-time student at the University of Georgia or Georgia State School of Business. The candidates must have a high GPA and a strong interest in an insurance career.
The Atlanta Association of Health Underwriters is a division of the National Association of Health Underwriters, which represents more than 20,000 professional health insurance agents and brokers who provide insurance for millions of Americans. For more information please contact Al Schiebel at 404-256-2171 or al@shopbenefits.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 7, 2008
Contact: Michael Wardrip
678-697-6213
House Bill Would Help More Georgians Obtain Health Insurance
Georgia Tax Advantaged HSAs are finally available in Georgia!
(Atlanta, GA) -- The Georgia Associations of Health Underwriters (GAHU) applaud the Georgia General Assembly for passing HB 977 and SB 383 that provide incentives for individuals and employers to adopt the high deductible health plans necessary for individuals to open Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The bill exempts this coverage from the state and local health insurance premium tax; individual taxpayers will have their premiums for the coverage exempt from state income tax and employers with up to 50 employees will receive a credit against state income tax equal to their premiums or $250 per employee in such a plan. The bill also provides for wellness incentives for policyholders from insurers and incentives for insurers to work with the Georgia Department of Insurance to develop new qualifying products for Georgia's citizens.
Michael Wardrip, a GAHU member and a member of the Uninsured Working Group who worked diligently for the bill's passage said, "Georgians who decide to adopt such plans can look forward to many advantages which will make health coverage more affordable for them and make these policies more available in the state. The incentives for wellness activities get to the root of health cost increases because not only are HSAs helping more Americans afford health insurance, they are also addressing the issue of rising health care costs. These incentives give Georgians a reason to be more healthy and prudent health care consumers. When patients are paying more attention to the cost of health care and demanding value for their dollars, total health care spending will decline.”
The bill was the result of the hard work by the Uninsured Working Group, which included the Medical Association of Georgia, Georgia Hospital Association, Georgia Associations of Health Underwriters, Georgia Association of Health Plans, several insurers and the Center for Health Transformation. The group worked over a number of months to reach a consensus on changes that could help make coverage more affordable for Georgians, particularly those without insurance coverage. The bill also received substantial support from NFIB Georgia and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. The bill received much active support in the legislature by Governor Perdue and his floor leaders, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, Senator Judson Hill, Representative Tom Knox, Representative Mickey Channell and many other leaders in the Georgia legislature.
“We look forward to working with the sponsors of this important legislation on making the cost of health care more affordable for all Georgians,” added Wardrip.
The Georgia Associations of Health Underwriters represents approximately 800 agents and brokers selling and servicing health insurance in Georgia. To find out more, please go to the website www.gahu.org or call (770) 516-4746.
