Employer Coalitions: An Important Part of State Healthcare Policy

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Employer CoalitionsAn Important Part of State
Healthcare Policy

• Amanda L. Walls
• January 20, 2005
• Health Action Council Cleveland, OH

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CHC / EHPCO

• Founded in 1983 by 9 Canton employers to contain
  healthcare costs.
• More than 130 member companies domiciled in Ohio,
  West Virginia, Illinois, California, Iowa, New
  Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

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C.H.C.

• Educational Seminars Conferences
• Community Health Improvement Projects
• Diabetes Coalition
• Womens Health Expo
• Consumer Guide to Hospital Quality

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E.H.P.C.O

• Engage in group purchasing for healthcare
  benefits.
• Manage PBM contract for over 130 companies,
  school districts and municipalities, covering
  nearly 400,000 lives.
• Monitor and lobby state and federal healthcare
  legislation.

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Our Government Affairs Structure

• The Advisory Committee
• Structure
• Representatives of five member companies
• Chaired by a member of the Board
• Duties
• Monthly meetings with lobbyist
• Recommendations to Board

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Our Government Affairs Structure

• The Lobbyist
• Our Firm
• CWS Government Affairs
• Denise Larr, President
• Duties
• Establish and maintain relationships with
  legislators and administrators
• Attend interest group meetings and legislative
  sessions
• Provide reports, feedback, and advice to
  committee

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Our Government Affairs Structure

• The Staff
• Duties
• Coordinate Advisory Committee meetings
• Provide expertise to support lobbyist
• Attend meetings with other business interest
  groups
• Foster relationships with local officials
• Stay in tune with federal initiatives via NBCH

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The Importance of Your Involvement

• Self-insured employers dont need to be
  concerned about state level healthcare policy
  because of ERISA preemption.
• THIS STATEMENT IS A MYTH!

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The Importance of Your Involvement
How are ERISA Plans are impacted by happenings
in Columbus?

• Reforms that extend beyond the Insurance Industry
• Hospital Quality Measurement and Reporting
• Boutique Hospital Regulation
• Medical Malpractice Tort Reform

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The Importance of Your Involvement
How are ERISA Plans are impacted by happenings
in Columbus?

• Healthcare is an Economic Issue
• The problem of Medicaid
• Economic Development
• Trickle-down impact of administrative mandates on
  insurance and provider industries

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The Importance of Your Involvement
How are ERISA Plans are impacted by happenings
in Columbus?

• Examples of Legislative Proposals
• Single Payer Action Networkuniversal,
  government-run healthcare for Ohio
• Ohio HealthCHECKstatewide hospital discharge
  data collection and reporting
• Proposals to make health insurance more
  affordable for small companies

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The Role for Employers

• Educate, educate, educate
• Fill an empty seat at the table

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Business in PoliticsPat Grischow Government
Affairs The Timken CompanyJanuary 20, 2005
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Participative Democracy

• Policies laws shaped by many special interest
  groups
• Voters support candidates who reflect their
  thinking
• All sides can speak participate in political
  process

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Why You Should Be Involved

• Presenting other side of issue
• Good corporate citizen
• Being constructive proactive
• Minimize potential damage

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What Can You Do?

• Watch proposed legislation and regulations
• Join organizations
• Establish relationships
• Participate in political process
• Participate in election process
• Communicate!

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America is not governed by the majority, but
governed by the majority of those who
participate.
Thomas Jefferson