BIP Winter 2024

Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming R obert Tierney, Region VII vice president, has a message for NABIP members and non-members alike in 2025: “We need to light a fire and get non-members on board,” says Tierney, principal at OneDigital. “Anything that we do that benefits the association also benefits all other brokers and agents. So we need to get that message out: You need to be

REGION VII

effect change before any potentially harmful policy proposals or procedures reach the voting stage. “When we can be at the forefront of a legislative process so that we can help shape the changes as opposed to react to the changes, that is probably one of our biggest membership components,” says Wallace, a partner with PCF Insurance Services of the West. Washington is still feeling the effect of its state-mandated long-term care insurance requirements. There has been talk about making the requirement voluntary or otherwise restructuring it to be more meaningful to state residents. “It definitely raised awareness about long-term care expenses, and it got people thinking about it. Unfortunately, the state mandated plan only provides a $100 a day benefit, which is not enough to cover the risk,” says Wallace. Regarding national legislative issues such as transparency and healthcare cost reduction, Region VIII is on the same page. “We share the vision of NABIP’s Healthcare Bill of Rights,” says Wallace. Emphasizing the membership value inherent in NABIP’s professional and leadership development offerings will also be a priority for the region in 2025. “It’s about being a part of something bigger than yourself,” says Wallace. NABIP’s PAC is a key example of that collective movement. “You can develop a relationship with the legislators and other liaisons for the various committees, and those are great people to get to know because they’re the ones that will influence the information that the legislators will weigh more heavily,” Wallace says. “The way our political system works is that money gets us access, and access helps us help shape the future of healthcare, which is one of our basic tenets of NABIP. So being active as a PAC contributor is a really important way for us to all have a louder voice together.”

in the boat with us, and we all need to work together because we have a much louder voice if we’re larger.” That voice must be particularly loud in Colorado, where potential legislation to introduce a single-payer system is frequently on the agenda. “Colorado’s NABIP members are fighting the single-payer system. They’ve been the leaders in what to do when that kind of legislation comes up,” says Tierney. “They’ve shown that when legislation does come up, you need to be involved at the grassroots level because by the time legislation goes to the floor, you’re probably too late.” Every state in the region reflects that proactive attitude with an annual Day on the Hill event at their respective state capitals. “We are a very close, tightly knit group. We rely on each other. We take pride in the fact that we can pick up the phone, call anybody in the region, and share ideas. We can share resources and CE opportunities,” says Tierney. “Heading into the future, it’s important to ensure that we still have that tightly knit group,” he adds. “Because we function better when we’re not having to reinvent the wheel and when we can learn from others.” That collaborative approach has bred strong leadership in the region for years, says Sheila Prior, a candidate to take over as RVP in July. “We’ve got some active chapters that are really pulling in membership. That’s a focus for everybody. It shows in the awards we win and the presence that we have at events,” she says. “We have passionate leaders willing to give their time and energy to this association because they see the value. I think that’s what sets us apart.”

TIP: By joining NABIP’s PAC, members plug into the U.S. political system, “and access helps us help shape the future of healthcare,” says Region VIII VP Keith Wallace.

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