BIP Winter 2025

“ The energy is real. There’s a lot of enthusiasm heading into the new year.” — PATRICK BURNS, REGION VIII VP

R egion VII may be small, but it remains active and outspoken. “We’ve always been the region that shakes things up when needed,” says RVP Sheila Prior. Of the region’s seven states, five have active chap ters, with most legislative action centered in Colo rado and New Mexico. “Colorado tracked more than a hundred health-related bills last session,” Prior says. “That’s a huge lift for volunteer leaders who are also running businesses.” In New Mexico, the state-based exchange and large Medicaid population add complexity. “Those systems are already stretched,” she says. “Any federal change to Medicaid eligibility could make things harder.” Meanwhile, advocacy efforts for Medicare ben eficiaries and the agents that provide them support are highly active in the state of Idaho. Overall membership numbers have held steady, and Prior hopes upcoming pilot programs for new membership options will help younger profession als get involved. “We’re small but mighty,” she says. “And we’re proud of that.” REGION VII Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming

F rom remote Alaska towns to downtown Los Angeles, Region VIII spans a wide range of challenges. RVP Patrick Burns says three issues top the list for 2026: access to care in rural areas, state budget gaps affecting public health programs and rising costs for ACA enrollees as pandemic-era subsidies phase out (unless Congress acts by the end of the year). “California alone has about 15 million people on Medi-Cal,” he says. “State leaders are figuring out how to close funding gaps without pushing costs to consumers.” The region’s advocacy work remains strong. “We helped stop bills that would have doubled Medigap premiums,” Burns says. “That kind of engagement matters.” Membership and PAC activity are also gaining momentum after a well attended regional meeting in Seattle. “The energy is real,” he says. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm heading into the new year.” REGION VIII Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington

TIP: Check your inbox regularly for the States Update email to see what’s

happening around the country.

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42 bip magazine Winter 2025