LEG REG REVIEW 2014, 33d Issue *** December 15, 2014

LEG REG REVIEW is a periodic newsletter produced by PHILLIPS ASSOCIATES, a professional lobbying and consultant firm located near the State Capitol.  It contains news on the legislative and regulatory scene in Pennsylvania that may be of interest to the Insurance and Business Communities.  It is a free member benefit for those who are members of the Pennsylvania Association of Health Underwriters (PAHU).  Subscription information may be obtained by contacting PHILLIPS ASSOCIATES at 717/728-1217 FAX 717/232-7005 or e-mail to xenobun@aol.com.  Please email jtrout2792@aol.com supplying both your name and e-mail address if you wish to be removed from or added to this list.

 

WOLF TRANSITION CONTINUES ITS PROGRESS

The Transition Team for Governor-elect Tom Wolf has moved to the next level with designation of key individuals to head up the transitions for specific agencies.  Some agencies of interest are:

  • Insurance: Former State Representative T.J. Rooney (D-Northampton) who served on the House Insurance Committee; now public affairs/political consultant
  • Aging (Long-term care): Everette James who served former Governor Rendell as his Secretary of Health; now heading University of Pittsburgh’s Health Policy Institute
  • Agriculture (Crop Insurance): Russell Redding, former Agriculture Secretary under Gov. Rendell and now Dean of Agriculture & Science at DelawareValleyUniversity
  • Banking & Securities: Hilary Hunt, formerly in Gov. Rendell’s Office of Financial Education
  • Community & Economic Development: Dennis Yablonsky, former Rendell Administration DCED Secretary, now CEO of Allegheny Conference on Community Development AND former Senator Rob Wonderling (R-Montgomery), now president and CEO, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
  • Environmental Protection: Christina Simeone, Deputy Director, UPenn Kleinman Energy Policy Center and formerly with PennFuture AND Robb Fox, Superfund attorney with the law firm of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP
  • Education: Pedro Rivera, Lancaster School District Superintendent AND Dr. John Sygielski, president of HarrisburgAreaCommunity College
  • Health: Dr. Rachel Levine, professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine AND Dr. Karen Hacker, director, Allegheny County Health Department
  • Labor & Industry (Workers Compensation): Matthew Paules, business manager and financial secretary of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW 229) AND former Democratic US Member of Congress Robert Klink from western PA
  • Human Services (formerly Department of Public Welfare which oversees Medicaid program): Michael Rashid, retired CEO of AmeriHealth Caritas, a managed care organization that runs state Medicaid programs
  • Transportation: former Democratic US Member of Congress Kathy Dahlkemper and current Erie County executive AND Eric Mentzer, president of York Revolution and former York City development director

 

SESSION DAYS ANNOUNCED FOR 2015

The House of Representatives has posted its schedule for the first half of 2015.

Month             House                                     

January            6, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28

February          2, 3, 4, 9, 0, 11, 23, 24, 25

March              2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 30, 31

April                1,13, 14,15, 20, 21, 22

May                 4, 5, 6,11,12,13

June                 1,2,3,8,9,10,15,16,17,18,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30

 

 

 

WOLF NAMES TOP STAFF

The Governor-elect has named several key players in the Governor’s Office.  They are:

–          Secretary of Policy and Planning John Hanger, former Rendell Secretary of Department of Environmental Protection and former candidate for Governor against Wolf in the 2014 Democratic primary

–          Secretary of Legislative Affairs (advancing the Governor’s agenda to the General Assembly) Mary Isenhour, executive director, PA Democratic Party, former executive director of the PA House Democratic Campaign Committee and now a public affairs/political consultant

–          Deputy Chief of Staff Obra Kernodle IV, deputy campaign manager for the Wolf campaign and former Philadelphia deputy of legislative affairs for Mayor Michael Nutter

Already named was Kathleen McGinty as Chief of Staff.  She served in the Rendell administration as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection and was one of Wolf’s opponents in the 2014 Democratic primary.  She also served as an environmental advisor to former Vice President Al Gore.

 

LTC COMMISSION COMPLETES WORK

The Commission on Long-Term Care appointed by Governor Tom Corbett is readying its final report as to the status of long-term care, quality of care and various strategies (including long-term care insurance) that might be applied to improving access and affordability of long-term care for Pennsylvanians.  This ends a year-long process with multiple hearings across the state involving care recipients, care providers, advocates for independent living as well as insurance brokers and PAHU (former legislative chair Ross Schriftman, lobbyist Vince Phillips, and PAHU president Steve Fisher testified).  In a first for insurance brokers, former PAHU legislative chair Scott Crane was formally named to the Commission by Governor Corbett.  If you would like to thank Scott for his efforts in bringing an understanding of risk management regarding long-term care to the Commission, please contact him at scrane@tycorbenefit.com.  The Long-Term Care Commission report will be made public, probably within a week or so and will be delivered to Governor-elect Wolf’s Transition Team.

 

REGULATORY UPDATES

The PA Compensation and Rating Bureau has made a number of filings.  Here is the direct link:

  • PCRB Filing No. 261 Proposed Effective April 1, 2015
    Manual Revisions to Sections 1 and 2
    (1) Revisions to Mapping of Direct Employment Classifications Into Temporary Staffing Classifications, Code 520 – 529
    (2) Clarification of Code 892 Language Pertaining to Early Intervention Services
    (3) Use of Published Decennial Census Data Only as the Basis for Populations of Areas Served by Volunteer Fire Companies Subject to Code 994
    (4) Revision of Manual Language Pertaining to Tips for Premium Computation Purposes in Recognition of IRS Ruling Regarding “Service Charges”
    (5) Manual Revisions to Sections 1 and 2 – Housekeeping
  • Also from PCRB is this notice:

PCRB MANUAL REVISIONS TO SECTIONS 1 and 2 – APPROVED EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2015

The Insurance Commissioner has approved Manual revisions to Sections 1 and 2 pertaining to changes in classification procedure, the determination of populations of areas served by Volunteer Fire Companies and Manual language pertaining to tips for premium computation purposes in Pennsylvania. These revisions become effective as of 12:01 a.m., April 1, 2015 with respect to new and renewal policies having normal anniversary rating dates on or after that date. For more detail refer to PCRB Circular No. 1635.

 

INDUSTRY NOTES…

–          On December 9, www.propertycasualty360.com recognized 2014’s twelve best insurance pros under 40.  One was Pennsylvanian Andrew Detweiller, CIC, CRM, who is with Univest based in Lansdale.

In case you missed it, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a ruling under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to require opt-out notices on all fax advertisements, unsolicited or not (FYI courtesy of ReedSmith law firm

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