Dates for Minnesota MPC Meeting Announced
The fifth 2010 MPC meeting will be held August 31 through September 2 at the Westin Edina Galleria in Edina, Minnesota. The schedule for the meeting is not set at this time, but we expect task force meetings to take place all day on August 31 and September 1, with the MPC General Session ending by noon on September 2. More information will be available a month or so prior to the meeting.
Staff Contact - Sean McKennaIowa Insurance Commissioner Voss to Speak at Legal Seminar
Susan E. Voss, Commissioner of the Iowa Insurance Division, has agreed to speak at NOLHGA's 18th Annual Legal Seminar in July in New York City. Commissioner Voss will discuss the NAIC's role and leadership in the financial services modernization debate now going on in Washington and around the country.
Voss is the President-Elect of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and has testified before congressional committees on behalf of the NAIC regarding various consumer protection issues. She serves on a number of NAIC committees, including the Executive Committee, the Government Relations Leadership Council, the Regulatory Modernization Task Force, and the Receivership and Insolvency Task Force, which she chairs. Prior to her appointment as Commissioner by Governor Tom Vilsack in January 2005, Voss held a number of different positions with the Iowa state government. Voss received her law degree from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and her undergraduate degree from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.
NOLHGA's 2010 Legal Seminar is scheduled for July 15-16; an MPC meeting will be held on July 13 and 14. Both meetings will take place at New York's Marriott Marquis in Times Square. Reservations can be made by calling 800.266.9432 and requesting the special NOLHGA meeting rate of $199/night plus tax.
Staff Contact - Executive Life Insurance Company (California)Aurora Nineteenth Installment Billing Report Distributed
On March 31, 2010, Navigant Consulting distributed its report on Aurora's Nineteenth Installment Billing following its acceptance by the Executive Life Task Force and authorization for its transmission to the participating guaranty associations. The bill calls for the associations to pay Aurora $51,581,225 on or before April 30, 2010. Navigant's report includes a copy of Aurora's bill with instructions for payment.
Task Force Chair - Art Dummer; Staff Contact - Imerica Life and Health Insurance Company (Arkansas)April 9 Teleconference Scheduled
A special MPC teleconference for Imerica affected states is scheduled for Friday, April 9, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern (1:00 p.m. Central; 12:00 p.m. Mountain; 11:00 a.m. Pacific; 10:00 a.m. Alaska; and 9:00 a.m. Hawaii). The purpose of the call is to review and consider proposed TPA Policy and Claims Services Agreements. The agenda and related materials were circulated to affected states via e-mail on March 26. We look forward to speaking with you all on April 9. In the meantime, please feel free to contact Joni Forsythe at 703.787.4103 if you have any questions.
Task Force Chair - Andrea Bowers; Staff Contact - Joni Forsythe Medical Savings Insurance Company (Indiana)Settlement and Assignment Agreements Opt-Out Deadline Is May 3; Expense Report Updates Also Requested
On April 1, 2010, the Medical Savings Task Force circulated a package of materials to affected states for consideration with respect to participation in the Settlement and Assignment Agreements approved by the MPC on January 29. Please Note: The Settlement Agreement requires 100% participation to be effective. If your association is considering opting out, please consider contacting Task Force Chair Dan Orth to discuss this decision in advance. If your association does not wish to participate in the Settlement and Assignment Agreements, you must opt out by sending written notice to NOLHGA (Attention Joni Forsythe) on or before May 3, 2010. Any affected guaranty association that does not opt-out by that date will be deemed to be a Participating Association.
In the meantime, please feel free to call Joni Forsythe (703.787.4103) if you have any questions.
In other news, the Medical Savings Task Force is again collecting information concerning expenses incurred by affected guaranty associations in connection with the Medical Savings insolvency. The expense data will be used for purposes of reporting and for submission of an Omnibus Proof of Claim for this case. Our survey includes expense information for the reporting period inception through March 31, 2010.
Expense data should be submitted by affected associations using NOLHGA's online proof of claim survey tool. We ask that you please submit your first quarter 2010 expense update as soon as possible. Please advise Gus Estrada by e-mail if you have no submissions to report. If you have any questions, please contact Joni Forsythe at 703.787.4103 or Gus Estrada.
Task Force Chair - Dan Orth; Staff Contact - Joni ForsytheConflicts Surveys and Antitrust Certifications Due April 16
As part of NOLHGA's annual compliance regimen, NOLHGA is required each year to survey and obtain responses from all NOLHGA representatives concerning compliance with NOLHGA's Conflicts and Antitrust policies. In particular, NOLHGA's Conflicts Questionnaire must be completed on an annual basis by all NOLHGA Directors, committee and task force members, staff, and consultants. NOLHGA's Antitrust Policy requires an annual Certification of Compliance by all NOLHGA Directors, committee and task force members, staff, and consultants, as well as all MPC members (guaranty association administrators).
This year, recipients can complete and submit the Conflicts Questionnaire and Antitrust Certification Form online using the link distributed via e-mail on April 1. We would like to encourage everybody to use the online submission method, if possible. If you submit your responses online, you will be given the option to retain a PDF of your completed response forms. If necessary, you can print and return a hardcopy of your completed Certification Form to Aimee Hoffman via mail or fax (703.481.5209).
Whichever option you choose, please be sure to have your completed responses to Aimee Hoffman by April 16.
Staff Contact - Joni Forsythe