WellPoint Executive to Discuss the Uninsured at NOLHGA's Legal Seminar

NOLHGA's 16th Annual Legal Seminar will feature a presentation by Stephen J. Northrup of WellPoint, Inc., on the state of play with respect to America's uninsured, including what the presidential candidates suggest should be done to reform health care and health insurance and what that would mean for the guaranty system. He will also discuss health-care reform at the state level, providing examples of states that are ahead of the federal government.

Northrup, who currently serves as Vice President of Federal Affairs for WellPoint, has an extensive background in health policy, including 16 years' experience as a senior Senate committee staffer, a trade association executive, and a federal and state lobbyist. While serving as the health policy director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions chaired by Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-Wyo.), Northrup helped write into law 19 health-care bills in the committee's jurisdiction during the 109th Congress. He holds a B.A. from Hamilton College and an M.P.A. from George Mason University.

NOLHGA's 2008 Legal Seminar will be held July 17-18 at Boston's Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel (a NOLHGA MPC meeting will take place on July 15 and 16). For more information and to register for one or both meetings, please visit the meeting Web page.

NAIC Subgroup to Discuss White Paper on Restructuring Mechanisms for Troubled Companies

On May 16, 2008, the NAIC's Restructuring Mechanisms for Troubled Companies Subgroup (RMTC) released the first draft of a detailed outline for the subgroup's whitepaper on the subject. This seven-part outline includes sections addressing various reasons for using restructuring mechanisms for troubled companies, the advantages and disadvantages of the various types of restructuring mechanisms being studied (including solvent runoff of existing blocks, Part VII Portfolio Transfers, and UK-based schemes of arrangement), existing statutory authority and requirements, and considerations for using alternative restructuring mechanisms. A copy of the outline is available upon request.

According to NAIC staff, this outline is intended to provide the structure for organizing discussion of specific topics during the subgroup's upcoming meetings and calls. Comments on the draft outline may be submitted to NAIC staff until close of business on May 28. Comments should be directed to the attention of David Vacca ([email protected]).

The subgroup will convene for an in-person meeting on May 30 in conjunction with the NAIC's Summer National Meeting. At that meeting, the subgroup expects to finalize and adopt the outline and to identify initial topics from the outline for study and discussion.