By Matthew Sonduck
Director, Public Policy
(12/11/24)
The end of the year is transition season where you wrap up the current year’s activities and look toward the next one with equal parts optimism and apprehension. This year, a significant ongoing activity of the Academy’s public policy team was launching Actuarially Sound, a blog that features posts that span the gamut of public policy issues where the Academy engages. In wrapping up my 2024 blog contributions, it made sense to build upon Alphabet Soup Round 2 – NCOIL with a debrief of the recent National Council of Insurance Legislators’ (NCOIL) fall meeting. After all, ’tis the season.
NCOIL’s Fall Meeting
The fall meeting of NCOIL took place in San Antonio at a hotel on the city’s famed River Walk in late November. It featured a special opening reception at The Alamo, which I strongly encourage everyone to visit, as the beauty and history of this important destination should not be missed.
The presentation materials and other resources from the meeting are available on NCOIL’s website.
Highlights of the general sessions include:
- Food as Medicine and Advancing a Healthy America
- Panelists discussed improving health for those people experiencing hunger, combating food deserts, and improving food safety.
- ERISA at 50: An Important Standard Setter or Roadblock to State Healthcare Innovations?
- Panelists discussed ERISA pre-emption, uniform plan administration for self-insured plans, and certain provider concerns with ERISA.
- Does SCOTUS’ Chevron Repeal Mean a Rebirth for State Regulation?
- Panelists discussed the impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, including its potential impacts on health insurance. For health insurance, a panelist identified potential impacts for the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on noncompete clauses for providers; the Affordable Care Act’s preventive services; the No Surprises Act (combatting unexpected medical bills); the updated Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (NBPP); federal rules governing the individual/small group health insurance markets; and others.
Highlights from the committee sessions include:
- Health Insurance & Long-Term Care Issues Committee
- Featured a discussion on prior authorization reform; approval of the NCOIL Value-Based Purchasing Model Act,; and further discussion on the NCOIL Improving Affordability for Patients Model Act.
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance Committee
- Featured state judges discussing what they consider in structured settlement cases; a presentation on the state of workers’ comp coverage for mental injuries; and a special focus on the Texas Workers’ Compensation Insurance System.
- Life Insurance & Financial Planning Committee
- Featured presentations on wellness program incentives in the long-term care insurance marketplace; LexisNexis Risk Solutions’ 2024 Life Insurance Mortality Risk Management Study; re-adoption of the NCOIL Life Settlements Model Act; and continued discussion on a Lifetime Income Resolution on Investment Solutions in Defined Contribution Plans.
- Financial Services & Multi-Lines Issues Committee
- Featured a readoption of the NCOIL Insurance Fraud Model Act; a presentation on the impact of inflation on insurance markets; and adoption of the NCOIL Transparency in Third Party Litigation Financing Model Act and Amendment.
- State-Federal Relations & International Insurance Issues Committee
- Featured adoption of the NCOIL Model Act in Support of Mental Health Wellness Exams; consideration of a Resolution in Support of Establishing Catastrophe Savings Accounts; and a presentation on patent practices in prescription drug markets.
- Property & Casualty Insurance Committee
- Featured adoption of the NCOIL Strengthen Homes Program Model Act; discussion on NCOIL Model Act Regarding Insurers’ Use of Aerial Images; and continued discussion on NCOIL Motor Vehicle Glass Model Act.
NCOIL Leadership Changes
- In 2025, New York Assemblywoman Pam Hunter will serve as president, Minnesota State Senator Paul Utke will serve as vice president, Louisiana State Representative Edmond Jordan will serve as treasurer, and Utah State Representative Jim Dunnigan will serve as secretary. Additionally, Will Melofchik, NCOIL’s current general counsel, will assume the role of chief executive officer in January.
As we look to 2025, the Academy anticipates potential presentations and further engagement with NCOIL. If you have any suggestions on potential NCOIL topics or ideas, please contact me (sonduck@actuary.org).