Memorandum
March 12, 2010
To: Legislative Action Fund Partners
From: Shane Griffis, Specialty Agents Insurance Association (SA)
Regarding: Agency Payment Fee Fund Raising
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Specialty Agents had a good meeting with Senator Atwater on the 23rd of Feb, just as session was about to start. As you are probably well aware, Senator Atwater is the President of the Senate and a candidate for the state's CFO....the cabinet post currently held by Alex Sink who is running for Governor. Senator Atwater was very receptive to assisting agents and companies deal with fraud and much needed reforms such as agency payment fees. He asked for some data from us and insurance companies which we are in the process of providing.
The three primary initiatives which he is extremely interested in pursuing are:
Issue (1). Making certain that the PIP deductible, "co-pay" is not able to be waived by a medical provider. If someone seeking services has some "skin in the game" -- this will greatly reduce fraud.
Issue (2) Make the PPO, managed care option a real alternative to PIP which would meet the state's financial responsibility requirement and allow companies to have far greater control of the claim side and only network with providers they trust and are contracted with.
Issue (3) Enabling agencies' ability to collect a $5.00 service fee for the handling of payments for customers. Senator Atwater also did not voice any opposition to agents collecting these fees.
As the President of the Senate, Senator Atwater can make these initiatives happen and as someone running for CFO, he is very interested in working closely with agents and companies to alleviate fraud for good policy and political reasons.
Obviously we need agency owners and agents to help in our fight for payment fees. As you know taking payments in your office costs you money and is one of the most labor intensive things you do. We are working on this so that you can recover that cost. How can you help? Simple! We are asking agency owners and agents to contribute $100 per office. SA's goal is to raise $30,000 to help us help you in this year's legislative fight. Session is well underway and things are moving very quickly. You may ask -- How will this benefit me? Simple math -- $5.00 x 100 (payments a week) x 52 weeks = $26,000. We need to get every agency and agent involved in the fight to get a payment fee passed this legistrative session and build on the momentum we had last session.
Don't delay! Tomorrow is too late.
Please mail checks to:
Specialty Agents
1441 N Atlantic Ave STE # 119
Daytona Beach, FL 32118
or call to use your credit card 1-386-257-0595.
