In conjunction with Healthy Texas and other small employer benefit plans, additional opportunities exist for Texas small employers to save money on the cost of health care coverage through the small business health care tax credits available through federal health reform.  Information is available at www.healthcare.gov.

AON and its carrier - New Hampshire Insurance Company - are no longer endorsed by NAIFA.

Hudson, a judge in the U.S. District Court in Richmond, VA, says the individual health insurance ownership mandate violates the U.S. Constitution because Congress lacks the authority to compel an individual to involuntarily engage in a private commercial transaction.

The "Minimum Essential Coverage Provision," would require many people with incomes above a certain level to buy a minimum level of health coverage starting in 2014 or else pay a penalty. The provision provides for exceptions for individuals with religious objections to owning health coverage and individuals who cannot find affordable health coverage.

Supporters of the provision, including America's Health Insurance Plans, Washington, have argued that any universal health coverage system must include a health coverage ownership mandate, to avoid encouraging individuals to do without health insurance, then count on the generosity of government programs and society in general to provide a basic level of medical care, even though those individuals have made no serious effort to pay for care or health insurance themselves.

Hudson declined to vacate PPACA or impose an injunction.  "Without the benefit of extensive expert testimony and significant supplementation of the record, this court cannot determine, what, if any, portion of the bill would not be able to survive independently," Hudson says.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott praised U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson's ruling that the individual mandate in the PPACA is unconstitutional.  He said, "The federal health care takeover's requirement that all Americans - against their will - purchase government-approved health insurance is unprecedented and violates the Constitution.  The Commonwealth of Virginia's challenge, as well as Texas' challenge, contends that Congress does not have the authority to force individuals to buy a service from a private insurance company as a condition of being a law-abiding American, and unconstitutionally infringes upon Americans' individual liberties.  No public policy goal - no matter how important or well-intentioned - can be allowed to trample the protections and rights guaranteed by our Constitution."

Texas is part of a 20-state coalition that also is challenging the federal healthcare law's constitutionality. The lawsuit was filed in the Federal District Court in the Northern District of Florida immediately after President Obama signed the bill into law, and Attorney General Abbott is in Florida this week as part of that lawsuit.

January 2011 will see the opening of both the 82^nd Texas Legislature in Austin and the 112^th U.S. Congress in Washington, DC, and lawmakers in both cities will consider legislation that places at risk the income of agents/financial advisors in a way never seen in United States history.

On February 1, 2011, NAIFA -Texas will host the Representatives and Senators of the 82^nd Texas Legislative Session at a luncheon at the University of Texas Alumni Center in Austin. 

While the luncheon is the focus of the day, a full day of activities begins at 7:30 a.m. at the State Capitol Building where NAIFA-Texas members meet with their lawmakers to discuss timely issues important to agents and financial advisors.  These meetings strengthen the grassroots network that brings the needs of insurance and financial advisors into consideration during the lawmaking process.

Click here for a schedule/registration form/fee payment for the day's activities.

The legislative luncheon is a long time tradition that began when NAIFA-Texas was the Texas Association of Life Underwriters (TALU).