The Obama Administration appears to have used a fairly convoluted process to make clear what many have been suggesting since federal health reform passed in March 2010. Simply put, the Obama Administration, through its U.S. Health and Human Services Department, wants insurance agents and brokers out of providing advice on health plans to consumers and businesses.

Two insurance industry trade groups, one in Pennsylvania and the other in Delaware, have notified the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) that they will cease their affiliation, effective Jan. 1, 2012.

An organization that educates legislators on insurance issues is working with insurance associations to create a model legislation for states concerning misuse of certificates of insurance.

Edward J. Fernandez, president of Palisades Cos., was named the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) 2011 Company Representative of the Year at the group’s recent meeting in San Francisco.

A task force in an association of state insurance commissioners has endorsed a bill in Congress that would exclude insurance agent and broker compensation from health reform‘s medical loss ratios.

Capitol Financial Solutions (CFS) Brokerage Services department was endorsed by the Professional Insurance Agents Association (PIA) of NC to offer members its product line.

An insurance trade group says the U.S. House is “moving in the right direction” toward affirming state-based insurance regulation by voting to defund health insurance exchanges.

The U.S. Senate has joined the U.S. House of Representatives in passing a bill that will repeal the 1099 tax reporting requirements imposed on businesses with federal health reform.

The U.S. Senate plans to vote April 5 to repeal a tax-reporting requirement included in last year’s federal health reform law that has angered small business owners.

A bill that would create a “one-stop shop” for agents with licenses in multiple states should be filed in the U.S. House of Representatives this week, insurance officials say.