NAIC/Consumer Liaison Committee
September 29, 2007

The Consumer Liaison Committee met on Saturday, September 29, 2007.

During this meeting, the Consumer Liaison Committee:

• Received a presentation on the health insurance needs of the chronically ill. Particular focus was given to the health insurance needs of individuals with cancer. Consumer advocates indicated health insurance reforms for consumers with cancer should focus on health insurance adequacy, availability, affordability and administrative simplicity. In addition, the Committee received a presentation on what health insurers and regulators should know about the needs of the bleeding disorder community.

• Received a presentation on the Federal Mental Health Parity Legislation. Consumer advocates stressed that state-based consumer rights should be protected. In addition, consumer advocates stressed that any Federal legislation should not impose a Federal ceiling.

• Received comments from consumer advocates about their desire to have the NAIC revisit the NAIC’s Model Law Procedures as follows: (1) revise the criteria for model laws to include the establishment of strong consumer protection standards and eliminate the criteria that national uniformity is essential; (2) eliminate the second-class product of “guidelines;” (3) revise the criteria for adoption of model laws to either a simply majority or create a system of weighted voting based on state population and (4) exclude model regulations from the procedures for model laws.

• Received an update from the Center for Insurance Research regarding its Insurers Tracking Service. This system is being developed to help individuals find “orphaned” life insurance policies.

• Received comments from consumer advocates regarding the FTC study on insurance credit scoring. Consumer advocates questioned the validity of the data used for the FTC study and urged the NAIC to take a leadership role for the FTC study on how insurance credit scoring impacts the availability and affordability of homeowners insurance.