Episode Summary
This podcast episode featured an insightful discussion with Janet Trautwein, CEO of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), about key issues and trends in the health insurance industry.
Janet brings over 40 years of experience in health insurance, including 17 years as an agent in Texas before moving to Washington DC to work for NAHU over 20 years ago. She provides an insider perspective on the critical work NAHU does to support health insurance professionals across the country.
NAHU serves as the professional association for a diverse range of professionals in health insurance, including agents, brokers, third-party administrators, compliance officers, and more. With over 210 local chapters, NAHU provides networking, education, advocacy, and other resources to members nationwide.
A core function of NAHU is government affairs advocacy focused on both legislative and regulatory issues at the federal and state levels. Janet explained they have working groups of members specializing in topics like Medicare, employer-sponsored coverage, individual plans, surprise billing, and more. These groups research the issues thoroughly and provide informed, useful recommendations to policymakers on behalf of NAHU members.
Janet shared that NAHU has earned a reputation on Capitol Hill for providing meaningful solutions versus just talking points. A major advocacy event is their annual Capitol Conference when over 1,000 members meet with Congressional representatives to advocate on relevant health insurance issues.
In addition to advocacy, NAHU also provides extensive professional development opportunities for members. This includes compliance webinars on current topics, Medicare certification tailored for brokers, business skills webinars, and rigorous multi-course certifications. One new offering is their Medicare Advantage certification designed specifically for brokers' needs.
Due to COVID-19, NAHU is transitioning its annual in-person conference to a virtual event this October 24-27. Centered on the theme "Engage, Educate, Empower," the event will feature over 20 educational sessions and a virtual exhibit hall. Janet emphasized that affordable registration makes this event accessible for anyone looking to expand their knowledge and skills.
Throughout the discussion, Janet stressed the tremendous value NAHU membership provides through advocacy, education, networking, and access to the latest health insurance resources and information. This membership can help empower insurance professionals to build their skills and expertise.
Timestamps
(0:00:06) - Mike Smith talks with Janet Trautwein about the upcoming NAHU virtual conference
(0:01:15) - Stokes: I was an agent for 17 years in Austin
(0:02:31) - The National Association of Health Underwriters is for health insurance professionals
(0:07:09) - Talk to me a little bit about some of the legislative issues that Nahu works on
(0:17:13) - You mentioned a minute ago about professional development. Can you talk to me a little bit about some of the current projects
(0:22:24) - The National Association of Health Underwriters is holding a virtual conference this year
(0:28:38) - Nahu CEO Janet Trautwein shares tips on growing your business
