The Power of A

Every year across the country, associations are helping society by creating programs within their members’ expertise designed to improve society.  These programs, no matter the size or scope, personify the Power of A message that associations are economic and societal drivers.  The Power of A often posts examples of programs that benefit society, but we want your associations to receive more than a post on this site: we want your association to be honored for its work and receive recognition from the entire association community.

That is the purpose of the ASAE Associations Advance America (AAA) Awards: recognition of association programs that propel American forward - with innovative projects in skills training and development; ethical, technical or professional standards; economic development; business and social innovation; information and knowledge creation; public education and information; civic and community volunteer activities; and citizenship and democracy enhancement.

In the current economy individuals and the government are more reliant than ever on nonprofits organizations to perform important social services and advocacy campaigns.  Your association is doing exactly that - why not take a few moments to enter it for a AAA Award?  Six of the AAA Award winners at the end of the year will be recognized as Summit Award winners - the highest honor that can be given to an association program.

Join associations like the Iowa Dental Association, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, and the School Nutrition Association in submitting your association’s contribution to society for an award.

Click here for the online application; click here for more details.

Quick Hits

Menu labeling is becoming a hot topic in the health care debate… Senator Lieberman (I-CT) is threatening a “no vote” in the Senate health care debate, a troubling development for the prospect of passage… The Washington Post reports the climate bill could face a rough road in the Senate… Net neutrality advocates express concern over the proposed FCC regulations.

In a move the national media is decrying as the death of the public option, the Senate Finance Committee voted down two amendments yesterday that would have inserted language into the Chairman’s Mark creating and funding a public insurance plan run by the federal government.

The Chairman’s Mark currently has language funding the creation of nonprofit cooperative health care plans, an idea meant to entice Republican and moderate Democratic votes for the Finance Committee legislation.  Both amendments sought to replace the cooperative language with public option language.  The first amendment, offered by Senator Rockefeller (D-WV), would have created a public option with a reimbursement structure for the first two years that mirrored Medicare, after which the government would have negotiated reimbursement rates with providers.  The proposal, seen as the most liberal public option plan, was defeated 15-8 with opponents claiming the Medicare rates were too low for doctors and hospitals.

The second amendment was offered by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY).  Like the Rockefeller amendment, the Schumer amendment would have created a public plan but have negotiated reimbursement rates with providers from its creation.  That amendment was defeated by a 13-10 vote, with all 10 Republican committee members voting against it with Senators Lincoln (D-AR), Conrad (D-ND), and Baucus (D-MT).  After considering those two amendments, the committee moved through a few more amendments (including approving a Republican amendment requiring members and staff to participate in a state-based exchange for insurance) before adjourning around 10 PM.  The markup will continue at 10 AM today, and is being broadcast over the internet at the committee website.

The 10^th Annual Summit Awards Dinner

A special thanks to those who attended and supported the 10^th Annual Summit Awards Dinner last night at the National Building Museum.  The dinner honors six incredible association programs (which you can see here) that exemplify the Power of A message of associations as pioneers of collaborative problem solving.  Please visit our site www.asaecenter.org/summitdinner in the upcoming weeks to view pictures of the event and find out more information about next year’s dinner.

Quick Hits

Roll Call (subscription) is reporting this morning that the White House is preparing a draft (or possibly multiple drafts) of health care legislation that can be introduced or use to influence the debate if Congress stalls on consideration of comprehensive legislation… America’s Health Insurance Plans, the trade association for the insurance industry, released an outline of how the Finance language would affect the insurance industry… Senator Carper (D-DE) is discussing with Democratic senators a state-based alternative to co-ops and the public plan… House leadership tries to trim the cost (subscription) of the Tri-Committee bill back to $900 billion.

Six associations have been selected by ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership’s Associations Advance America (AAA) Committee to receive the 2009 Summit Award - ASAE’s highest honor for associations that implement innovative community-based programs.

Part of the AAA Awards Program, the Summit Award symbolizes the very best efforts designed by associations across the country in areas like public education/information, economic development, business and social innovation, skills training/development and civic and volunteer activities. The six Summit Award Recipients for 2009 were selected from a field of 38 Award of Excellence winners from two earlier AAA judging rounds this year.

This year’s winners are:

American Academy of Ophthalmology
EyeCare America (ECA) Seniors EyeCare Program
Oakland, CA

Independent Insurance Agents of New Mexico
SafeTeen New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM

Iowa Dental Association
Iowa Mission of Mercy
Des Moines, IA

Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers
Massachusetts Community Health Center Primary Care Provider Loan Repayment Program
Boston, MA

School Nutrition Association
Vote for School Lunch 2008 - Presidential Edition
Alexandria, VA

Women’s Basketball Coaches Association
WBCA Pink Zone
Lilburn, GA

The Summit Award winners will be recognized at the annual ASAE Summit Awards Dinner, taking place September 29, 2009.  For more information about the Summit Awards Dinner, contact ASAE at 202.626.2703 or publicpolicy@asaenet.org.

Quick Hits

The healthcare timetable is no more, according to Senator Reid… The Senate Finance Committee tries to find a way to pay for its health care reform bill… HELP Committee debates amendments (subscription) to its public plan and employer mandates… Majority Leader Reid clarifies his comments from yesterday to key Senate Republicans… Health care reform from the perspective of one state’s small business community.