The Power of A

Last year, ASAE launched the “Power of A” campaign, an interactive campaign designed not only to educate the public and lawmakers about how associations are social and economic drivers, but to engage the association community in a discussion about how individual associations show the Power of A.  The Power of A campaign will continue in the new year, and we are happy to introduce some new features.

The first is the addition of information and content on the upcoming American Associations Day 2010, March 23-24 2010.  American Associations Day has traditionally been the event for association leaders from across the country to visit their Congressional delegation and share how their associations benefit society, as well as advocate of important association management issues such as health care, tax reform, and association meetings.  This year’s event will incorporate the Power of A message, and participants will see a new format and emphasis on the Power of A on both days of the event.  ASAE is currently planning these changes, and we will continually update this site with information on changes and improvements to the event.  Additionally, we plan on including new links and information about American Associations Day on this site and will announce when the site changes are complete.

ASAE will also announce new features on this site that will in many ways help associations show how valuable our profession is to both society and the economy.  While some of steps are in the final planning stage and others will be unveiled throughout the year, the Power of A site will continue to be your hub for association information and statistics that ANY association can use to show their value.

However, we want to hear from you: what would YOU like to see from the Power of A in 2010? Respond in the comment section below or add the hashtag #pwra to a Tweet with your suggestion.  You can also contact the ASAE Public Policy Department at (202) 626-2703 or publicpolicy@asaenet.org.

As expected, the Senate broke for August recess last week without the Finance Committee releasing a health care bill.  The news today however is comments made by a Democratic leader that signals a possible concession to the Finance Committee and Senate Republicans on a controversial section of the leadership’s bill.

Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL) on CNN’s State of the Union said he was willing to support health care legislation without a public plan.  According to The Hill, Durbin said “I support the public option but yes, I am open” to voting for legislation without it.  Currently, the Senate Finance Committee’s health care proposal does not contain a public plan and substitutes language creating privately-owned “cooperatives”.

While the Finance Committee’s bill is still under wraps, The Washington Post last week revealed additional details contained in the legislation.  The revised bill lowered its cost by $100 billion while expanding Medicaid coverage and covering about 94% of Americans.  It also includes, as a financing option, a tax on “Cadillac” insurance plans.  The tax would be up to 35% on insurance companies that offer health insurance plans valued above $21,000 for families or $8,000 for individuals.

Despite reported progress, the six Senate Finance negotiators have yet to finalize the bill, leading even the negotiators to begin considering alternatives to their comprehensive plan.  Finance Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA) Tweeted yesterday that lawmakers should reconsider the so-called Wyden-Bennett health care bill.  The “Healthy Americans Act” would require all Americans to be insured in a Health Americans Private Insurance (”HAPI”) plan, either through the state or an employer, and provide federal subsidies for lower-income Americans.  The legislation has 14 bipartisan cosponsors, but was considered to this point a non-factor in the health care debate.

Quick Hits

Will the taxing of “Cadillac” plans lead to the same problems as the alternative minimum tax?… The White House creates a webpage to answer criticisms of health care proposals… USA Today finds that seniors are most resistant to changing the current health care system.