Wisconsin Agents Push For Rule Changes

On the health side, the Wisconsin NAIFA chapter has joined a coalition of other industry, agent and employer groups, including the local unit of the National Federation of Independent Business, Washington, to ease Wisconsin health care mandates.

For instance, under Wisconsin law, all health insurance policies must cover fertility drugs, reconstructive surgery after cancer and services provided by a chiropractor, optometrist or nurse practitioner if the policy would cover the same services if performed by a physician or other medical specialist.

These mandates add to the cost of coverage and make it difficult for many small employers to offer health coverage, NAIFA maintains.

"We're finding small employers would be willing to cover catastrophic illness, if it weren't for the mandates," says Linck.

The Wisconsin NAIFA chapter also is seeking to convince the legislature to modify the state's statute on cash-value life insurance to protect death benefits from the policyholders' creditors. Current law makes almost all of the proceeds available to creditors, Linck notes.

"The surviving family has no protection," she says. "The purpose of the policy is gutted, and it penalizes the family. We're trying to modernize that."