The Council for Affordable Health Insurance is an insurance industry-based association pursuing changes in the nation's health care system. Besides insurance companies, members also include small businesses, health-care providers, actuaries, nonprofit organizations and individuals. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C., the CAHI lobbies on health-care issues.
Mission
The CAHI's mission is to "develop and promote free market solutions to America's health care challenges, so that all Americans have access to affordable health insurance." The CAHI advocates national tort reform for medical liability malpractice awards, legislation already passed in some states. CAHI analysts research possible effects of all legislation dealing with health insurance, producing reports and joining with other organizations to get its message out to legislators and the media.
Board of Directors
The CAHI board of directors determines its activities and policies. Sitting on the board are top insurance executives with a long history of health care insurance policy experience. Board member duties include development of policy positions, federal and state legislation review, and testifying before state and federal legislators and committees.
Health Savings Accounts
The CAHI promotes expansion of Health Savings Accounts, which are a combination of tax-deferred accounts for savings and health insurance policies with high deductibles. According to the CAHI, such accounts offer protection for uninsured people from catastrophic illness costs or the effects of long hospitalizations. The savings account element is under the individual's control, used to pay smaller health-related expenses. Using HSA encourage consumers to be "value-conscious health care shoppers." CAHI also supports making HSA savings accounts tax-deductible rather than tax-deferred.
Other Goals
Among the CAHI's other goals is funding of high-risk individuals otherwise unable to purchase health insurance by use of state pools. CAHI wants Congress to contribute funding to expand this option. It proposes elimination of state mandates requiring insurers to provide comprehensive coverage. The CAHI advocates cost analysis on any proposed mandates to assess likely premium impact. The CAHI wants Congress to provide tax credits for the medically uninsured, proposing an annual $1,000 credit for individuals and $3,000 for families to purchase health insurance, as of March 2011.
Tags: health care, health insurance, Affordable Health, Affordable Health Insurance, CAHI advocates, CAHI wants
