Fw: Legislative alert involving all horse people

["Linda Fisher" <kenlyn@idcomm.com>]

This sounds like something we all need to respond to.  Linda


----- Original Message -----
From: "Joy B" <joynetara@oz-online.net>
To: "Cynda Fells" <cyndaf@tctelco.net>; "Laura Meyer" <TOBY23726@aol.com>;
"Denise Herman Meyer" <EngAcres@aol.com>; "Kim. Vornauf"
<k_vornauf@yahoo.com>; "Anne Jennifer Ramsey" <hiddenriverfarm@hotmail.com>;
"Jerry Joan Fletcher" <Sequoia-Arabians@worldnet.att.net>; "Pam Byerley"
<pbyerley@hotmail.com>; <MWArabs@aol.com>; "marilyn taylor"
<grannymarilyn@yahoo.com>; "Kathryn V" <lacendiamonds@kscable.com>; "Joy
Benninghoven" <joynetara@oz-online.net>; "Jennifer Ramsey"
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"Harold D. Thieszen" <harolddt@southwind.net>; "Deana David Pryor"
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Waterworth" <BAKHOELADY@aol.com>; <jdpearsall@aol.com>; "Glen R Sharon Fant
TRUE" <grtrue@glasshorsefarm.com>; "Kathleen VonDeLinde"
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<ewe@feist.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 5:06 PM
Subject: Fw: Legislative alert involving all horse people


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lise Murchison" <kshorsecouncil@jbn2.jbntelco.com>
> To: <Recipient list suppressed>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 3:04 PM
> Subject: Legislative alert involving all horse people
>
>
> >To all KHC members,
> This is VERY important to all horse people.  We urge you to take IMMEDIATE
> action as the date of April 9 is approaching quickly.  Please read this
and
> respond to the address below or call the American Horse Council who is
also
> fighting for our rights.  They cannot do this alone.  WE need to bombard
> them with letters to keep this bill from passing.  It will affect your
> medical insurance by denying you payment in case of an injury you receive
> while participating in an equine activity.
> Don't let this one slide by, respond ASAP.
> The Kansas Horse Council
>
>
>
> >                           Contact: American Horse Council
>
> >Immediate Release               Phone: 202.296.4031       March 26,2001
>
> > Federal Agencies  Propose Adverse Rules on Health Insurance Coverage
> >for Riders Regulations proposed by  the Internal Revenue Service, the
> >Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration  and the Health Care
Financing
> >Administration could affect people who enjoy  horseback riding (and other
> >forms of recreation) by permitting health insurers  to exclude coverage
for
> >injuries resulting from riding and other forms of  "dangerous"
recreation.
> >While the new proposals state that an employer cannot  refuse health-care
> >coverage to an employee based on participation in  recreational
activities,
> >they permit health insurers to deny coverage for  injuries sustained in
> >connection with such recreational activities, effectively  reaching the
> >same result.  The new regulations were  jointly issued by the three
federal
> >agencies as interim rules, which means they  are effective now.  But the
> >public  has until April 9 to comment on the proposals and such comments
> >will be  considered. These proposed  regulations permit exclusions from
> >health insurance coverage based on  activities, including horseback
riding,
> >that Congress sought to protect.  In 1966, Congress passed the Health
> >Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.  As we read this Act, it
was
> >intended to  prohibit health insurers from denying health coverage based
on
> >a worker's  pre-existing medical condition or participation in legal
> >recreational  activities. The legislative history of the Act states that
> >the law "is intended  to ensure, among other things, that individuals are
> >not excluded from  health-care coverage due to their participation in
> >activities such as  motorcycling, snowmobiling, all-terrain vehicle
riding,
> >horseback riding, skiing  and other similar activities." Recreational
> >groups,  including the American Horse Council, worked to have that
language
> >included in  the legislative history of the Act because some employers
and
> >insurers were  discriminating against recreationalists, leaving them
> >without coverage if they  were involved in recreational pursuits.
> >Incidents of discrimination involved the denial of health-care protection
> >to employees not only involved in illegal activities, like driving a car
> >while  intoxicated, but also when involved in legal recreational
> >activities, such as  those mentioned above. While the proposed rules
> >prohibit a person from being denied health insurance coverage simply
> >because he  or she engages in riding, they also permit an insurer to
> >exclude benefits for  injuries suffered while engaged in such activities.
> >This effectively excludes individuals  engaged in such activities. The
AHC
> >will submit  comments to the federal agencies in opposition to this
> >provision.  We urge any individual or equine  organization to do
likewise.
> >
> Comments must be submitted by April 9 to: &SP:RU (REG-109707-97)   Room
> >5226  Internal Revenue Service   P.O. Box 7604  Ben Franklin Station
> >Washington, DC 20044   U.S. Department of Labor   Pension and Welfare
> >Benefits  Administration  200 Constitution Avenue, NW   Room C-5331 -
> >Attention:  Nondiscrimination Comments  Washington, DC 20210   Health
Care
> >Financing  Administration  Department of Health and Human  Services
> >Attention: HCFA-2022-IFC   P.O. Box 26688  Baltimore, MD 21207  A sample
> >letter  follows.  Please retype it on your  stationary and re-draft it to
> >make it as personal as possible.  This will give it more weight. Send the
> >same letter to each agency.  Do not  simply send this memo in to the
> >agencies.  ************
> >                                    April X, 2001      &SP:RU
> >(REG-109707-97)  Room 5226   Internal Revenue  Service  P.O. Box 7604
Ben
> >Franklin Station   Washington, DC 20044    U.S. Department of  Labor
> >Pension and Welfare Benefits  Administration  200 Constitution Avenue,
NW
> >Room C-5331 - Attention:  Nondiscrimination Comments  Washington, DC
20210
> >  Health Care Financing  Administration  Department of Health and  Human
> >Services  Attention:  HCFA-2022-IFC  P.O. Box 26688   Baltimore, MD 21207
> > Dear Sir or  Madam:  We are writing in opposition  to the
> >non-discrimination regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and
> >Accountability Act (HIPAA) proposed by your agency in January.   Like
tens
> >of millions of  other American we enjoy horseback riding.   We
participate
> >as follows..   Obviously, if we are unable to purchase health insurance
> >that protects us  as we participate in this legal activity, it will
affect
> >our continued  participation.  These rules will affect more  than just
us.
> >An economic study  commissioned by the American Horse Council shows that
> >recreational horseback  riding has a $23.8 billion economic impact in the
> >U.S., supports 317,000 jobs  and involves 3 million horses. This segment
of
> >the American horse industry is  growing rapidly.  Horse owners,
breeders,
> >stables, outfitters, dude ranches, veterinarians and feed and tack
stores
> >all rely on the individual rider.   The rules your agency proposes will
> >adversely affect this entire  industry.  We support the original
> >Congressional intent of the bill, which is to protect individuals like
> >horseback  riders from being discriminated against and denied health
> >insurance coverage  simply because they are participating in a legal,
> >recreational activity.  We urge you to change the proposed rules  to
ensure
> >medical coverage, including benefits, for injuries that may occur  while
> >riding and engaging in other legal, recreational activities.   Thank you
> >for your  consideration.   Sincerely,
>
>
>
>