At the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) winter meetings, held December 4-7 in New Orleans, the Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs) Subgroup released its latest draft of the Unauthorized Transaction of Insurance Criminal Model Act. The model's purpose is to create penalties for the unlawful transaction of insurance. Mila Kofman and Eliza Bangit of Georgetown University attended the meeting and presented the findings of a study that focused on unauthorized MEWAs and the number of placements with these specific, unauthorized entities. It is important for PIA members that place group health to remember to check their respective state's department of insurance website for a list of accepted MEWAs and also verify with the department itself that any MEWA that the member places business with is accepted in that state.

December 17, 2004