Fwd: New Equine Regulations That Could Cost You Thousands

["Libby O'Quinn" <masndixn@hotmail.com>]

>From: "The Horse Stuff Company" <sales@horsestuffco.com>
>To: "Nonmembers" <nonmembers@horsestuffco.com>
>Subject: New Equine Regulations That Could Cost You Thousands
>Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2001 12:29:15 -0500
>
>If you ride a horse then please read this.  One of our alert customers 
>wanted us to forward this to our list.  This could cost all of us a bundle. 
>  Please take the time to write to the places indicated.  It is a bizarre 
>new regulation.  Think of the cost to all of us active with horses.  You 
>will be working with your horse without insurance on you!  Let's get this 
>repealed!
>Please forward this to all the horse people you know.
>
>Glennifer and Company
>
>
>
>Contact: American Horse Council
>
>For 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:
>
>
>
>CC:M&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 redraft 
>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
>
>
>
>CC:M&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,
>
>
>

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