Health Underwriter - Fairway Graphics, LLC

Greetings! As your new 

Colorado State Association of 

Health Underwriters President, 

I am looking forward to serving 

you. 

Before I look forward though, 

I must look backward to give 

thanks to our past President, 

Rudy Duetschmann. His prime 

objective over his tenure was to 

increase the state membership. The total membership 

today is 537 strong with 25% of our members in their first 

year of membership. He was instrumental along with 

Eden Ripingill, Heather Harte and Liza Fulton-Lidke in 

the resurrection of the Western Rockies AHU chapter 

that is now alive and well with 37 members. He was 

tireless in his effort to raise sponsorship monies for the 

CSAHU special event of the NAHU Annual Convention 

held here in Denver this last June. CSAHU sponsored 

the Winter park train ride through the spectacular 

mountains gave over 420 attendees an experience of 

a lifetime. His legislative committee, chaired by Allan 

Jensen accomplished a great deal. A new lobbyist 

was hired through an exhaustive RFP process. Cindy 

Sovine-Miller, our new lobbyist has taken our association 

to another level with her knowledge and influence 

with the Colorado State legislators. Our legislative 

committees along with Cindy Sovine-Miller worked 

tirelessly and are still working on HB 1355. Barry Teeters 

and Jim Sugden along with their committee drafted a 

comprehensive plan for the “208 Commission” that was 

one of four selected out of 31 submitted. This group is 

still working tirelessly on all the requests from the “208 

Commission” as they review the plans for Colorado 

healthcare reform. Looking back over the last year 

would not be complete without recognizing and giving 

thanks to our Executive Directors, Freddie and Keith 

Templeton who have spent numerous hours on special 

projects and our annual symposium. This last year’s 

symposium was the best ever with over 325 attendees 

and 3rd overwhelming Quarter 2007 support from our sponsors. CSAHU 

Health Underwriter 

A MessAge froM your stAte President 

Claudia Maciuk, CSAHU President 

3rd Quarter 2007 

is financially strong and ended their fiscal year within 

budget and money in the bank. 

Looking forward, the CSAHU leadership team, your 

state officers, committee chairs and local chapter 

leadership have a strong broad based understanding 

of the insurance industry that represents many years 

of experience. They work many volunteer hours for this 

organization’s membership. 

It is my objective as president to “serve” and “make a 

difference” in Colorado’s health care for the medically 

underserved, our state legislature, our members and 

our clients. My goals are to continue with grassroots effort 

to grow membership. I want to have fully integrated 

state and local boards working together as a team. I 

would like CSAHU to be sought out as the “Health Care 

Experts” and lastly to increase our Media and Communications 

efforts. Please contact me if you would like to 

volunteer hours to this great association. 

siCKo exPerienCe 

Sharlene K. Yabe, LTCP, DIA, DHP 

Hi everyone. I went and saw “Sicko” yesterday 

afternoon and thought I would send all of you, my 

fellow SCAHU Board members as well as my clients 

and friends, my thoughts on what I saw. First, I went 

to the 3:45 matinee on a Sunday and to my surprise, 

the theater was PACKED. Clearly Michael Moore’s 

message is of great interest to Americans. The movie 

opens up showing a man named Adam giving himself 

stitches in his knee as he sits on a sofa. Adam claims 

he’s doing this because he doesn’t have health 

insurance. What I noticed was Moore didn’t say there’s 

a Federal law that would have required an emergency 

room to assist this man had he gone to one. If that 

would have been unaffordable, Moore didn’t mention 

the possibilities of an After-Hours/Urgent Care center 

or other community-based clinics. The entire scene 

was to hammer home this man’s lack of choice but 

( continued - see “SICKO” on page 5)

22 

4th 3rd Quarter Quarter 2006 2007

Colorado State aSSoCiation of HealtH 

UnderwriterS 

8155 Briar Cliff Drive • Castle Rock, CO 80108 

720-733-8000 • Fax: 720-733-8999 • Email: csahu@rmecllc.com 

President: Claudia Maciuk 

Volk & Bell Benefits, LLC 

Phone: (303) 776-3105 • Fax: (303) 776-1875 

Email: cmaciuk@VBbenefits.com 

President Elect/Bylaws & Ethics Chair: Christopher Jones, RHU 

Summit Financial Strategies Group, LLC 

Phone: (719) 636-3934 x114 • Fax: (719) 442-2321 

Email: cjones@summitfinancialsg.com 

Past President: Rudy Deutschmann 

Brokers Assistance, Inc. 

Phone: (303) 996-5266 • Fax: (303) 996-6226 

Email: rudy@brokersassistance.com 

Communications/Media: Steve Dodder CLU, LUTCF 

Assurant Health 

Phone: (800) 462-8463 x 2 • Fax: (719) 593-8429 

Email: stdodder@assurant.com 

Secretary/Membership Chair: Eden Ripingill 

Broker’s Link 

Phone: (303) 996-0886 • Fax: (303) 226-7139 

Email: eden.ripingill@brokers-link.com 

Treasurer: Keith Taylor 

Health Insurance Advocates, Inc. 

Phone: (303) 699-4840 • Fax: (303) 699-4825 

Email: ktaylor919@comcast.net 

Legislative Chair: James Sugden CLU 

Employee Benefit Solutions, Inc. 

Phone: (303) 512-2981 • Fax: (303) 394-7180 

Email: jsugden@ebscolorado.com 

PAC Chair: Barry Teeters 

Assured Benefit Solutions 

Phone: (303) 691-6196 • Fax: (303) 531-5040 

Email: bdteeters@absoln.com 

Community/Public Service: Lisa Wright 

Kaiser Permanente 

Phone: (303) 306-2571 • Fax: (303) 306-2555 

Email: lisa.m.wright@kp.org 

Chapter Liaison: Rene Perreault LUTCF 

Consolidated Insurance Service 

Phone: (719) 594-4044 • Fax: (719) 531-0398 

Email: rrpcis@att.net 

Awards Chair: Joni Reents 

Romer, Reents & Associates, Inc. 

Phone: (303) 756-2663 • Fax: (303) 756-2630 

Email: jreents@earthlink.net 

Retention Chair: Heather Harte 

Aetna 

Phone: (720) 231-4090 • Fax: (303) 504-5321 

Email: hharte@aetna.com 

1st Vice President: Marie DeWolf 

DeWolf Insurance, Inc. 

Phone: 970-622-9982 • Fax: (970) 622-9984 

Email: mgdewolf@frii.com 

Education/Programs chair: Nancy Dodder 

MyEphit 

Phone: (719) 593-8434 • Fax: (719) 593-8429 

Email: njdodder@adelphia.net 

Leg Chair/Federal: Holly Hanson RHU 

Benefits Broker 

Phone: (719) 545-4840 • Fax: (719) 545-4849 

Email: hvhanson@qwest.net 


national aSSoCiation of HealtH UnderwriterS 

region Vii ContaCtS 

Region VII Membership Chair: Carolynne Muldoon 

Colorado Employee Benefit Group, LLC 

Phone: (303) 774-0255 • Fax: (303) 774-0256 

Email: cmuldoon@cobenefits.net 

Region VII Leg Chair: R. Allan Jensen 

Phone: (303) 912-5490 • Fax: (866) 837-1248 

Email: allanjensen@earthlink.net 

Region VII RVP: Anne P. Sperling, CSA, LPRT 

Daniels Insurance, Inc. / Santa Fe 

Phone: (505) 982-4302 • Fax: (505) 982-2069 

Email: asperling@danielsinsuranceinc.com 

NAHU Vice Leg Chair: James Scholl CLU,ChFC 

Scholl & Associates 

Phone: (303) 770-5050 • Fax: (303) 770-5393 

Email: jamie@schollassociates.com 

Colorado State aSSoCiation of HealtH 

UnderwriterS CHapter preSidentS 

FRAHU President: Joel Rosenblum 

Phone: (720) 298-3516 • Fax: (303) 996-6225 

Email: joelrosenblum@comcast.net 

MDAHU President: R. Allan Jensen 

Phone: (303) 912-5490 • Fax: (866) 837-1248 

Email: allanjensen@earthlink.net 

NCAHU President: Sandy VandeWalle 

Vande Walle Insurance 

Phone: (970) 482-4814 • Fax: (970) 493-2880 

Email: vandewalle4814@msn.com 

SCAHU President: Shelly Lillibridge RHU 

Assurant 

Phone: (800) 462-8463 x4 • Fax: (719) 593-8429 

WRAHU President: Liza Lidke Fulton CSA,CFC 

Insurance & Wellness in the Rockies 

Phone: (970) 384-1900 • Fax: (970) 384-1901 

Email: liza.fulton@insuranceandwellness.com 

CSAHU & MDAHU Managers: Freddie & Keith Templeton 

Rocky Mountain Event Consultants 

Phone: (720) 733-8000 • Fax: (720) 733-8999 

Email: cashu@rmecllc.com 

Call for Articles 

If you have an article of interest to your association, 

please forward it to us by fax at 720-733-8999 or by 

email to csahu@rmecllc.com. 

3

3rd Quarter 2007

(“SICKO” continued from page 1) 

Moore clearly didn’t illustrate the other choices that 

were possibly available to him. Moore narrates that 

there are nearly 50 million uninsured Americans but 

does not expound on those numbers. For those of 

you who are not aware, there is a website called www. 

freemarketcure.com that was built by a free-lance 

film producer, Stuart Browning, who breaks down the 

numbers of uninsured in a riveting 9 minute video that’s 

posted on the home page. 

Please note Stuart Browning put his film together 

without funding from the insurance industry, brokerage 

community or medical field. (A quick breakdown is 17 

mm make over 50k a year and choose NOT to insure 

themselves, 18 mm are the young invincible 18-32 

who would rather spend 4x more on smoking, drinking, 

dining out and going out than spend it on insurance. 

There are approx. 12 mm-undocumented workers who 

get free coverage at ER rooms and have no incentive 

to become documented & insured. Other uninsureds 

are the indigent population whose last concern is 

health insurance. The bottom line breakdown is only 

about 8 mm people actually remain uninsured through 

no fault of their own.) One of Moore’s case histories 

was a woman named Laura Burnham who said 

she received a notice from her insurance company 

that her ambulance ride from the scene of her car 

accident wasn’t pre-approved and thus wouldn’t be 

paid. Moore certainly doesn’t go into investigating the 

obvious claim coding problem with that incident and 

leaves the uninformed viewer to believe an insurance 

company would legitimately decline this claim during 

an emergency. My question was, did her broker get 

involved? Did this issue ultimately get resolved? We 

weren’t given a resolution, just her initial comments. 

By cutting the story short, Moore gives the uninformed 

viewer the impression it was the “big, bad insurance 

company’s” blatant denial and was not on part of human 

error in handling the claim to begin with. The audience 

I was in certainly thought so. Dr. Linda Peeno was a 

former Humana review doctor who testified before 

congress she was told she had to maintain a 10% claim 

denial rate in exchange for career promotions. What 

Moore DOESN’T say is Dr. Peeno was a part-time 

contractor with Humana and NOT eligible for any sort of 

promotion or other career advancement from Humana. 

Also, Dr. Peeno testified before Congress that she had 

to tell an insured that his heart transplant would not 

be covered and that the insured subsequently died 

because of that decision. This is a misrepresentation, 


per Humana’s press release (6/28/07) that states the 

employee was insured under an employer plan where 

the employer chose NOT to cover heart transplants, 

and the employee died two years later and wasn’t even 

covered by Humana at the time he died. Moore’s film 

points the finger at Humana and makes it appear it’s 

the carrier’s fault the heart transplant coverage was not 

in effect Moore’s basic theme throughout the movie is 

how successful the single payer systems in Canada, 

Great Britain, Cuba and France are. Mysteriously 

he wasn’t able to find a waiting room in Canada that 

had long waits, was able to find people who said they 

had no problem in receiving treatment in a timely 

manner. I know from personal experience that I have 

never spoken to a Canadian who likes the Canadian 

system or has had any success with it. It’s been my 

experience the horror stories are more frequent than 

success stories coming out of our neighbors to the 

north. He doesn’t let us know Cuba has a two-tiered 

hospital system with the best hospitals reserved for 

public officials and Cuban sports superstars. The 

average Cuban goes to the other hospitals where they 

have to bring their own food, soap and sheets. He 

doesn’t talk about Great Britain’s health system simply 

flipping over bed sheets for new patients instead of 

washing them, or bodies of deceased patients being 

left in beds next to living patients, until the next “shift” 

came in to take them to the morgue. I noticed Moore 

likes to use humor to disarm and draw the viewer into 

trusting what he’s saying. It struck me that this would 

be the type of approach a stranger might use with you, 

to get you to drop your guard and trust him, believe 

what he says. (I suspect Ted Bundy used a similar 

approach.) Judging from the laughter and applause 

coming from the audience, Moore’s tactic works (as 

did Bundy’s and we know how that turned out). I also 

noticed Moore kept talking about the U.S. needing 

to go to a single payer system, then more than once 

he pointed a finger at out how the U.S. government 

couldn’t be trusted, how government officials have 

already been paid off in the past to ensure the failure 

of programs such as the Medicare Prescription Drug 

Act, etc. He insinuated Hillary Rodham Clinton had 

accepted campaign donations in return for her silence 

after the failure of Hillarycare in the 90s and he does 

this AFTER inferring her “well-intentioned” program 

was defeated by industry lobbyists and their campaign 

donations to congressmen. (Yet today Hillary is one of 

the front-running proponents of a single-payer system 

and this didn’t happen overnight. Does this make any 

( continued on next page)

(continued from previous page) 

sense? He proposes rolling out a government-run 

system to a government he says can’t be trusted? 

Overall, this movie does not offer any solutions, only 

more confusion and controversy. It’s little wonder this 

is a for-profit movie as opposed to Stuart Browning’s. 

I noted the film’s distributor, Lion’s Gate (Farenheit 

911) said that Farenheit 911 was released in 800 

theaters and grossed 100mm. It went out of theaters 

so fast that they only released “Sicko” in about 400 

theaters so it would hopefully hang around a lot 

longer. Gee, is perhaps the real agenda here to make 

MORE than 100mm because that wasn’t enough?? 

Moore DOES have many other case histories that 

are very convincing and do demonstrate that there is 

a problem with possible corruption in the insurance 

industry where claims payment is concerned. (But 

let’s also keep in mind every industry has corruption 

at some level-remember Enron?) While corruption at 

any level in the insurance industry is unacceptable, 

Moore doesn’t address the need for federal legislation 

to investigate and demand changes so these incidents 

aren’t allowed to continue to occur. He just points the 

finger and leaves it at that. He would rather “throw 

out the baby with the bath water” when it comes to 

our health care delivery system than attempt to fix the 

broken components to begin with. He would see the 

rest of us be insured by a government he says doesn’t 

have our best interests at heart, while he can use his 

millions to receive healthcare anywhere in the world. 

I do encourage everyone to be open and aware of 

what is going on the political front both in Colorado 

and in the forthcoming presidential race. Colorado is 

currently reviewing our own system and one of the 4 

proposals before Governor Ritter’s 208 commission 

is concerning a single payer system. One proposal 

has been submitted by a group of people with whom I 

have first-hand interaction and found them to be terribly 

misinformed and basically unqualified to present rolling 

out their ideas onto Colorado’s residents. They couldn’t 

offer up any shred of proof of their own assertions 

and told me I could do an internet search for my 

answers. I was supposed to Google answers to 

THEIR own assertions? If you are going to see 

this movie, please keep an open mind that it’s 

one-sided, offers incomplete case scenarios and 

ultimately offers no resolutions to the healthcare 

problem-only controversy. While we obviously have 

a problem with affordable health care coverage in 

this country, it’s clear the motive behind this movie 

is MONEY and it’s NOT money that’s going toward 

health insurance for the 8mm people who can’t get it. 

Sincerely, 

Sharlene K. Yabe, LTCP, DIA, DHP 

Owner/Consultant 

nfiB, HB-1355 And 

tHe Profit Motive 

Recently, Gov. Ritter signed HB-1355, a bill that would 

eliminate discounts for healthy groups in the small 

group health insurance marketplace. The Colorado 

State Assn. of Health Underwriters opposed the 

bill in our belief that its passage would raise rates 

for almost two thirds of small employers with group 

health plans. The National Federation of Independent 

Business vigorously supported removal of discounts 

with the assertion that passage of HB-1355 actually 

would lower health insurance rates. Those of us with 

some experience in the health insurance business 

scratched our heads over NFIB’s twisted logic, but 

didn’t doubt their motives. Now we know better. 

NFIB has unleashed an aggressive national mailing 

campaign to solicit businesses to its own individually 

underwritten medical plan. This fully underwritten, 

individual policy, medical program is being marketed to 

employers. It touts itself as being less expensive than 

group health insurance because they “do not have to 

cover everyone, nor do they have to cover pre-existing 

conditions”. Their tactic is to offer a plan that cuts costs 

for employers by rejecting for coverage any employee 

who isn’t healthy enough to qualify. It doesn’t seem to 

bother NFIB that many of those employees who are 

denied coverage will become uninsured or may be 

compelled to seek coverage through CoverColorado, 

a high risk pool that is subsidized by Colorado tax 

payers. 

So, it seems that NFIB’ s aggressive campaign to 

eliminate group health insurance discounts was really 

just a ruse to pave the way for it’s own “discount” 

medical plan. Shame on NFIB for its ghoulish behavior! 

Small group health insurance provides employees with 

coverage regardless of their health status or their preexisting 

conditions. NFIB’s cynical effort to impair the 

small group market in order to pursue their own profit 

agenda seriously impairs their creditability in the health 

( continued on next page) 

3rd Quarter 2007

(continued from previous page) 

insurance debate. 

Health care and health insurance reform are long 

over-due. Both issues are being pursued by the 

Governor’s 208 Commission and by many concerned 

and dedicated Coloradoans. NFIB’s efforts to impair 

the Colorado small group medical market just to 

make a buck is contrary to the best interests of the 

people of Colorado and ultimately to NFIB’s Colorado 

members. 

James L. Sugden, CLU 

Co-Chair, Legislative Issues 

Colorado State Assn. of Health Underwriters 

CsAHu grAssroots 

After our battle with HB 1355, the removal of rating 

flexibility, it became evident that we need to have methods 

to mobilize our members and clients quickly. The 

CSAHU grass roots program should be the strongest 

and most effective tool for rapidly disseminating information 

to legislators. While lobbyists are an important 

part of the legislative process, it is your relationship 

with your legislators that make a difference. Your 

discussions with your legislators are the key to our 

success. Your knowledge of issues, statewide and 

nationally, and your involvement are crucial to accomplishing 

our goals. Enhancing CSAHU’s grassroots 

network is a top priority. 

Enhancing the Grass Roots Effort of Colorado 

State Association of Health Underwriters 

Each chapter’s legislative officers are responsible for 

notifying local members of your Senate and House 

representatives based on your home address. Please 

let them know if there are any discrepancies. Keep the 

contact information nearby. When you receive a call 

to action from CSAHU there will be talking points on 

the issue. That is the time to immediately contact your 

legislators. Establish relationships with your elected 

officials; specifically with legislators in your district and 

those that hold key committee or leadership positions. 

Now is always a good time to introduce yourself so 

they will remember you when you call on them later to 

request support of or opposition to an issue. 

Our membership strength goes beyond the number 

of members we have, it extends to our clients. We 

are their voice. When we present to the legislature 


we want them to know the extent of our representation. 

Therefore, NAHU will be sending a survey to all 

of you asking a few questions about your business. 

This information will reinforce our positions. 

Member responsibilities: 

1. Be prepared. Know who your Elected Officials are. 

We will help provide you with this information. Bills 

move quickly at the legislature. The legislative 

process can be used by supporters and opponents 

to thwart the efforts of parties interested in the bill. 

Therefore CSAHU has to have a nimble process 

which can respond rapidly and forcefully. In reality, 

a bill can be introduced, heard by both houses and 

sent to the Governor in as little as three days. When 

you are called upon by your legislative director to 

get in touch with legislators to support or oppose a 

bill or subject of interest to you, having the contact 

information ready to go will help you and CSAHU 

be successful. Your elected officials can be located 

by going to www.nahu.org or www.vote-smart. 

org. 

2. Keep a list of your clients who understand the issues. 

As bills go through the legislature CSAHU 

members are the best equipped to provide business 

owners dealing with the ramifications of the 

legislation that is passed. When you deliver a 

renewal, channel the frustration of your clients into 

action. Give them the contact information for their 

legislators. Ask if they would be willing to testify 

or speak out against future legislation that would 

further increase their rates. Keep your list nearby 

for when the call to action is given. 

CSAHU has worked hard for years at the state capitol 

assuring that you and your professional goals continue 

to be successful. At the end of the day, your legislators 

want to hear from you! You are their constituents, 

community leaders and the people to whom they are 

accountable. 

7

3rd Quarter 2007

Your 2007-2008 CSAHU Board of Directors 

President 

Claudia Maciuk 

Volk & Bell Benefits, LLC. 

303-776-3105 

cmaciuk@vbbenefits.com 

President Elect/Bylaws & Ethics 

Chair 

Christopher Jones RHU 

Summit Financial Strategies 

Group, LLC 

719-636-3934 x114 

cjones@summitfinancialsg.com 

Past President 

Rudy Deutschmann 


303-996-5266 

rudy@brokersassistance.com 

Treasurer 

Keith Taylor MBA 

Health Insurance Advocates, Inc. 

303-699-4840 

ktaylor919@comcast.net 

Secretary/Membership Chair 

Eden Ripingill 


(303) 996-0886 

eden.ripingill@brokers-link.com 

1st Vice President 

Marie DeWolf 


970-622-9982 

mgdewolf@frii.com 

Legislative Chair/State 

James Sugden CLU 


303-512-2981 

jsugden@ebscolorado.com 

PAC Chair 

Barry Teeters 


303-691-6196 

bdteeters@absoln.com 


Leg Chair/Federal 

Holly Hanson RHU 


719-545-4840 

hvhanson@qwest.net 

Region VII Membership Chair 

Carolynne Muldoon 

Colorado Employee Benefit 

Group, LLC 

303-774-0255 

cmuldoon@cobenefits.net 

Communications/Media 

Steve Dodder CLU,LUTCF 


800-462-8463 x 2 

stdodder@aol.com 

Community/Public Service 

Lisa Wright 


303-306-2571 

lisa.m.wright@kp.org 

Awards Chair 

Joni Reents 


(303) 756-2663 

jreents@earthlink.net 

Retention Chair 

Heather Harte 

Aetna 

720-231-4090 

hharte@aetna.com 

Education/Programs chair 

Nancy Dodder 

MyEphit 

719-593-8434 

njdodder@adelphia.net 

NAHU Vice Leg Chair 

James Scholl CLU,ChFC 

Scholl & Associates 

(303) 770-5050 

jamie@schollassociates.com 

Chapter Liaison 

Rene Perreault LUTCF 


719-594-4044 

rrpcis@att.net 

FRAHU President 

Joel Rosenblum 

720-298-3516 

joelrosenblum@comcast.net 

MDAHU President/Region VII 

Leg Chair 

R. Allan Jensen 

303-912-5490 

allanjensen@earthlink.net 

NCAHU President 

Sandy VandeWalle 


970-482-4814 

vandewalle4814@msn.com 

SCAHU President 

Shelly Lillibridge RHU 

Assurant 

800-462-8463 x4 

WRAHU President 

Liza Lidke Fulton CSA,CFC 

Insurance & Wellness in the 

Rockies 

970-384-1900 

liza.fulton@insuranceandwellness. 

com 

CSAHU Region VII VP 

Anne P. Sperling CSA, LPRT 

Employee Benefits Manager 

505-982-4302 

asperling@danielsinsuranceinc. 

com

Your 2007-2008 CSAHU Executive Board Bios 

CSAHU President 

Claudia Maciuk – Volk and Associates 

Insurance Agency, Inc. 

Claudia Maciuk has been working in the Employee 

Benefits industry since 1978. She has extensive 

experience in claims processing, provider relations/ 

contracting and marketing. She has worked for Blue 

Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado, Sloans Lake 

Network, Eye Health Network and ProActa. She is 

currently working as an Employee Benefits Broker 

for Volk and Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. in Longmont, CO. She 

has a B.A. in Management from the University of Phoenix. She is active 

in her community serving on the board of the Longmont Area Chamber 

of Commerce and the Longmont Area Economic Council on the Primary 

Industry Committee. She was the founder and first president of Colorado 

Managed Care Contactors. She is a charter member and was involved 

in the formation of the Front Range Association of Health Underwriters 

(FRAHU) and has served in several positions on the board with the 

most recent position as President in 2005-2006 and Treasurer in 2006- 

2007. FRAHU is a local chapter of the Colorado Association of Health 

Underwriters which is a member of the National Association of Health 

Underwriters. Claudia and her husband, Henry live in Longmont and 

have four children and two grandchildren. 

CSAHU President Elect 

Christopher Jones - Summit 

Financial 

Moved to Colorado Springs in 1993. 

0 

Born in Los Angeles, California: April 3, 1959. 

Education: BS in Civil Engineering 1981; University 

of California Berkeley 

Married: Bobbi West, October 16, 1988. 

Children: Morgan – Age 13; Taylor – Age 9; Madison 

– Age 3 

Formed Summit Financial Strategies Group, LLC in 1996; currently 

Managing Partner. 

Licenses: Life, Health, Health Maintenance, Series 6, Series 7, Series 

63, Series 65 

Professional Designations: Registered Health Underwriter 2001 

President of the Southern Colorado Association of Health Underwriters; 

2001 to 2002. 

Director of the Southern Colorado Association of Health Underwriters; 

2003 to 2006. 

Treasurer or the Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters; 

2003 to 2005. 

President of the East Colorado Springs Rotary Club; 2003 to 2004. 

Favorite Cartoon: Far Side. 

Favorite Pet: Parker, a beagle dog that was part of the family from when 

I was 2 to age 13. 

Motto: By Endurance we Conquer. 

CSAHU 1 st Vice President 

Marie DeWolf, DeWolf Insurance, Inc. 

Bio not available at time of publication. 

CSAHU Secretary/Membership Chair 

Eden Ripingill – Broker’s Link 

Eden Ripingill has been working in insurance and 

employee benefits since 1996. Over the last ten 

years, she has held several Board positions with 

various associations. She has worked on both the 

insurance carrier side as well as broker side and 

now enjoys a job with Broker’s Link, a local general 

agency. Eden is an alumna of the University of 

Colorado, Boulder and a big CU Buffaloes fan. In her spare time, Eden 

enjoys golf, boating, gardening and spending time with her Cocker 

Spaniel, Fallon. 

CSAHU Treasurer 

Keith Taylor, MBA – Health Insurance 

Advocates 

Keith Taylor began working as an independent 

health insurance agent in 1991. He has over 

500 individual and group health clients. He has 

extensive experience in small business having 

owned several small businesses ranging from a 

telecommunications firm in San Francisco to a 

travel agency in Colorado. Keith holds a B.S. in accounting from Kansas 

State University and a MBA from the University of Southern California. In 

addition Keith is the founding chairman of the board of Northeast Academy 

- a charter school located in north Denver. In his leisure time he enjoys 

golfing tennis and cycling with his two children. 

CSAHU Media and Communications Chair and 

Region 7 LPRT Chair 

Steve Dodder, CLU, LUTCF – 

Regional Sales Director, Assurant 

Health 

• 1974 - The Prudential Insurance Company of 

America in Ft. Collins, CO 

• 1981 to 1986 - Partnered in life and health agency, 

Ft. Collins, CO 

• 1986 to present - Regional Sales Director for 

Assurant Health for AK, CO, ID, MT, WA & WY 

• Past President of the Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters 

(NAHU) 

3rd Quarter 2007

• Past President of the Colorado Springs NAIFA (National Association of 

Independent Financial Advisors) 

• 2007 – CSSAHU Media-Communications Chair. 

• 2004-05 NAHU Region VII Vice President for AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, 

UT, WY. 

• 2005 to 2006 - NAHU Health Care Cost Containment committee and 

the Wellness & Prevention subcommittee. 

• 2006 – present – NAHU Worksite Products Committee 

• 2007 – Region 7 LPRT Chair 

• 2005 - Present - Rocky Mountain Arthritis Foundation Board 

• Past Business Development Associate & Partner in www.myephit.com 

on line fitness, nutrition and wellness company, 20+ million members 

nationally. 

• Testified before the Colorado legislature on health care matters and 

reform issues 

• Conducted numerous training sessions on the HSA provisions of the 

Medicare Reform Legislation that went into effect Jan. 1, 2004. 

• Published several articles on HSAs and Agent Liability issues 

• Steve and his wife Nancy reside in Black Forest, CO and have 3 adult 

children. 

• Nancy and Steve enjoy camping, hiking, snowshoeing, travel and their 

4 grandchildren. 

If you have an article for the newsletter, or would like to advertise in the 

CSAHU newsletter or website please contact Steve Dodder at Steve. 

Dodder@assurant.com 

208 CoMMission: 

MDAHU will host a forum on September 19th, from 

9-12 in the morning at the Pepsi Center, featuring 

presentations from all of the initial four proposals 

selected by the 208 Commission for study, as well 

as an overview of the 5th proposal being prepared 

by the Commission itself. In addition, the event will 

feature a panel of health care and policy experts 

to debate the issues that will be coming before the 

Colorado legislature. All CSAHU members are invited 

to attend. There will be 3 CEs (applied for) and the 

cost will be $25. Here is a terrific opportunity to hear 

first hand about health care reform proposals being 

debated for Colorado from the authors themselves in 

a unique seminar. 

Also, the October MDAHU event will feature 

Alternatives to the Doctor’s Office: the Minute Clinic 

Onslaught, featuring Larry Hay, CEO of Greenwood 

Village based Smart Care. 


CoverColorAdo is 

PleAsed to AnnounCe A 

new CoordinAtion of 

Benefits PlAn effeCtive 

August 1, 2007. 

Barbara Brett, Executive Director CoverColorado 

The Coordination of Benefits plan will allow individuals 

who are under age 65, deemed disabled and receiving 

Medicare Benefits for Part A and B to purchase a 

Coordination of Benefits plan that works with their 

Medicare benefits. There is no prescription drug 

coverage being offered. 

In the past, individuals who were receiving Medicare 

benefits or eligible for Medicare benefits have been 

specifically excluded by Statute from eligibility for the 

CoverColorado program. CoverColorado has changed 

that portion of the eligibility rules to allow individuals 

who qualify for the COB product to purchase the new 

plan. 

This product is targeted to those individuals who, 

after being deemed disabled and receiving SSDI 

payments, either did not know about or missed 

their open enrollment opportunity to purchase a 

supplemental plan when they first became eligible 

for Medicare Parts A and B. By not taking advantage 

of the opportunity to buy the supplemental coverage 

during open enrollment, they will not have another 

opportunity to purchase this type of supplemental plan 

until the person is 65. 

The Coordination of Benefits Plan application can be 

downloaded from the CoverColorado web site or by 

requesting an application from the main office at 303 

863 1960. The application deadline is the 15 th of the 

month for a first of the month effective date. Applicants 

must provide a copy of their Medicare Card with their 

application. 

Brokers who assist individuals and submit a complete 

application will be paid a $25 referral fee. For further 

information see the CoverColorado web site at www. 

covercolorado.org or call 303 863 1960.

Your 2007-2008 Chapter Boards of Directors 

2 

FRAHU 

President 

Joel Rosenblum 

720-298-3516 

joelrosenblum@comcast.net 

President Elect 

James Sugden CLU 


303-512-2981 

jsugden@ebscolorado.com 

Treasurer/Past President 

Ryan Volk 

Volk & Bell, LLC 

303-776-3105 

rvolk@VBbenefits.com 

Vice President 

Michael Bellmont CFP 

Senior Resource, Inc. 

303-678-9470 

mbellmont@senior-resource.com 

Leg Chair 

Dorothy Marshall 

David A. Marshall & Associates, Inc. 

303-516-0522 

dorothy@davidamarshall.com 

Programs/Education 

Leslie Wallace 

Leslie Wallace Ins. Co. 

720-565-8900 

wallacela@comcast.net . 

Secretary 

Peter Augustoni 

Assurant Employee Benefits 

303-728-7165 

peter.augustoni@assurant.com 

Membership Chair 

Judy Heiserman 

UnitedHealthcare 

303-267-3409 

judy_heiserman@uhc.com 

Awards/LPRT 

Joni Reents 


303-756-2663 

jreents@earthlink.net 

Community/Public Service 

Terri Swanson PAHM 

Rocky Mountain Health Plans 

303-689-7367 

tswanson@rmhp.org 

Communication/Media 

Lars Parkin 

Bliley Insurance Group, LLC 

303-494-8866 

lars@blileyinsurancegroup.com 

MDAHU 

President 

R. Allan Jensen 

303-912-5490 

allanjensen@earthlink.net 


Eden Ripingill 


303-996-0886 

eden.ripingill@brokers-link.com 


Stephen Kinsky CLU 


303-504-6068 

stevekinsky@absoln.com 

Secretary/Treasurer 

Braiden Darley 

Principal Financial Group 

720-482-6965 x3019 

darley.braiden@principal.com 


Nicole Nance 

Ehrman & Associates, Inc. 

303-425-4180 

nicole@ehrman-inc.com 

Awards Chair 

Penny Bacon HIA 

Mercer Human Resource Consulting 

303-376-5823 

penny.bacon@mercer.com 

Chapter Liason 

Jay Steele CPA, CLU, CHFC 

Aetna, Inc. 

303-793-2564 

steelej1@aetna.com 

Communications/Media 

Christine Santucci 

Humana MarketPOINT 

303-773-0300 

csantucci@humana.com 

Community Service 

Kathryn Harmon 

Sloans Lake 

303-504-5350 

kharmon@hms-co.com 

Education 

Aaron Eisenach LTCP,CSA 

Krieger & Associates LLC 

303-697-8988 

aeisenach@kriegerltc.com 

Ethics/Bylaws 

Liz Whitney 

Mountain States Administration Co., 

Inc. 

303-360-9600 

lwhitney@msaclaims.com 

Fundraising 

Joe Brown 


303-967-2021 

jbrown@rmhp.org 

Leg Chair 

Barry Teeters 


303-691-6196 

bdteeters@absoln.com 

LPRT 

Rudy Deutschmann 


303-996-5266 

rudy@brokersassistance.com 


Heather Harte 

Aetna 

720-231-4090 

hharte@aetna.com 

Programs 

Philip Grout 


303-306-2546 

phil.k.grout@kp.org 

3rd Quarter 2007

Your 2007-2008 Chapter Boards of Directors (cont.) 

Public Service 

Rena Bugg 

Gemini Group, Inc. 

303-893-0300 

Rena.Bugg@GeminiGrp.com 

NCAHU 

President 

Sandy VandeWalle 


970-482-4814 

vandewalle4814@msn.com 


OPEN 

Past President/Leg Committee/ 

Communication 

Cynthia Pilkington CLTC 

Pilkington Financial Services, LTD 

970-522-6836 x26 

cindy@pilkingtonfinancial.com 

Communications 

Sandra Zimmerman 

Pilkington Financial Services Ltd. 

970-522-6836 x25 

sandy@pilkingtonfinancial.com 

Education & Awards 

Craig Sanders 

Sanders & Associates 

970-223-8809 

csanders@mstar2.net 

Leg Chair 

Cynthia Guldy CLU 

New York Life Insurance 

970-674-3556 

cguldy@ft.newyorklife.com 

Leg Committee 

Scott Rankin 


Judy Heiserman 

UnitedHealthcare 

303-267-3409 

judy_heiserman@uhc.com 

Program Assistant 

Isaiah Anderegg 

Sun Life Financial 

303-293-8955 

isaiah.anderegg@sunlife.com 


Programs 

Marie DeWolf 


970-622-9982 

mgdewolf@frii.com 


Joyce Moody 

AFLAC District Office 

970-224-9258 

am.insurance@comcast.net 

Secretary 

Jami Dorsey 

Front Range Insurance Group 

970-223-1804 

jami@frig.net 

Treasurer 

Kim Baumbach 

Marie DeWolf Insurance 

970-622-9982 

kbaumb@qwest.com 


OPEN 

SCAHU 

President 

Shelly Lillibridge RHU 

Assurant 

800-462-8463 x4 

shelly.lillibridge@assurant.com 


Jon Hicks 

Hicks Benefit Group 

719-278-0966 

jon@hicksbenefitgroup.com 


Rene Perreault LUTCF 


719-594-4044 

rrpcis@att.net 


Nancy Dodder 

MyEphit 

719-593-8434 

njdodder@adelphia.net 


Sharlene Yabe LTCP,DIA,DHP 

Transcendent Benefit Consulting LLC 

719-210-2160 

sharlene@transbens.com 

Awards Chair 

Keli Childs-Crisler 

Ben-E-Lect Employee Benefits 

719-237-3686 

keli@benelect.com 

Communications Chair 

Becky Meyer 

The Standard 

303-639-4620 

bmeyer2@standard.com 

Education Chair 

Gina Wesolek 

Colonial Supplemental Insurance 

719-687-0451 

gina.wesolek@coloniallife.com 

Fundraising Chair 

Brenda Hernandez-Trujillo 

Van Gilder Insurance Group 

719-634-8807 

btrujillo@vjic.com 

Hospitality 

Andy Orander 

AFLAC 

719-649-9787 

andy_orander@us.aflac.com 

Leg Co-Chair 

Carlos Douglas 

Insurance Marketing Enterprises, Inc. 

719-578-5570 

CAD1048@aol.com 

Leg Co-Chair 

Holly Hanson RHU 


719-545-4840 

hvhanson@qwest.net 


Linda Krueger 

Beta Health Association, Inc 

719-545-3652 

lindak@betadental.com 


Lillian Whitehawk Archuleta 

Time Insurance/Assurant Health 

800-462-8463 x3 

lillian.whitehawk@assurant.com 

3

Your 2007-2008 Chapter Boards of Directors (cont.) 

WRAHU 

President 

Liza Lidke Fulton CSA,CFC 

Insurance & Wellness in the Rockies 

970-384-1900 

liza.fulton@insuranceandwellness. 

com 

President Elect/Membership Chair 

Anita Pollock 

Beta Health Association 

970-683-5424 

anita@betadental.com 


Chuck Campagna 

Campagna Insurance 

970-945-4445 

ccampagna@sopris.net 

Programs/Education 

Patricia Pier 

Martin Insurance 

970-963-8117 

ppier@sopris.net 


Edward Krey 

Krey Benefit Solutions 

970-216-0571 

ed@kreysolutions.com 

Vice President/Sponsor/Awards 

Mitchel Helle 

Peter Martin Insurance Agency 

970-927-2391 

mitch@petermartininsurance.com 

Leg Chair 

Randall Pifer LUTCF 

Employee Benefits Consulting 

970-241-5542 

rpifer@employeebenefits.com 

Get Away 

from the every day 

in Sunny San Diego 

Media / Communications 

Carl Clay 

ClayStar Insurance Agency 

970-209-5535 

cclay@claystar.com 

Community Service 

Marc Riddick 

Neil-Garing Agency 

970-945-9111 

mriddick@neil-garing.com 

Awards Chair 

Beverly Troester 

Home Loan Investment Company 

970-254-0815 

beverlyt@hlic.com 

BenefitMall, the nation’s largest small-group 

employee benefits General Agency, is proud to 

announce our 6th annual sales incentive program, 

The San Diego Grand Del Mar Getaway. 

Ready to plan your getaway? 

Here are all the details: 

Reach the Goal: Sell $675,000 of new, annualized 

premiums with a minimum of five new cases with 

effective dates of July 1 through December 31, 2007. 

Enjoy Your Trip: You and your guest will join us 

for a four-day, three-night trip for two to The Grand 

Del Mar Resort, May 1 through 4, 2008. 

Double Your Reward: Sell $1,400,000 of new, 

annualized premiums with a minimum of five new 

cases during the same time period and you’ll receive 

an additional prize package for two. 

For Sales Assistance that can help you meet your 

sales goals, call the Denver BenefitMall office at 

800-977-3688. 

For complete rules and conditions for this sales incentive program, please visit www.BenefitMall.com. © 2007 BenefitMall ® . All rights reserved. BenefitMall, the circle “B” logo and the corporate logo are registered trademarks of Centerstone Insurance and Financial Services, Inc. 

California license #063979 

3rd Quarter 2007

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The CSAHU Private Mountain Train Excursion 

Thank you Humana and Assurant for your generous sponsorship of this event 

Click here to view all of the Train Excursion pictures 

3rd Quarter 2007


501 West Michigan 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203 

1-800-800-1212 


Assurant Health is 

pleased to have 

been a major sponsor 

for the 2007 CSAHU 

Private Mountain 

Train Excursion. 

7

weStern roCkieS aSSoCiation of 

health underwriterS 

Presents 

WRAHU Meeting for August 10, 2007 

Fellow Brokers and WRAHU Members: 

The CSAHU Chapter Events 

Metro denver aSSoCiation of 


MDAHU is planning a pertinent and timely series in 

September and October. Current planning centers around 

September 19th to bring acclaimed documentary filmmaker 

Stuart Browning into town to show and discuss his films 

(www.onthefencefilms.com) which focus on the problems 

with the Canadian health care system. In October, around the 

10th, we are working to assemble a panel to present the all of 

the 208 Commission proposals. Both events will be multi-CEs 

at reduced pricing. 

Please mark your calendars for the second Wednesday of 

every month for the MDAHU Monthly Breakfast Meetings. 

The first three months may veer off the second Wednesday 

due to the structure of the programs and availability of the 

Pepsi Center. The Pepsi Center will be hosting the MDAHU 

breakfasts, again, for the 2007-2008 year to accommodate 

our members in a more central location with free parking. 

Meetings will be a continental breakfast with registration 

starting at 7:30 a.m. followed by an hour educational program 

at 8:00 a.m. 

MDAHU would like to thank our fourth quarter sponsors! 

May Program Sponsor 

June Breakfast sponsor 2007-2008 Registration Sponsor 

MDAHU July 11th Golf Presenting Sponsor 

Please mark your calendar for a lively interactive WRAHU 

Program at the Holiday Inn Express in Montrose on August 

10th from 8:45 Am - Noon. Stay for the week-end and visit the 

Black Canyon, go fishing or golfing, hike or bike, see Ouray or 

Telluride, ride the Silverton / Durango Train - you can combine 

business and pleasure for a fun week-end get-away. 

Just $20 for WRAHU and CSAHU Members and their Guests. 

All other non-members are $40 person. Includes Continental 

Breakfast and 3 hours of ce credits (pending). Humana is our 

Meeting Sponsor. (Click Here for Registration Form). This 

may be the most important meeting of the year.... Please plan 

to attend and join the discussion. 

Our Program: 

The Health Care Debate - Get Ready for the Battle 

Be informed so you can discuss these important areas of 

the health care debate with your clients, family, friends and 

community. 

Children’s Health Care in Colorado 

Single Payer vs. Consumer Choice - (Myth vs. Fact) 

Legislative Updates National & State 

Colorado Blue Ribbon Commission - How will it affect you 

Long Term Care Insurance Partnership Programs are coming 

soon 

Bullets from the June NAHU Annual Conference Attendees 

Meeting facilitated by your WRAHU Board. 

Hope to see you there. 

Liza Lidke Fulton, CFC, CSA 

WRAHU President 

Interested in joining the Western Rockies Chapter? 

Please contact Anita Pollock, 970-683-5424 anita@ 

betadental.com 

Southern Colorado aSSoCiation of 


Presents... 

General Membership Meeting 

Thursday, August 9th, 2007 

7:30 to 11:00 AM 

Featured Program: 

REQUIRED ETHICS TRAINING 

Speaker: Gary Schultz, CPCU 

3 CE Credits 

The Academy Hotel 

8110 N Academy Blvd 

Members: $40 for Breakfast & CE Credits 

Non-Member & Member Non-RSVP: $60 for Breakfast & CE 

Credits 

RSVP to Andy Orander by 

Close of Business Wednesday August 1st, 2007 

719/649-9787 or Andy_Orander@us.aflac.com 

3rd Quarter 2007

MDAHU’s July 11, 2007 Golf Tournament at the Ridge at Castle Pines North was a sell out and 

a huge success! Thank you to all those involved in paying and sponsoring this great event. 


2007 Golf Tournament 

Sponsors: 

Aetna 

Anthem BCBS 

Ascent 

BenefitMall 

Ben-e-lect Employee Benefits 

Brokers Assistance 

Cigna 

Humana 

Kaiser 

MetLife 

Principal 

Reliance Standard Life 


Sloans Lake 

Sun Life 

Warner Pacific 

WellDyne RxWest 

Prize Winners included: 

First Place – Great West Team Again! 

Randy and Scott Niederbrach, Reed 

Smith and Marc Neely 

Second Place: Steve Smith, Dorin 

O’Shea, Angela Rudolp and David 

Hibler 

Third Place: Dan Jones, Kevin Meza, 

Kevin Murphy and Brian Crady 

Last Place: We plead the 5 th ! 

Longest Putt on Hole 18 - Don 

Plumley 

Longest Drive on Hole 3 – Angie 

Garrison 

Shortest Drive on Hole 6 – Chester 

Bell – he just wanted a prize! 

Closet to the Pin on Hole 14 – Marc 

Neely 

Ladies Longest Drive Hole 8– Leslie 

Andrews 

Longest Putt on Hole 7 - Joe Brown 

Men’s Longest Drive on Hole 11 

– Marc Neely 

Closest to the Pin on Hole 4 – Brett 

Winingham

Click on the NAHU logo to go 

to the NAHU Website and get 

the latest updates on all sorts 

of information on broker 

compensation, legislation, 

HSA’s and more! 

CSAHU Management Group 

Briar Cliff Drive 

Castle Rock, CO 0 0 

e-mail: csahu@rmecllc.com 

State website: www.csahu.org 

National website: www.nahu.org 

Be sure to visit: www.vote-smart.org 

Publisher of The CSAHU Health Underwriter 

Serving Group Health Agents Throughout Colorado 

20 

CSAHU and The CSAHU 

Management Group 

would like to thank all of our sponsors for making this 

newsletter possible: 

Anthem 

Assurant 

BenefitMall 

Hall & Evans 

Humana 

Kaiser 

Warner Pacific 

CSAHU is excited to announce its 

new “RegOnline” System which will 

make registering for all CSAHU and 

MDAHU events much easier. We 

hope to have all our chapters up 

and running with this system in the 

coming months. Check out www. 

regonline.com for information on 

this system and how it can help your 

company with any seminars you are 

producing for your clients! 

Please contact our office via fax 720-733or 

email to: csahu@rmecllc.com 

with any address, phone, fax or email changes. 

We need this to update our member files. 

Advertisers! If you would like to advertise 

contact the CSAHU Office at phone 

720-733-8000, fax 720-733-8999 

or e-mail at csahu@rmecllc.com 

3rd Quarter 2007

Health Underwriter - Fairway Graphics, LLC

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