JPOR: Fw: New Equine Regulations That Could Cost You Thousands

["Glenn" <gjshort@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I received this from a friend who is a horse back rider. If you read it you
will see that it also affect any type of recreational activity, including
hunting,fishing,and boating.  As with all e-mails this could just be someone
trying to start a big Hoax.  But I can see things coming to this.
    Glenn

> >
> >
> > 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 repealed!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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