Teresa Scicchitano

!st Question/comment: As an Insurance agent I assist my small to large business clients with assistance every year in offering and evaluating their employee benefit options with the different health insurance carriers in purchasing their benefits for their employees, I get compensated with a commision for this service by the ins. carriers. How will Insurance agents and brokers be compensated in the new health care SHOPS being set up? Where will my lost earnings come from if Brokers are eliminated from assisting in servicing their small bus. clients? @2nd question: As a small business with 1 employee who currently has coverage with her spouse. Would I be entitled to a small business credit for myself as a sole proprietor and would I be subject to a penalty for her taking coverage with her spouse? 3rd question: What type of ongoing monitoring of different rules, mandates for the government sponsored programs such as Healthy NY which is currently grandfathered and can exclude mental health coverage as well as chiropratic care, alcohol related care when small group plans have these mandated benefits how is this a level playing field? The cost reduction helps the consumer until they need those services and now have expenses related to healthcare bills they cannot afford to pay which hurts them and their business. How and when is this being addressed? I understand the NY Bridge program exists but only for people without coverage for 6 months, what about people who are covered with HNY and had these services that were not covered?