WASHINGTON —  The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) is hailing the elimination of medical malpractice insurers from the draft of a bill restricting the limited federal insurance antitrust exemption under the McCarran-Ferguson Act.

According to the draft of the bill, to be called the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, posted on the House Rules Committee website as “text of bill to be introduced,” the scope of the bill has been narrowed to cover health insurers, but not medical malpractice insurers.

Read more: PIA Hails Removal of Medical Malpractice Insurers From Bill Restricting Insurance Antitrust Exemption

What does the election of Republican Senator-elect Scott Brown in Massachusetts mean to the future of healthcare reform? To find out how the special election may affect healthcare reform and PIA's members, watch the new PIA National Instant Update Video from Mike Becker, Director of Federal Affairs for PIA National. To view the video, please visit PIA National's Streaming Media Center. Questions about PIA's efforts on healthcare reform should be directed to Mike Becker, Director of Federal Affairs for PIA National, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (703) 518-1365.

Read more: PIA National Updates The Fluid Situation in Washington D.C. on Healthcare Reform for Our Membership

Now is the time to identify and nominate an exceptional insurance customer service representative for the 2010 Outstanding CSR of the Year Award competition. The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research is now soliciting entries for candidates who consistently provide quality service, exhibit strong leadership capabilities, and have made valuable contributions to their agencies and communities.

A $1,000 cash award will be presented to the nominator of the national winner; the four national finalists will each receive $500; and the national winner will receive $2,000.

Established in 1991, the Outstanding CSR of the Year Award is one of the greatest professional honors a customer service representative can receive. “This award is a great opportunity to honor our frontline employees for the significant roles they play within our industry,” said Jack Watson, CIC, Chairman of PIA’s CIC and Education Committees.

The award is open to everyone, regardless of affiliation or designation. The only requirement is that the candidate be an insurance CSR or have primary duties in the customer service arena.

Once nominated, a candidate fills out a form, submits letter(s) of recommendation from professional reference(s), and writes a two-page essay on a designated topic.

State recipients of the award receive a framed Certificate of Achievement and become candidates in the National Outstanding CSR of the Year Award competition. From this field, four finalists are chosen who receive $500 each, a gold and garnet pin, and publicity in national publications. The winner of the

National Award receives a $2,000 cash award, a gold and diamond pin, and a scholarship for his or her agency/company to any National Alliance program. The nominator of the National Award winner receives a $1,000 cash award.

Nominations are currently being accepted by The Professional Insurance Agents of Georgia for the state of Georgia. To nominate an individual, please send his/her name, agency/company, address, and phone number to: PIA of Georgia; 3805 Crestwood Pkwy NW, Ste. 140; Duluth, GA 30096; or by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Your nomination can be kept anonymous if you wish. Upon receipt of nominations, candidates will be mailed all materials necessary to complete the entry process. The deadline for submission of the candidate form and essay is May 1, 2010.

You may also download a nomination form from PIA’s website and submit it to PIA of Georgia.

For further information contact: Carolyn B. Dodd, Associate Director; PIA of Georgia; 3805 Crestwood Pkwy NW, Ste. 140; Duluth, GA 30096; 800/233-4902, fax 770/921-7590; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it