Coalition Against Insurance Fraud: Fraud fighters must get in legislative game

Play strong role in enacting stronger state fraud laws

Two truths will govern our success in getting strong state fraud laws onto the books: We must prepare our 2017 legislative agenda now; waiting until December or January is too late. Fraud fighters also can play a pivotal role in getting fraud bills on the front burner in many states.

We’re in an election year, with less than 90 days until we vote for a new president and Congress. We’ll also vote for quite a few state legislators, and a handful of governors.

We tend to be Washington-centric, thinking that who we put into the White House and Congress will affect us the most.

Actually, most of us are directly affected more by what happens in our state capitals than in Washington. Fraud fighters thus should be alert to creating opportunities in our own backyards.

The Coalition is using the summer to plan the states where there’s the strongest need for new fraud laws — and a solid chance we can get bills enacted into law.

The Coalition’s government affairs committee meets this week to discuss the best hotspot states. Later this month, I’ll be on a conference call with state IASIU chapters. We’ll discuss the grassroots role that fraud fighters can play in writing their legislators in key target states next year.

The best way to convince insurers to make anti-fraud bills a priority in a given state is to make a business case why statehouse efforts are in everyone’s best interests.

Let me know if you think your state is a prime candidate for strong fraud bills in 2017. Partnerships among fraud fighters and other allies give us the best chance of success.

Together, we can make a difference.