GMFA tackles Affordable Care Act in seminar

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, March 5, 2013

Patrick Cory, left, Greater Metropolitan Furnishings Assn. president, and Alan Granetz, GMFA executive director, welcome featured speaker Harvey Mishkin to the association’s seminar on health care reform.

WOODBRIDGE, N.J. — A Greater Metropolitan Furnishing Assn. seminar here covering health care reform and its implications for retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, industry suppliers and sales representatives drew a big audience, the association said.

The featured speaker at the breakfast seminar was Harvey Mishkin of Association Master Trust, the company that administers GMFA's health program.

During his two-hour talk, Mishkin presented graphs and charts explaining how the law affects large businesses, small businesses and individuals in different ways.

"You may wonder why this legislation is called the Affordable Care Act. That's because it's designed to be affordable for lower income people to allow them to get health insurance coverage," Mishkin said, although he added that the new law might not seem so affordable to his audience.

"We were all blown away by Harvey's talk," said Patrick Cory, GMFA president and CEO of Cory 1st Choice Home Delivery. "The changes to our health care laws will affect everyone in the furniture industry, from the largest retailers to part-time employees.

"The seminar attracted retailers and reps who learned about the individual mandate; how larger companies with 50-plus equivalent employees will need to provide certain levels of affordable coverage or pay penalties; subsidies for earners making less than about $99,000; and some possible unintended consequences of the legislation," Cory said.

To request a pdf file on Mishkin's presentation, contact the GMFA at greatermfa@gmail.com.

After the presentation, a big screen television set donated by Cory 1st Choice Home Delivery was raffled off.
Sponsors of the event included Profit Management Promotions, Assuranty LLC, North East Home Delivery Service and David Lerner & Associates.