President’s Message
By R.G. Wilson, F21025
National President
July 2004
FMCA’s Executive Board and standing committees recently completed two weeks of May meetings in Cincinnati. It is amazing to see how well the elected officers and committee members from across North America gather and work with the Cincinnati staff to get our business completed.
We all arrive excited to see each other and eager to get to work on FMCA business. After two weeks of long workshops and committee meetings with staff, we all are usually physically and mentally exhausted. Why do we do it? I believe it’s because the more you get involved as a volunteer of this great member-owned organization and see the benefits of it, the more proud you feel to be a part of the action to make it better.
On our first day of meetings, the Long-Range and Development Committee, chaired by Western Area vice president Tony Vincent, F161584, met to review the progress in implementing our long-range plan. The committee concluded that considerable progress has been made, but that it is time to take a much closer look at our strategies and goals and update our current plan. The committee will be doing this at a workshop in November.
The Risk Management Committee, chaired by Judy Allen, F193946, met the next day. This committee’s task is to meet with our insurance consultants and representatives to review all our insurance coverage relating to our corporate entities and coverage relating to FMCA members and employees.
In the morning of the third day, the Member Recruitment Committee, which consists of some of the Executive Board members’ spouses and is chaired by former FMCA national president Dottie Pierce, L57064, met to brainstorm and make recommendations on expanding our FMCA membership. This session was followed by a meeting of our Membership/Member Services Committee, chaired by Midwest Area vice president Nelson K. Stubbs, F107765. This committee’s duties are to review the services provided to our members and chapters and to make recommendations for improvements.
The Convention Committee, chaired by national senior vice president Don Moore, F154921, met on the next day to review international convention activities and develop plans for upcoming conventions. This committee has been very busy throughout the year, reorganizing our national convention volunteer staff and activities to improve our conventions while reducing costs. The success of FMCA’s Albuquerque, New Mexico, convention this past March was a result of the group’s hard work.
The following day the Governmental and Legislative Affairs Committee, chaired by International Area vice president Max Durbin, F76454, met. This committee has been very successful in its efforts and continues to have a tremendous amount of work on the table concerning members’ parking rights and legislative items in many states.
On Monday of the second week, the Education Committee, chaired by former national secretary June Davis, F158928, met to study and develop education seminars and other types of education programs for our membership. They are in the process of developing a seminar series for national directors that will be very helpful in familiarizing these Governing Board members with their duties and responsibilities.
The next day, the Constitution and Bylaws/Policy and Procedure Committee, co-chaired by Northwest Area vice president Jim Phillips, F158824, and former national secretary Mary Elizabeth Preston, F51004, met. The members of this committee dealt with several new bylaws amendments that had been submitted. They also have a big job throughout the year working with chapters in reviewing their bylaws and ensuring that they conform with the national bylaws.
On Wednesday, May 12, members of the Finance Committee, which is chaired by national treasurer Connie Pool, F140306, met and spent most of their time reviewing FMCA’s prior year audit report and the investment results of our reserves. They also developed FMCA’s 2005 operating budget, which we will be asking the Governing Board to approve at the annual meeting in Redmond, Oregon, in August.
On Thursday and Friday, May 13 and 14, the entire Executive Board met. As FMCA president, I chair these meetings. Most of our time is consumed by receiving reports from all the other committees and acting on their recommendations. Most of the Executive Board members sit in on all the other committee meetings, so they generally are already informed as to what is forthcoming.
Another committee, the Round Bottom Services Committee, is busy during the entire time we meet. Their name originated from the fact that their work is mostly done at our campground, which is located at the FMCA facility on Round Bottom Road in Cincinnati. This committee is chaired by my wife, Jeri, and consists of national officers’ spouses. Members of this committee volunteer to prepare many of the evening meals. After attending daylong meetings, committee members often prefer to go back to our campground and have a meal prepared for them instead of traveling to a restaurant and sitting another two hours. We all enjoy the campground fellowship this allows.
I also want to let you know that the assistance and support from the Cincinnati office staff was great. They had the information we needed to conduct our meetings and had things very well planned so we were able to move forward with efficiency in handling FMCA business.
I want to thank each of the Executive Board members, standing committee members, subcommittee members, and Cincinnati staff for a job well done. May you have safe travels until we meet again.
Deductible And Coinsurance Reimbursement Programs To Be Discontinued Effective January 1, 2005
FMCA’s Risk Management Committee has had some tough decisions to make over the past year in the wake of tremendous insurance rate hikes. In order to keep the most popular insurance plans, which experienced huge rate increases for 2005, we had to see where the other benefits were headed. Due to a substantial increase in the renewal cost of the Deductible and Coinsurance Reimbursement Insurance Plan, the plan was converted to an accident and dental only plan for 2004. With the changes, we have found that the claims do not warrant the amount of premium that is being paid for the coverage. Therefore, the committee recommended to the Executive Board that the Accident and Dental Deductible and Coinsurance Reimbursement Insurance Plan be cancelled effective January 1, 2005. The Executive Board has approved this change. In addition, the policy for the bonus deductible and coinsurance program, the DeductiPay Travel Plan, which allows additional reimbursement for medical and/or accidents and is purchased by individual FMCA members, also will be cancelled on January 1, 2005. There is no conversion to a personal policy for either coverage.
We would like to remind FMCA members how the Accident and Dental Deductible and Coinsurance Reimbursement Insurance Plan is used. You have 180 days from the date of occurrence to file an insured claim (for accidental bodily injury or dental injury). Up to $1,000 reimbursement is available for the deductible or coinsurance related to accidental injuries and $500 for accidental dental injuries that occur while you are traveling more than 100 miles away from home. Claims must be filed to your private insurance coverage first. Proof of residence (driver’s license); explanation of benefits (EOB) from your primary provider of coverage; detailed bills from the providers (doctors and/or hospitals); and the claim form in Family Motor Coaching magazine (January 2004, page 197) or on FMCA.com are required for filing claims. If claims are filed for medical services not related to an accident, or received after the 180-day filing deadline, or incurred while traveling for the purpose of receiving medical care, they will be denied. If you file a partial claim within the 180 days from date of occurrence with an explanation of why you cannot file the entire claim in a timely manner, you may extend the time limit.
We apologize for any inconvenience this cancellation may cause to the membership, and hope that you will be able to find suitable coverage to replace it prior to January 1, 2005. Remember, member benefits can be changed or cancelled without written notice to the membership at any time. The Risk Management Committee continues to seek new insurance benefits for FMCA members while considering the financial aspects and overall usage by members.
“” The Risk Management Committee: Judy Allen, F193946, chairman; C.B. Edwards, F221778; Richard Poe, F297488; Jack Rivers, F201884.