PPAI In Action: Florida Members Pay Senator A Visit


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PPAI In Action: Florida Members Pay Senator A Visit

Issue: 2009nov

Wayne Greenberg, MAS, and Bob Hechler met last week with the chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida to explain the impact of current healthcare legislation on the promotional products industry, particularly the Physician Payments Sunshine Act.

Greenberg, president of Tampa, Florida-based distributor JB of Florida, a division of Lewiston, Maine-based distributor Geiger (UPIC: geiger), and Hechler, executive vice president of Boynton Beach, Florida-based supplier Windbrella Corp. (UPIC: Windb858), spoke to Chief of Staff Pete Mitchell and an aide who handles healthcare legislation issues for the senator, and eventually were greeted by Sen. Nelson.

“We introduced them to the industry and made the point that what we do is help small businesses advertise and market themselves,” says Greenberg. “I specifically pulled out a sticky note pad and a [BIC] Clic Stic and asked them both if they thought either one would cause a doctor to alter their way of perscribing medicine.

“Of course they agreed it wouldn't,” he says.

The two businessmen then ran through the sales volume numbers for the state of Florida and made the case that promotional products, the medium of small business, is about to face a major blow with this legislation by being lumped in with lunches, golfing trips, etc.

“Pete was incredulous,” says Greenberg. “He looked at me and said I had to be wrong. The aide assured him that I was right. He wanted to know who the sponsor was and he said he would discuss this further; he clearly saw the unintended consquences of the way the law is written now.”

Greenberg and Hechler stated their request that the following exclusion be added to S. 301 at the point that it discusses reporting gifts once an aggregate total of $100 is reached: "with the exception of any product $10 and under that is imprinted with a logo.”

“Of course, we'd rather have that raised to $25,” says Greenberg. “But the exclusion would be enough to save a lot of jobs around the country.”

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