Trade Associations
Here's a look at documents from national and international trade associations
Featured Stories
SEMA ANNOUNCES BOARD ELECTION RESULT
DIAMOND BAR, California, June 6 -- The Specialty Equipment Market Association issued the following news release:
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SEMA ANNOUNCES BOARD ELECTION RESULT
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has announced the result of the 2026-2027 SEMA Board of Directors election, with Jeff Hermann of the MagnaFlow Group elected as a board member.
SEMA Board members are industry representatives who volunteer their time to lead and guide the association. They are elected by SEMA-member companies and represent the key membership categories including, but not limited to, manufacturers, distributors/retailers,
... Show Full Article
DIAMOND BAR, California, June 6 -- The Specialty Equipment Market Association issued the following news release:
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SEMA ANNOUNCES BOARD ELECTION RESULT
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has announced the result of the 2026-2027 SEMA Board of Directors election, with Jeff Hermann of the MagnaFlow Group elected as a board member.
SEMA Board members are industry representatives who volunteer their time to lead and guide the association. They are elected by SEMA-member companies and represent the key membership categories including, but not limited to, manufacturers, distributors/retailers,manufacturers' rep, and services.
The SEMA Board of Directors for 2026-2027 will be as follows:
Board Officers
* Chairperson - Melanie White, President, Hellwig Products
* Chair-elect - Norris Marshall, CEO, BluePrint Engines
* Immediate Past-Chair/Secretary - Kyle Fickler, Director of Business Development, ProCharger
* Treasurer - Chris Douglas, President, MCD Enterprises
Board Members
* Bill Bader, President & Owner, Summit Motorsports Park
* Rich Butler, CEO, R&R Marketing Consultants
* Jeff Hermann, Vice President Strategy & Brand, MagnaFlow Group
* Brian Herron, President, OPUS IVS
* Doug Lane, President & Owner, Motor State Distributing
* Tim McCarthy, Founder/CEO, Hushmat & ZyCoat- Kelle Oeste, CEO & Owner, V8TV Speed & Resto Shop
* Kim Pendergast, CEO, Magnuson Superchargers
* Melissa Scoles, President & CEO, QA1
* Marcus Umlauff, General Manager Truck, Toyota Motor North America
Outgoing Board Member
* Ted Wentz, CEO, Quadratec
The entire 2026-2027 SEMA Board of Directors and outgoing Board member will be honored and recognized during the 2026 SEMA Leaders & Legends Gala in Newport Beach, Calif., on July 24. All SEMA members and industry professionals are invited to join the celebration by purchasing tickets at www.sema.org/gala.
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ABOUT SEMA
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) serves as a leading voice for the worldwide car culture, representing over 7,000 member companies that create, buy, sell, and use specialty-automotive parts that make vehicles more unique, attractive, convenient, safer, fun, and even like new again. Business member benefits include product development resources, market research, networking, education, legislative advocacy, and more. The Association organizes the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., and actively supports the career and business opportunities that the aftermarket generates. The industry contributes nearly $337 billion in economic impact to the U.S. economy, supports 1.3 million jobs nationally, and generates nearly $53 billion in parts sales annually. For more information, visit www.sema.org.
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Original text here: https://www.sema.org/news-media/press-release/sema-announces-board-election-result
[Category: Industrial Materials]
RNs at Orange County Global Medical Center Vote Overwhelmingly to Join California Nurses Association
OAKLAND, California, June 6 -- The California Nurses Association issued the following news release:
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RNs at Orange County Global Medical Center vote overwhelmingly to join California Nurses Association
Nurses say say union protections will lead to improved care
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Registered nurses at KPC Health's Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana, Calif. voted overwhelmingly on Thursday, June 4 to join California Nurses Association (CNA), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the nation's largest and fastest-growing registered nurse (RN) union. The nurses voted 91 percent in favor
... Show Full Article
OAKLAND, California, June 6 -- The California Nurses Association issued the following news release:
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RNs at Orange County Global Medical Center vote overwhelmingly to join California Nurses Association
Nurses say say union protections will lead to improved care
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Registered nurses at KPC Health's Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana, Calif. voted overwhelmingly on Thursday, June 4 to join California Nurses Association (CNA), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the nation's largest and fastest-growing registered nurse (RN) union. The nurses voted 91 percent in favorof joining the union.
"I have been a nurse at Orange County Global Medical Center for 16 years. I've dedicated my life to working here because this hospital, my coworkers, and my patients have been my community," said Fred Camungao, a registered nurse in the psychiatric unit. "After years of takeaways, we need a union so we will have a voice to advocate for our patients, recruit and retain excellent nurses, and make improvements."
Nurses at the 282-bed facility say they voted to join the union because it is critical that nurses have a say in making decisions to help recruit and retain experienced nurses, which leads to improved patient care.
Nurses say they are struggling to provide care without appropriate staffing, working with frequently broken equipment, and are floated to units outside of their expertise.
"Our patients deserve the best care and our nurses deserve the tools, support, and staffing to provide that care," said Hyejin Park, a registered nurse in the emergency department. "With our union, we can effectively enforce safe staffing and workplace violence prevention standards."
CNA now represent 550 nurses at Orange County Global Medical Center. With the Orange County Global Medical Center vote, nurses at five KPC Health hospitals are represented by CNA. The other hospitals include South Coast Global Medical Center in Santa Ana, Anaheim Global Medical Center in Anaheim, Chapman Global Medical Center in Orange, and Hemet Global Medical Center in Hemet. In all, CNA represents some 1,600 KPC Health nurses.
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California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/rns-at-orange-county-global-medical-center-vote-overwhelmingly-to-join-california-nurses-association
[Category: Nursing]
BSA Warns: Origin-Based Sovereignty Criteria Will Hurt Europe's Competitiveness
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Business Software Alliance issued the following news release:
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BSA Warns: Origin-Based Sovereignty Criteria Will Hurt Europe's Competitiveness
BRUSSELS -- Where a company is headquartered, how many of its R&D staff are based in Europe, or whether its software is open source are not meaningful indicators of digital sovereignty. That is BSA's pointed message to the Franco-German Digital Sovereignty Task Force, whose consultation closes today.
The Task Force has been developing sovereignty criteria that would, in practice, function as origin-based restrictions, tying
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Business Software Alliance issued the following news release:
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BSA Warns: Origin-Based Sovereignty Criteria Will Hurt Europe's Competitiveness
BRUSSELS -- Where a company is headquartered, how many of its R&D staff are based in Europe, or whether its software is open source are not meaningful indicators of digital sovereignty. That is BSA's pointed message to the Franco-German Digital Sovereignty Task Force, whose consultation closes today.
The Task Force has been developing sovereignty criteria that would, in practice, function as origin-based restrictions, tyingprocurement eligibility to workforce thresholds, subcontracting location, and company registration.
BSA's submission addresses each proposed indicator directly, concluding that no minimum thresholds should be imposed on any of them, and that the location of a company's registered office is simply not a relevant sovereignty criterion.
"What protects Europe is the ability to govern, audit, and mitigate risk, not where a company files its corporate papers," said Thomas Boue, VP & Director General, Policy - EMEA at BSA. "Criteria of this kind raise costs, reduce access to best-in-class security solutions, and risk conflicting with the EU's international trade commitments."
BSA identifies interoperability and open standards as the most effective tools for genuine resilience, and calls for procurement frameworks that reward security outcomes and accountability rather than geographic origin -- consistent with positions BSA has advanced on the Cloud and AI Development Act and in its paper Keeping the Door Open: The EU's Path to Digital Sovereignty (https://www.bsa.org/policy-filings/keeping-the-door-open-the-eus-path-to-digital-sovereignty).
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ABOUT BSA
The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the global trade association of the enterprise software industry, representing companies that are leaders in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, quantum, and other breakthrough technologies. We work in over 20 markets in the US, Europe, and Asia, advocating for policies that build trust in technology so that every industry sector and the public can benefit from innovation.
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Original text here: https://www.bsa.org/news-events/news/bsa-warns-origin-based-sovereignty-criteria-will-hurt-europes-competitiveness
[Category: Business]
BSA Urges European Regulators to Keep Data Protection Impact Assessments Practical and Risk-Based
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Business Software Alliance issued the following news release:
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BSA Urges European Regulators to Keep Data Protection Impact Assessments Practical and Risk-Based
BRUSSELS -- The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has called on the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) to ensure its new voluntary Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) template remains flexible, risk-based, and practical to implement across different organizations and processing activities.
In its response to the EDPB's public consultation, BSA welcomed efforts to promote greater consistency in GDPR
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Business Software Alliance issued the following news release:
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BSA Urges European Regulators to Keep Data Protection Impact Assessments Practical and Risk-Based
BRUSSELS -- The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has called on the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) to ensure its new voluntary Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) template remains flexible, risk-based, and practical to implement across different organizations and processing activities.
In its response to the EDPB's public consultation, BSA welcomed efforts to promote greater consistency in GDPRcompliance across the EU, while cautioning against a "check-the-box" approach to DPIAs.
"The goal of a DPIA is to identify and mitigate risks to individuals' rights and freedoms," said Irma Gudziunaite, Director, Policy - EMEA at BSA. "The EDPB's initiative can improve consistency across the EU, but the final template should remain flexible, proportionate, and focused on actual privacy risks. Organizations should be able to tailor assessments to the nature of their processing activities rather than excessive documentation requirements."
BSA's submission highlights five priorities: preserving flexibility, reinforcing the risk-based nature of DPIAs, providing greater clarity on when they are required, ensuring proportionality, and promoting interoperability with other regulatory frameworks.
BSA noted that some elements of the draft template--such as detailed requirements on technical infrastructure, data quality metrics, and assessments of alternative approaches--may exceed what Article 35 GDPR requires. The association also called for greater certainty on when a DPIA is necessary.
To avoid duplicative compliance efforts, BSA emphasized that organizations should be able to build on assessments conducted under other frameworks, including the EU AI Act, and supplement them where needed. BSA also supports the proposed Digital Omnibus amendments to Article 35 GDPR, which would help harmonize DPIA requirements across the EU and provide greater legal certainty.
The consultation is particularly important because national data protection authorities may align their own templates with the EDPB model, making the final template a de facto standard for privacy risk assessments and GDPR compliance across Europe.
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ABOUT BSA
The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the global trade association of the enterprise software industry, representing companies that are leaders in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, quantum, and other breakthrough technologies. We work in over 20 markets in the US, Europe, and Asia, advocating for policies that build trust in technology so that every industry sector and the public can benefit from innovation.
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Original text here: https://www.bsa.org/news-events/news/bsa-urges-european-regulators-to-keep-data-protection-impact-assessments-practical-and-risk-based
[Category: Business]
American Gastroenterological Association: Federal Rule Streamlines No Surprises Act Payment Disputes
BETHESDA, Maryland, June 6 -- The American Gastroenterological Association issued the following statement on June 5, 2026:
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New federal rule streamlines No Surprises Act payment disputes
New regulations reduce costs, expand claim batching, and address longstanding delays in the federal IDR process.
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The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury recently finalized significant changes to the Federal Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process under the No Surprises Act. The updates are intended to reduce administrative burden, improve communication between health plans
... Show Full Article
BETHESDA, Maryland, June 6 -- The American Gastroenterological Association issued the following statement on June 5, 2026:
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New federal rule streamlines No Surprises Act payment disputes
New regulations reduce costs, expand claim batching, and address longstanding delays in the federal IDR process.
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The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury recently finalized significant changes to the Federal Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process under the No Surprises Act. The updates are intended to reduce administrative burden, improve communication between health plansand providers, and address persistent delays that have affected payment disputes since the law took effect.
Several provisions will benefit physician practices:
* Lower administrative fees: The administrative fee for entering the federal IDR process has been reduced from $115 to $15 per party, per dispute.
* Expanded batching options: The number of similar claims that can be batched into a single dispute has increased from 25 to 50, helping reduce administrative costs.
* New open negotiation requirements: Parties must initiate open negotiation through the federal IDR portal, which is expected to improve efficiency and encourage more meaningful discussions before disputes proceed to arbitration.
* Improved payor transparency: Health plans must provide additional identifying information, including standardized Claim Adjustment Reason Codes (CARCs) and Remittance Advice Remark Codes (RARCs), in both paper and electronic remittance advice. This information will help providers determine whether claims are eligible for No Surprises Act protections and the federal IDR process.
* Shorter cooling-off period: The cooling-off period following a determination in a dispute involving multiple items and services batched by patient encounter or CPT code ranges has been shortened from 60 days to 30 days. This change addresses concerns that overlapping cooling-off periods could effectively create a continuous restriction on initiating new disputes. Additional guidance will be issued regarding implementation, including details on how the cooling-off period will be applied.
Many of these provisions will require further guidance from the Departments, resulting in a phased implementation over the coming months. However, the reduced administrative fee takes effect June 11, and certain batching provisions will apply to disputes with open negotiation periods beginning 90 days after the rule's effective date (Aug. 3).
We will share additional information as it becomes available.
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Original text here: https://gastro.org/news/new-federal-rule-streamlines-no-surprises-act-payment-disputes/
[Category: Medical]
ACAP Names Beam, Nelson to Board of Directors
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Association for Community Affiliated Plans issued the following news release:
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ACAP Names Beam, Nelson to Board of Directors
The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) announced that Adam Beam, Vice President for Corporate Development at CareSource, and Sonya Nelson, Regional President at AmeriHealth Caritas, have been added as corporate members to the Association's Board of Directors. ACAP's Board of Directors serves to provide strategic oversight of the organization's day-to-day activities.
A seasoned managed care executive, Adam Beam brings nearly
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Association for Community Affiliated Plans issued the following news release:
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ACAP Names Beam, Nelson to Board of Directors
The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) announced that Adam Beam, Vice President for Corporate Development at CareSource, and Sonya Nelson, Regional President at AmeriHealth Caritas, have been added as corporate members to the Association's Board of Directors. ACAP's Board of Directors serves to provide strategic oversight of the organization's day-to-day activities.
A seasoned managed care executive, Adam Beam brings nearlytwo decades of experience across the public and private sectors. Beam previously served as Vice President of Regional Business Development for CareSource, where he led innovative strategies to extend the organization's mission. His career includes leadership roles at One Call, Lucina Health, and Humana. A U.S. military veteran, Beam is committed to expanding access to quality health care.
Sonya Nelson brings more than 36 years delivering government-sponsored managed care solutions in Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, LTSS and Child Welfare/Foster Care populations. She is the former Regional President for CVS/Aetna Medicaid and previous CEO of WellCare of Georgia. Sonya has focused on transformational strategies throughout her career. She is passionate about enhancing the quality and affordability of health care.
"Sonya and Adam bring perspectives to our Board that will help sharpen the response of Safety Net Health Plans to the changes all of us will soon see in the Medicaid program," said ACAP CEO Margaret A. Murray. "We're lucky to have them on the Board and I look forward to their sharing their points of view with our staff and fellow Safety Net Health Plans alike."
As it stands, ACAP's Board of Directors includes:
Leanne Berge, Community Health Plan of Washington - Chair
Mark Rakowski, Chorus Community Health Plans - Vice Chair
Sylvia Kelly, Community Health Network of Connecticut - Treasurer, Secretary
Doug Wirth, Amida Care - Medicaid Policy Committee Chair
Marina Owen, CenCal Health - Quality and Operations Committee Chair
Patrick Curran, Health Plan of San Mateo - Medicare and MLTSS Committee Chair
Peter Marino, Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island - Marketplace Policy Committee Chair
Chad Westover, University of Utah Health Plans - Strategic Communications Committee Chair
Adam Beam, CareSource
Brendan Harris, UPMC for You
Sonya Nelson, AmeriHealth Caritas
Theresa Scepanski, Community First Health Plans
Sarah Spiekermeier, Banner Health Plans
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About ACAP:
ACAP is the national trade organization representing 91 health plans, which collectively provide health coverage to more than 30 million people. Safety Net Health Plans serve their members through Medicaid, Medicare, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Marketplace and other publicly-sponsored health programs. For more information, visit communityplans.net.
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Original text here: https://www.communityplans.net/acap-names-beam-nelson-to-board-of-directors/
[Category: Health Care]
AAM Comments on Unanimous Supreme Court Decision in Hikma vs. Amarin Affirming Pathway for Generic and Biosimilar Medicines
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Association for Accessible Medicines issued the following news release:
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AAM Comments on Unanimous Supreme Court Decision in Hikma vs. Amarin Affirming Pathway for Generic and Biosimilar Medicines
The Association for Accessible Medicines commented on today's unanimous 9-0 decision in Hikma vs. Amarin in support of the defendant Hikma, a generic medicines manufacturer and AAM member. The case focused on skinny labels, a pathway codified in law in Hatch-Waxman, for generic medicine development for specific indications, bringing lower-cost medicines to patients sooner.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 6 -- The Association for Accessible Medicines issued the following news release:
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AAM Comments on Unanimous Supreme Court Decision in Hikma vs. Amarin Affirming Pathway for Generic and Biosimilar Medicines
The Association for Accessible Medicines commented on today's unanimous 9-0 decision in Hikma vs. Amarin in support of the defendant Hikma, a generic medicines manufacturer and AAM member. The case focused on skinny labels, a pathway codified in law in Hatch-Waxman, for generic medicine development for specific indications, bringing lower-cost medicines to patients sooner.Brand medicine companies often apply for additional patents to extend their exclusivity and litigate legal efforts to develop generic versions of the original patented medicine once the initial patent expires.
"The Supreme Court's unanimous decision in Hikma v. Amarin reinforces Congress's intent to balance innovation with affordable access by enabling lower-cost generics and biosimilars to reach patients through skinny labels that respect valid later-approved innovative patents.
"Too often, brand manufacturers exploit the patent system to delay competition through repeated litigation--leaving patients to pay the price.
"The Court's decision affirms that skinny-label pathways are a vital part of the U.S. drug system. Now Congress should remove any remaining uncertainty by passing the Skinny Labels Big Savings Act, ensuring affordable medicines can reach patients without unnecessary legal barriers--just as Congress intended."
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About AAM
The Association for Accessible Medicines, your generics and biosimilars industry, is driven by the belief that access to safe, quality, effective medicine has a tremendous impact on a person's life and the world around them. AAM represents the manufacturers of finished generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars, manufacturers of bulk pharmaceutical chemicals, and suppliers of other goods and services to the generic industry. Generic pharmaceuticals are 90 percent of prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. but only 12 percent of total drug spending.
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About the Biosimilars Council
The Biosimilars Council, a division of the Association for Accessible Medicines, works to ensure a positive environment for patient access to biosimilar medicines. The Biosimilars Council is the leading source for information about the safety and efficacy of more affordable alternatives to costly brand biologic medicines. Areas of focus include public and health expert education, government affairs, legal affairs, and regulatory policy. More information is available at www.biosimilarscouncil.org.
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Original text here: https://accessiblemeds.org/resources/press-releases/aam-comments-scotus-hikma-v-amarin-generic-biosimilar-pathway/
[Category: Pharmaceuticals]
