As the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big "I") hosts its legislative conference this week, nonpartisan consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog notes thousands of dollars in election campaign contributions have come from lobby associations, including the Big "I," pushing for a bipartisan bill to protect brokers' sales commissions.

The bill, H.R. 1206, Access to Professional Health Insurance Advisors Act of 2011, aims to preserve consumer and employer access to licensed independent insurance producers by exempting producer commissions from medical loss ratio formula enacted under federal health care reform.

IIABA's conference this week boasts a keynote speech from House Speaker John Boehner (top), R-Ohio, before the Big "I" Day on Capitol Hill, in which "a thousand agents and brokers visit Capitol Hill offices to lobby members of the House, Senate and their staffs on issues that directly impact independent agents and consumers."