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January 8, 2009 |
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Florida's Budget Crisis: Cutting Medicaid is NO Option
 Florida simply cannot afford to place our most vulnerable residents at risk by cutting any more funding for Medicaid and other health care programs. A special legislative session has convened to respond to the State's unprecedented budget crisis: $2.3 billion dollar shortfall for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, in addition to next year's additional shortfall. This fiscal year's budget already is $5 billion lower than last year's. There is nothing left to cut, even as critical needs have increased with the recession. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more
Advocates Call on the Legislature for Bold Action in Trying Times
 The Coalition for Fair and Comprehensive Tax Reform, a group of organizations representing children, the elderly, consumers, parents, workers and educators held a press conference yesterday at the Florida Capitol to call upon the Legislature to take a more balanced approach to Florida’s fiscal crises. (Leah Cook, Florida CHAIN) Read more
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A Look at Cover Florida Coverage (Part 1)
 The State rolled out Cover Florida this month. The key questions are which uninsured Floridians will instead become under-insured and the extent to which consumers will understand what they’re getting (and not getting). Let's start by reviewing affordability. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more
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FMAPping a Path Away from Medicaid Cuts
 Although few Floridians might include a boost to Medicaid on the list of items they’re looking for in the economic stimulus package currently pending in Congress, its inclusion is essential for both the most vulnerable Floridians and the state as a whole. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more
MediPass Changes Shelved for Now
 During the 2008 legislative session, changes were made to MediPass in effort to expand the reach of HMOs in Medicaid. Outside of the 5 Medicaid Reform Pilot counties. But AHCA, citing the complexity and cost of implementation, first postponed the changes and on December 22 announced that it would not go forward with them at all in 2008-9, though they remain on the books. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more
Contractor Pledges to Do Better with Medicaid Enrollment
 On July 1, AHCA changed over to EDS to assist consumers (outside the Reform Pilot) with enrollment. Immediately thereafter, it became almost impossible to reach the Medicaid Options call center, and caused overflow back-up at AHCA’s Medicaid offices. The problems appear to be subsiding, at last.
(Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more |
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If Choice in Rural Reform Hanging On, It’s by a Thread
 In November, we reported that choice had collapsed in the 3 rural counties of the Medicaid Reform Pilot. B
y law, if there is no choice of plans, MediPass must be revived as an option. AHCA would presumably argue that United is doing just enough to prevent the collapse of choice and the return of MediPass. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more |
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Help Now Available to Resolve KidCare Access Issues
 To help the many families who have experienced problems with enrollment and renewal of KidCare coverage during the last several months, the KidCare Child Health Connect project has been launched to assist regionally with families' account and communication issues. (Linda Merrill, Florida Child Health Care Coalition) Read more
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New "Medicaid Buy In" Bill filed!
 A "Medicaid Buy In" bill filed in the Florida Senate proposes increasing income and asset limits for persons on SSI/SSDI and Medicaid so they go back to work with less fear of losing their Medicaid. A House sponsor is needed. It's time for advocates to meet with elected officials. (Olga Golik, Esq., Citrus Health Network) Read more
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35 Florida Organizations Sign On to Letter Urging New President to Prioritize Health Care
 Across the country health care advocates are signing on to letters addressed to the Obama Administration and Congress to prioritize health care early in 2009. In December, Florida organizations urged the new leadership to link fixing the economy with fixing our broken health care system. Read more
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Living a Life of Pain with Hope for Recovery If Insured
 She thought she was going to finally have a procedure on the severely damaged nerves causing her constant excruciating headaches. It took 3 months to find a willing doctor. She learned she'd somehow gotten on Medipass, and was thrilled that the surgery could proceed - until the call saying her coverage was coming up under another name. Now she keeps wondering, "how long am I going to have to feel like this and what is the purpose?" Read more of DeAnna's story in her own words.
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Find Updated Health Care Access Information on Our Website
Get reliable coverage on health care access issues. Discover tools to help you host your own Town Hall Meeting. Learn about the new Cover Florida program. Sift through analyses and evaluations on Medicaid Reform. Find resources for individuals who are uninsured. View archived CHAIN Reaction editions. Sign up for the Florida KidCare program. Discover all there is to see by visiting www.floridachain.org.
Support Florida CHAIN
Florida CHAIN is a non-profit organization supported by foundations, corporations and individual donations. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of our CHAIN Reaction e-newsletter or value our work and would like to make a donation, please click here or call Laura Goodhue at 561-691-4062 for more information. |
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CHAIN Reaction is a bi-weekly publication of Florida CHAIN (Community Health Action Information Network), a statewide consumer advocacy organization that works toward access to quality health care, empowering people to actively shape their world by participating in civic life and caring for each other’s well being.
Florida CHAIN: 3167-B Gardens East Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 info@floridachain.org www.floridachain.org |
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Florida's Budget Crisis: Cutting Medicaid is NO Option
Florida simply cannot afford to place our most vulnerable residents at risk by cutting any more funding for Medicaid and other health care programs. A special session of the Florida Legislature is currently underway in response to the State's unprecedented budget crisis. As a result of the continuing economic downturn, the State faces a $2.3 billion dollar shortfall for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2009. This is separate from and in addition to the additional shortfall we face for next year. This fiscal year's budget already is $5 billion lower than last year's. There is nothing left to cut, even as critical needs have increased with the recession.
Leading up to the Special Session, each State agency presented legislators with a downright horrifying "worst-case scenario" of potential cuts. With respect to Medicaid, AHCA officials discussed the possible need to cut services, reduce eligibility and further slash payments to providers. Although the cuts actually under consideration are not worst-case in terms of reduced services or eligibility, the proposed reductions to provider payments may very well produce the same net effect. Nursing homes, hospitals, community mental health centers, health departments and others that have already absorbed several rounds of deep cuts are bracing for more. Funding for other critical initiatives like primary care access, healthy start coalitions and Children's Medical Services are poised to take hits as well.
Florida's health care safety net is of course already stretched beyond reasonable limits. Approving these cuts, many of which have already been agreed upon by both House and Senate, would amount to pulling out the last few threads that give us a semblance of a net as opposed to some scattered pieces of rope.
We do have options, but cutting more from health care simply isn't one of them. In fact, Medicaid cuts will only make our economic situation worse. For one, every $1 in State Medicaid spending generates an additional $1.25 in federal matching dollars. More Medicaid cuts may also push struggling hospitals and nursing homes over the precipice and cost our state thousands of good jobs.
Our leaders must instead take a long-overdue look at a few appropriate ways of increasing revenue. Florida CHAIN supports Governor Crist's call for a federal boost to Medicaid as part of the proposed economic stimulus package that may be ready for President-Elect Obama to sign upon taking office this month. For the short term, we must also use our trust and reserve funds, and replace them by tapping into some common-sense opportunities to remove tax loopholes, subsidies to sports facilities and corporations and unfair tax exemptions. For the longer term, we must reform our outdated and inadequate system of generating revenue in order to meet the basic needs of Florida and Floridians.
We can't make these cuts to health care now, and Florida certainly can't endure more, even bigger cuts during the regular session later this spring. Fortunately, there's a better way.
Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN |
Advocates Call on the Legislature for Bold Action in Trying Times
 The Coalition for Fair and Comprehensive Tax Reform, a group of organizations representing children, the elderly, consumers, parents, workers and educators held a press conference yesterday at the Florida Capitol to call upon the Legislature to take a more balanced approach to Florida’s fiscal crises.
“We want to thank the Governor and the Legislature for sparing the Medicaid programs that provide services to medically needy pregnant woman and children, and adults who are in need of eye glasses, dentures and hearing aides and other quality of life services that were potential cuts presented earlier," said Leah Cook, Advocacy and Outreach Director for Florida CHAIN. "However, we agree with our colleagues that any cuts to Medicaid programs ultimately costs the state more than it saves having a negative ripple effect on our economy. Taxpayers would be better served if the cuts that are proposed were replaced using Medicaid dollars provided through the anticipated economic recovery package currently being developed by Congress”
“Health and Social Service advocates appreciate attempts by Legislators and the Governor to spare services that are delivered to Florida’s most vulnerable, however cuts to service providers that deliver services through community based organizations and institutional settings such as nursing homes, homes for the aged, and hospitals does have a negative impact on access as well as quality of care,” remarked Fely Curva who represents the Clearinghouse on Human Services. “We urge the Legislature to add new revenues to the call and to wait on making cuts until we know what is available through the economic recovery package.”
Indeed, in these trying times, we must look for alternatives to cutting programs that serve Florida’s most vulnerable citizens.
This sentiment was echoed by Karen Woodall from the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy. Her organization is calling for the Legislature to wait on making any cuts that would greatly affect this important population.
“At the very least the Legislature should stipulate through proviso language that budget reductions will not be implemented if they can be replaced by dollars that are earmarked for Florida through the economic stimulus package," said Woodall. "This is the bad news - and the good news? Florida tops the list of states with serious economic setbacks, but that means that we will benefit greatly from the formulas being used to determine our share of revenue. These decisions are too important to rush into them when we know that more information will be forthcoming in a matter of weeks if not days.”
For more information about the Coalition or the Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy, please visit: http://www.fcfep.org
Leah Cook, Florida CHAIN
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A Look at Cover Florida Coverage (Part 1)
 Despite severe time constraints, the State was able to roll out health coverage options for uninsured Floridians through the Cover Florida initiative this month. The key questions have been and will continue to be the extent to which uninsured Floridians will instead become under-insured and the extent to which consumers will understand what they’re getting (and not getting). In 63 of 67 counties, however, the only options are those available through the two insurers approved to offer plans statewide, making the choice somewhat simpler. Four other insurers will offer plans in one or two specific counties.
In this and coming issues of CR, we’ll review various aspects of Cover Florida plan coverage, starting with the central issue of affordability. The Cover Florida legislation itself is silent on the issue of affordability, though Governor Crist frequently cited a goal of $150 monthly premiums. One could argue that this goal has been reached, though it’s unclear whether uninsured Floridians will agree. For one, insurers offer two different types of plans: “preventive” and “catastrophic”. Each insurer does indeed offer a preventive plan option for less than $150 per month for most age groups, but that fact alone is meaningless without the following additional context:
1) The separate catastrophic coverage is considerably more expensive than the preventive, and to get the comprehensive benefits that most recognize as part of real coverage, one would need both types.
2) Premiums are obviously much higher for older enrollees. That reality is only intensified by the fact that no one can be turned down for coverage because of their health. So although preventive coverage under one plan would run a 25 year-old only about $24 monthly, catastrophic coverage for a 61 year-old male could run $584 a month.
3) Reducing benefits and increasing cost sharing requirements are two universal methods of lowering premiums. What consumers may not understand is the extent to which benefits are limited in Cover Florida, and much remains unclear from the brief plan summaries posted by the State. (Cover Florida plan benefits will be the focus of a future article.) As for cost sharing, fortunately, most preventive plans don’t require deductibles or excessive copayments. Most of the catastrophic plan options do have deductibles, however, which are not permitted under the Cover Florida law.
4) The information posted by the State on its Cover Florida website includes a single “average” premium for each plan. This figure seems to be the average of all possible rates for all age groups, which is misleading. The typical uninsured Floridian likely to seek coverage would pay significantly more. In fact, several of the plans include children in the calculation, a group that by law is ineligible for Cover Florida coverage.
Bottom line: Are there affordable Cover Florida plans? Yes. Will Cover Florida be affordable to uninsured customers? To what extent will adequacy be sacrificed for affordability, and what will the consequences be? These questions will be harder to answer.
Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN |
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FMAPping a Path Away from Medicaid Cuts
 Although few Floridians might include a boost to Medicaid on the list of items they’re looking for in the economic stimulus package currently pending in Congress, its inclusion is essential for both the most vulnerable Floridians and the state as a whole.
Medicaid is a state-federal partnership, and that partnership includes splitting program costs. The percentage paid by the federal government is called the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, or FMAP. The FMAP rate varies from state to state based on average personal income. Florida’s current FMAP is 55.40%, which means that each State dollar the Legislature cuts from Medicaid during the upcoming special session will cost Florida an additional $1.24 in federal funding.
The stimulus legislation might be the first bill presented to President-Elect Obama upon his taking office. The version considered by Congress thus far (S. 3689) would add 8% to the current FMAP rate - going back to October 2008 and then forward through December 2009. Florida could expect to receive $1.5 billion more in federal funds during this period, with an economic impact of more than $2.8 billion. Such an infusion would also create and/or save more than 28,000 good-paying jobs.
A short-term increase in the FMAP has worked before. It was part of the stimulus package passed by Congress during the 2003 economic downturn, and was an important part of the effort to both jump-start the economy and preserve the safety net.
Of the additional federal funds Florida would receive under an FMAP increase, more than $900 million would be available in this State fiscal year. With Florida facing the prospect of Medicaid cuts now, an FMAP increase would bring immediate relief to our budget crisis as well as eliminate the pressure to cut Medicaid at a time when it’s more needed than ever. Governor Crist, recognizing the urgency of the situation, is already on record strongly supporting an increase, even including it in a letter to Mr. Obama.
Unfortunately, the situation is complicated by the fact that the budget-cutting special session will wrap up by January 16, before the stimulus bill can secure final approval at the federal level. (Mr. Obama won’t even take office until the 20th.) But this timing glitch can and must be worked out. The alternative - cutting Medicaid at the expense of seniors, people with disabilities and children when help may be just around the next corner – is unthinkable.
Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN |
MediPass Changes Shelved for Now
 During the 2008 legislative session, changes were made to the MediPass program in an effort to expand the reach of HMOs in Medicaid. Outside of the 5 Medicaid Reform Pilot counties, Medicaid consumers have not been required to enroll in a managed care plan, but instead may choose MediPass.
In MediPass, a consumer’s care is managed by his or her primary care provider, not a health plan. Under the changes, consumers who don’t specifically tell Medicaid during their yearly open enrollment period that they want to remain in MediPass were to be automatically switched to an HMO.
But AHCA, citing the complexity and cost of implementation, first postponed the changes and on December 22 announced that it would not go forward with them at all in 2008-09.
The changes remain on the books, however, and if not removed, could still be implemented later. For the time being, however, no one can be switched from MediPass to an HMO, even if they don’t respond to their open enrollment notice at all.
Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN
Contractor Pledges to Do Better with Medicaid Enrollment
On July 1, AHCA changed over to a new “enrollment broker” for Medicaid: EDS. In that role, EDS is charged with assisting Medicaid consumers (outside the Reform Pilot) with the enrollment process.
Immediately thereafter, it became almost impossible to reach the now EDS-staffed Medicaid Options call center. That lack of access continued for months and even caused overflow back-up at AHCA’s own Medicaid offices.
EDS acknowledges that the lack of access resulted in consumers being automatically assigned to plans when they otherwise wouldn’t have, thwarting choice and giving HMOs an unfair advantage. In response, EDS - which has had even more widely publicized problems in its role as AHCA’s new fiscal agent - increased call center staff, installed voicemail and provided back-up fax and e-mail access to for problem cases.
The problems appear to be subsiding, but anyone experiencing difficulties is encouraged to contact Florida CHAIN.
Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN
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If Choice in Rural Reform Hanging On, It’s by a Thread
In November, we reported that choice had collapsed in the 3 rural counties of the Medicaid Reform Pilot after AHCA officials stated that HMO United Healthcare had not reconsidered its decision to pull out of the experiment.
United’s departure would have left only one managed care plan (Access Health Solutions) to serve Baker, Clay and Nassau Counties, entirely eliminating the choice so fundamental to Reform. However, AHCA told Florida Health News (FHN) that there had been a misunderstanding. United was only leaving Broward County, they said, so rural consumers would continue to have 2 options at least.
In a December follow-up, however, FHN found that United had indeed stopped enrolling new members, although it’s still shown as a choice in Reform materials. AHCA’s creative response was that United was still accepting new enrollees on a voluntary basis, but not accepting auto-assignments when no choice is made.
By law, if there is no choice of plans in Reform, MediPass must be revived as an option. AHCA would presumably argue that United is doing just enough to prevent the collapse of choice and the return of MediPass.
Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN |
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Help Now Available to Resolve KidCare Access Issues
 In an effort to help the many families who have experienced problems with enrollment and renewal of KidCare health care coverage during the last several months, the KidCare Child Health Connect project has been launched. Regional community KidCare advocates and partners will now be available to assist you with family account and communication issues. This process will serve to help families resolve specific systemic issues.
You can help families by sending individual stories and issues to the key contacts listed below. Special staff will be responsible for contacting families with solutions within 24 hours. This safety net assistance process should only be utilized if the family has first tried to call the KidCare 800 number first. For confidentiality reasons, the KidCare Health Connect Network participants will receive only an email acknowledgement that the issue has been received and is being reviewed.Please read below for a background of this issue and see the list of available community connectors who are assisting families with KidCare.
Background
The Florida KidCare Program has successfully covered hundreds of thousands of previously uninsured children in Florida since its inception in 1988. In May of 2008, the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation's new third party administrator, Affiliated Computer Systems, Inc., took over the complex role of enrolling, renewing and processing applications and accounts for the Title XXI components of the Program.
As with any large scale transition, families began encountering problems. Such problems included a lack of communications, families' inability to reach assistance through the call center due to high call volumes, and delays in processing renewal applications. In recognition of these challenges, the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation's board of directors directed its staff to implement a disenrollment suspension project to ensure that no child is inappropriately disenrolled from the program due to a system error. This project went into effect October 1, 2008.
This process is not meant to replace or divert families from first using the KidCare Customer Service Hotline (1-800-821-5437) to resolve their questions or complaints. Families and /or community partners should only utilize this process after the family has attempted to resolve their issues via the call center.
All Children's Medical Services Network families are to continue to be referred directly to their local CMS Network office for assistance.
In an effort to maximize the resources available, the following regional representatives are available to assist you with any family account issue.
List of Contact Names:
Broward Rebecca Miele
Volusia/Flagler Steve Parris
Orange/Seminole Dawn Steward
St. Lucie Danny Pierre-Louis
Miami Fay Maturah
Lucia Jeff
Duval Jack Johnson
Brevard Susan Macuska
Okeechobee Sharon Vinson
Escambia/Santa Rosa Stacy Ray
Florida CHAIN Laura Goodhue
Hillsborough Marisa Rappa
CKF Jodi Ray
FCHC Linda Merrell
FCHC Karen Woodall
Linda Merrell
Florida Child Health Care Coalition
LindaKids1@aol.com
386-295-3651 |
Medicaid Buy In Update
New "Medicaid Buy In" Bill filed!
 Hopefully it will be a Happy New Year for all! Senator Crist (R) has filed a "Medicaid Buy In" bill in the Florida Senate, Senate Bill 348. The proposed changes would increase the income and asset limits for persons on SSI/SSDI and Medicaid so they go back to work with less fear of losing their Medicaid. We now need a sponsor in the House. Now is the time for advocates around the state to meet with their local elected representatives and ask them for their support of this bill. Click here to find out who your state legislators are.
See our website for advocacy tools including: sample letter to your legislator, Backgrounder, Talking Points, Frequently Asked Questions, Making a Difference advocacy tips, etc.
Your Input Made a Difference
Last year, several meetings were held around the state to introduce persons to the Medicaid Buy In initiative. This year's bill has a change that was suggested by many advocates and Medicaid recipients - to increase the asset level for couples. So the allowable asset level has been increased to $15,000.
We also asked for your input through a survey conducted by the National Disability Institute on what went well during last year's initiative and what improvements could be made. The results of this survey were compiled in a report submitted to the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. Click here to find the report on our website.
Olga Golik, Esq., Citrus Health Network, Inc.
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35 Florida Organizations Sign On to Letter Urging New President to Prioritize Health Care
(Tom Daschle, nominee for HHS
Secretary, with Pres-Elect Obama)
Across the country health care advocates are signing on to letters addressed to the Obama Administration and Congress to prioritize health care early in 2009. In a letter sent in December, Florida organizations urged the new leadership to link fixing the economy with fixing our broken health care system. Florida CHAIN would like to thank the 35 organizations that signed on.
December 19, 2008
Dear President Elect Obama:
As you no doubt heard directly from voters during the election season, families across Florida are increasingly anxious about health care and are eager to see the new Administration and Congress keep their pledge to enact reforms that will ensure that every American has access affordable and stable health insurance coverage and high-quality health care.
With rising premiums far out-pacing wages, everyone is feeling the effects. Family premiums for health coverage have increased 30 percent since 2001, while income has increased just three percent. Businesses that offer health insurance see it in their bottom lines, and family budgets are being strained by rising out-of-pocket costs. For the small businesses that can’t offer coverage and individuals who do not have coverage, the possibilities of obtaining coverage grow ever dimmer.
The recent downturn in the economy has compounded these problems. Chief among people’s economic worries are the health and well being of their families. They fear not being able to take their child to the doctor or get the medications they need to stay healthy and take care of their loved ones.
Fixing the economy and reforming our health care system must be inextricably linked. Polling data collected prior to the election asked likely voters to rank policy ideas based on how effective they would be at improving the current economic situation, and the top two answers were reducing health care costs and providing health care to all Americans.
As we move into a new presidential administration and Congress, our leaders must work together to find common-ground policies to provide coverage to all Americans.
We therefore, urge President-elect Obama to make comprehensive health reform the top domestic priority in his administration and the one that he tackles first. Florida’s children, businesses, seniors, people with disabilities and families are counting on action and his leadership.
Sincerely,
BLACK STATE NURSES, PATIENTS, PARTNERS AND PROVIDERS
BROWARD COUNTY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
CHILDREN’S SERVICES COUNCIL OF BROWARD COUNTY
DOVETAILERS, INC.
FLORIDA ACORN
FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD AFFILIATES
FLORIDA CHAIN, INC.
FLORIDA CONSORTIUM OF ADVOCATES FOR INFANTS & TODDLERS, INC.
FLORIDA COUNCIL OF COMMUNITY HEALTH
FLORIDA FEDERATION OF BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL WOMEN, INC.
FLORIDA HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION
FLORIDA PEER NETWORK
FLORIDA PIRG
FLORIDIANS FOR HEALTH CARE, INC.
GILDAR ASSOCIATES
HEALTH PLANNING COUNCIL OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
HEALTH COUNCIL OF EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA
HEALTH PLANNING COUNCIL OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA
HISPANIC HEALTH INITIATIVES
HUMAN SERVICES COALITION OF MIAMI-DADE
JUNETEENTH OF ST. PETERSBURG, INC.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF TALLAHASSEE
LIGHTHOUSE THERAPY ASSOCIATES
MARTIN COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION
MEDICAIDADVOCATES.COM
MEDICAL FOSTER CARE, JACKSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF BROWARD COUNTY
MIDTOWN HEALTH COUNCIL, ST. PETERSBURG
NAMI (NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL) FLORIDA
PEDIATRIC ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT CARE HOUSE & EVALUATION SERVICES, INC.
SISTAH’S SURVIVING BREAST CANCER
ST. PETERSBURG CHAPTER OF NATIONAL BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION, INC.
ST. PETERSBURG HEALTHY START FEDERAL PROJECT
THE PATRICIA GROUP OF THE ST. PETERSBURG HEALTHY START PROJECT
UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY OF TAMPA BAY |
REAL STORIES FROM FLORIDA HEALTH CARE CONSUMERS
Living a Life of Pain with Hope of Recovery If Insured
Hello Dear Friend,
 I am sure you have been wondering what has happened to me...I know that I can be honest with you so here goes...
The last time I left Gainesville, I thought I was going to be able to have a Cryosurgery procedure on my occipital nerves in my head which they have determined are severely damaged and causing me a lot of my pain. I received a referral from my surgeon but it took all of three months to find a doctor who was willing to touch me. Most did not want to assume liability for me-considering my history- and the fact that the procedure is very risky for someone who has had my type of tumor. But when I went to the hospital, they did a temporary nerve block that actually gave me about 14 hours of headache free existence. I wept so hard. I had forgotten what it felt like to not have a headache...so I became hopeful and excited.
While I was in the hospital, I learned that somehow I had acquired Medipass insurance. I did not know how and neither did anyone else, but it was going to allow me to have a permanent procedure done to kill those nerves in my head and alleviate the pain in my head so I did not care. However, two weeks ago they called and they tell me that my insurance was coming up under another woman's name.
After three days on the phone trying to get to the bottom of it, I found out that it was never my insurance to begin with. It was an error on the part of the hospital. The woman whose number was assigned to me was in the E.R. at the same time I was for the staph infection. Somehow, our information got crossed.
So now that I do not have MediPass, the doctor who was going to do the nerve procedure will not see me. So I am now back to where I started. In essence, it has put me in a not so good place emotionally. I am finding myself withdrawing from those around me, and I really don't know why. I hate that I do that. I am just finding it a lot harder this time to bounce back and be strong. All I keep thinking about is how long am I going to have to feel like this and what is the purpose?
But I wanted to touch base with you and let you know what has been going on. Thank you so much for your sweet cards. They lifted my spirits today. I love you and I miss you.
DeAnna
Florida CHAIN Seeks Stories
Florida CHAIN welcomes contributions from health care consumers who are interested in sharing their experiences with readers of CHAIN Reaction. If you have a story to share, please contact lisam@floridachain.org
State Events
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Florida Audio and Web Events
Statewide Notices
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STATE EVENTS & NOTICES
NORTH FLORIDA
Children’s Week
Mar 29-31 Tallahassee
Join strengthening Florida’s families by sharing a commitment to improve our communities through events and outreach efforts aimed at promoting the health, safety and well-being of our children. Children’s Week is supported by over 80 different non-profit, corporate, philanthropic, faith based, state agencies and organizations. Children’s Week develops and implements over 200 community events and activities statewide, bringing thousands of parents, children, policy makers, professionals, community leaders and concerned citizens together to share valuable knowledge and information about children's issues in each community across the state and at the State Capitol. On Tuesday, March 31, more than 2,000 children’s advocates are planning to attend the Children’s Capitol for a Day. Please register your event by jan 5, wherever it is being held, and Children’s Week will promote it Two toolkits are available. Next Statewide Conference Call: Dec 16 at 3:00 pm. Contact 850-251-7274 or jz@childrensweek.org
Notices
CENTRAL FLORIDA
EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA
WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA
Events
Public meetings with Commissioner Kevin Beckner
Saturday mornings 10:00-11:00 am:
Jan 10 District 3: College Hill Branch Library, 2607 East MLK, Jr. Blvd, Tampa
Jan 17 District 4: Bloomingdale Regional Public Library, 1906 Bloomingdale Ave, Valrico
Jan 24 District 1: Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, 3910 S Manhattan Ave , Tampa
Jan 31 District 2: Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave, Tampa
Newly elected Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, District 6 countywide, is holding Coffee with Kevin public meetings to hear the needs and concerns of Hillsborough County citizens. Coffee and light refreshments will be served, and the County Commissioner elected to each district is also invited.To reach out more to the community, on the last Friday of every month, Commissioner Beckner also plans to hold office hours in all County districts so residents do not have to come to the County Center to voice their concerns. A schedule of times and locations will be forthcoming. To contact Commissioner Beckner's office , call 813-272-5730.
The Biggest Challenge Remains: Addressing the Most Intractable Cost Problem Facing American Employers
Feb 3-4 Tampa Waterfront Convention Center
Cutting-Edge Employer Case Studies on the Preeminent Issues of Keeping Employees Healthy and Productive....and at an Affordable Cost. Topics will include: Wellness Programs, Managing Vendors, Control Cost Drivers, Predictive Modeling, Transparency, Demand Management, Power Data / Technology, Educate for Results, Disease Management, Benefit Design, Health Promotion, Consumer Directed. Contact: info@HBCE.com or call 941-484–1430.
Notices
Pinellas residents can get free discount drug cards, which may not be used in conjunction with any health insurance plan, including Medicare and Medicaid, but will help those seeking discounts on drugs.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
Events
Obama's healthcare plan & you - First Friday Lunch
Jan 9 11:30 am-1:00 pm HSC, 260 NE 17th Terrace, Suite 200, Miami
President-elect Obama wants to know what you think about healthcare reform. Local experts Dr. Judy Schaecter, University of Miami & The Children's Trust, and Santiago Leon, Healthcare for All Florida will talk about how Obama's proposed plan will affect our lives in South Florida. Weigh in on this important discussion, and find out where local policymakers stand on healthcare reform. $10 cost includes lunch. RSVP to 305-576-5001 x16 or patriciam@hscdade.org by Noon Jan 8. No-shows will be charged.
"Pass the Buck" Cigarette Tax Legislative Meeting Skills Training
Jan 20 6:00 to 8:00 pm American Cancer Society, 8095 NW 12th St, Suite 200, Doral
Attendees will receive information and training on a variety of techniques to make them more effective advocates for passage of the state cigarette tax. RSVP to Mayte Canino at mayte.canino@cancer.org or 786-417-3463.
Consortium for a Healthier Miami-Dade Annual Seminar & Showcase: Healthy Environment, Healthy Lifestyles and Healthy Community
Jan 27 8:00 am – noon Bank United Center, 1245 Dauer Ave, Coral Gables
Learn how the Consortium has been making South Florida a healthier place to live and how you can be part of the change. No charge. Reserve seats early.
Breast & Cervical Cancer Toolkit Training
Jan 30 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Miami-Dade County Health Dept, 8600 NW 17th Street, Suite 200, Doral
Sponsored by Moffitt Cancer Center & Florida Department of Health, the goal of this free program, for health educators, nurses, social workers, community religious or civic leaders, outreach workers, other professionals, and community members interested in reaching their community with important education and awareness on breast and cervical cancer, is to provide community representatives training in the use of a breast and cervical cancer educational toolbox (kit) designed as a teaching and promotional screening tool. The educational toolboxes consist of a video (DVD) and educational materials including a flipchart and brochure. The toolkits are low literacy and culturally appropriate targeting African American and Hispanic groups (Spanish language). Toolboxes free to all participants, who must commit to deliver 4 educational sessions in the next year. RSVP to 305-470-5633 or Jennifer_Prince@doh.state.fl.us
Haitian American Nurses Association Community Health Fair
Jan 31 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Oasis Church, 1308 S Federal Hwy, Hollywood
To register for vendor space, contact: info@hana84.org
Wellness 101: Developing a Worksite Wellness Program
Feb. 6 8:30 am–4:30 pm South Miami Hospital, Victor E. Clarke Ed Ctr, U.S. 1 & SW 62 Ave
Almost half of all premature deaths in the United States are caused by lifestyle-related choices. We can prevent many of these deaths and enhance quality of life for millions of people if we can help them exercise regularly, eat nutritious foods, avoid tobacco and excess alcohol, learn to manage stress, improve social networks and achieve a sense of fulfillment. Target Audience: Human resource managers, wellness professionals, registered dietitians, registered nurses, exercise physiologists, health education specialists, health promotion professionals, wellness directors, community health professionals and anyone interested in developing a worksite wellness program. Contact Wellness Advantage, Baptist Health South Florida, at 786-596-2387, or e-mail wellnessadvantage@baptisthealth.net.
South Florida Cancer Control Collaborative Meeting
Feb 26 9:30 am Aventura Hospital & Medical Center Medical Arts Bldg, 21110 Biscayne Blvd
Phil Fusca, MSW is host, and Catholic Hospice is sponsoring. Contact 305-682-7000
Notices
Survivors Teaching Students: Saving Women’s LivesSM
The Florida Department of Health Comprehensive Cancer Control Program is looking for ovarian cancer survivors living in the Miami-Dade area who are willing to become part of an innovative national program that brings ovarian cancer survivors into the classrooms at medical and graduate nursing schools in the Miami-Dade area to share their stories and key information on the disease. Survivor presenters will be trained on how to share your story with the students. Contact 850-245-4444 ext 3854 or e-mail at rosa_scheker@doh.state.fl.us by Friday, December 19.
Breast Cancer Network of Strength “A Day For You” for Miami’s Asian population
A grant from the Dade Community Foundation to bring our national enables this program free of charge to the women of the Asian community, only through December 2008. The session should take only an hour or so to run and will provide life saving information to your community. With one in eight women acquiring breast cancer in their lifetime, it is critical that we reach and educate these women. Assistance requested in identifying Asian groups in Miami Dade County. The network offers culturally sensitive materials in over 170 different languages. Contact 954-989-1288 or mwhitehead@networkofstrength.org
FLORIDA AUDIO CONFERENCES AND WEBCAST
Healthy Teens Campaign Conference Call
Jan 15 10:00 am
As Florida's Legislature prepares for regular committee hearings and session, the Healthy Teens Campaig (a coalition of more than 70 partners from faith, education, parent, youth, medical professionals and social justice organizations) is holding monthly telephone legislative strategy sessions featuring Healthy Teens Act sponsor Senator Ted Deutch. Advocacy tools for educating elected officials about comprehensive sex education will also be discussed. Contact: info@healthyteensflorida.org or 941-923-4555
STATEWIDE NOTICES
Recruiting Ovarian Cancer Survivors
The Comprehensive Cancer Control Program is recruiting ovarian cancer survivors in the Gainesville, Jacksonville and Miami/Ft Lauderdale areas for its Survivors Teaching Students: Saving Women’s Lives Program. For more information, please contact 850- 245-4444 extension 3854.
Call to Action from Sister Study
This study is a national effort to find the environmental and generic causes of breast cancer by recruiting 50,000 women who have never had breast cancer but have a sister who has had the disease. There is still a great need for: Caucasian women with a high school degree or less, Caucasian women 65-74 years old, African Americans, Latinas, Asians and Native Americans 35-74 years old of all educational level. Please forward this message to women who may be eligible to join the Sister Study (www.sisterstudy.org or 1-877-474-7837).
NATIONAL EVENTS & NOTICES
CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
Families USA Health Action 2009
Jan 29-31 Washington, DC
Registration is officially open for business! Who should come? Progressive health care advocates and anyone interested in health care justice. Why should you come? With a new President and Congress, health care reform promises to be at the top of the national agenda in 2009 with a real opportunity for substantive reform.
The Herndon Alliance 4th Annual Meeting
Jan 31 2:30-5:30 pm Mayflower Hotel, Washington D.C.
The meeting follows the Families USA National Grassroots Meeting Health Action 2009, and, for Herndon Alliance Partners, includes its 12:30-2:30 pm session with lunch. Learn About Recent Findings: How do we keep healthcare as the primary domestic issue in the economic downturn? How can we best talk about needed system improvements? Engage in a discussion about how local advocates can most effectively support their own agendas and support national reform. RSVP to gwen@herndonalliance.org and direct questions to 206-744-9192 or docbob@herndonalliance.org.
Race and Class Inequalities in Health
Abstract submission deadline: Feb 2
Conference: June 23-26 Anaheim, CA
Conceptual and data-based papers are invited for presentation at the annual Society for Epidemiologic Research meeting. There will be a contributed paper session on Race and Class Inequalities in Health. Accepted abstracts will be distributed at the June meeting and will also be published in a Supplement issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. Submit online For inquiries about this specific session on Race and Class Inequalities in Health, contact Irene Yen: irene.yen@ucsf.edu or Pat O'Campo: pat.ocampo@utoronto.ca
2009 National Health Policy Conference
Feb 2-3 JW Marriott, Washington, DC
Registration Now Open for The National Health Policy Conference (NHPC), hosted by AcademyHealth and Health Affairs, provides insider perspectives on the critical health care issues and priorities for the upcoming year.
Presentation Opportunities for Child Health Services Researchers
Call for Abstracts: due Feb 16
Conference: June 27 Chicago
Proposals for research panels and posters are being accepted for the 2009 Child Health Services Research Meeting to be held on June 27 in Chicago. This meeting, now in its 11th year, features the latest in child health services research and policy.
Third National Leadership Summit on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health: A Blueprint for Change
Feb 25-27 The Gaylord National, 201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD 20745
Sponsored by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
The Association for Community Health Improvement National Conference
March 11-13 Los Angeles
This annual conference hosts more than 450 professionals from hospitals, health systems, foundations, public health, and community health organizations for a gathering that stimulates real change and improvement in how community health programs are planned, run, and evaluated. There will be four tracks: Leading Community Health Assessments to Set Priorities, Programs, and Policie; Achieving Community Benefit Excellence; Improving Health by Addressing Our Social and Built Environments; Building the Skills of Community Health Leaders (for Today and the Future)
ACHI Spring Training for Health Champions
March 11-13 Los Angeles
Now more than in ever in recent memory, community health services and community benefit programs need to be targeted, efficient and effective. This annual conference is the best source of help for doing this.
Creating the Future We Want to Be: Transformation Through Partnerships
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health's 11th Conference
April 29 - May 2 Milwaukee
AUDIO AND WEB EVENTS
NOTICES
CAMPAIGNS & INITIATIVES
Cover the Uninsured Week will be held March 22-28, 2009
For the past six years, this week has highlighted the need for our nation's leaders to make reforming our health care system a top priority in order to provide a solution for all Americans, especially the 46 million - including 9 million children - living without health insurance. As a new Congress and administration take office in January, it is important that they put reforming our nation's health care system at the top of their agenda. Now is the time for you and your community to get involved in Cover the Uninsured Week 2009! Host an enrollment event, organize a health coverage forum, and more. Many resources available.
Visit the National Health Information Center for a complete list of the 2009 National Health Observances and contact information for resources
New listings, in order of submission deadlines
American Academy of Pediatrics Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Implementation Funds Program
Proposal deadline: Jan 31
The Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Implementation Funds program supports pediatricians in the initial and/or pilot stage of developing and implementing a community-based child health initiative. Grants of up to $12,000 are awarded to pediatricians each year on a competitive basis. Priority will be given to projects serving communities with the greatest demonstrated health care access needs and health disparities. Strong collaborative community partnerships and future sustainability of the project are encouraged. A pediatrician must lead the project and be significantly involved in proposal development and project activities.
Dr. Scholl Foundation
Deadline: March 1
The Dr. Scholl Foundation is dedicated to providing financial assistance to organizations committed to improving our world. Applications for grants are considered in areas including but not limited to programs for children, developmentally disabled, senior citizens, civic and cultural institutions, social service agencies, hospitals and health care.
Disparities Leadership Program
Intent to Apply deadline: Feb 9
Proposals due: March 27
This year-long executive education program designed for leaders from hospitals, health plans, and other health care organizations who wish to implement practical strategies to identify and address racial and ethnic disparities in health care, particularly through quality improvement.
Office Depot
Deadine: April 30
Office Depot helps a large number of local nonprofit organizations every year. The nonprofit organization must be aligned with Office Depot's mission to directly impact the health, education and welfare of children, and Funds must directly assist children. Recipients must have an established track record of community advocacy.
Ben & Jerry’s Foundation
Ongoing deadline for Letters of Interest
The Ben & Jerry's Foundation offers competitive grants to not-for-profit, grassroots organizations throughout the United States which facilitate progressive social change by addressing the underlying conditions of societal and environmental problems. Grant applicants need to demonstrate that their projects will lead to societal, institutional and/or environmental change; address the root causes of social or environmental problems; and lead to new ways of thinking and acting. Awards are granted ranging from $1,001 - $15,000.
Continuing listings, in order of submission deadlines
Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities: Supporting Community Action to Prevent Childhood Obesity
Brief proposals due online by: Feb 3
The primary goal of this Robert Wood Johnson Foundation initiative is to implement healthy eating and active living policy and environmental initiatives that can support healthier communities across the United States. Special consideration will be given to communities in 15 states including Florida where the risk for childhood obesity is the greatest. The objective of the current Call for Proposals is to provide support for community initiatives that will increase opportunities for physical activity and improve access to affordable healthy foods for children and families. The Foundation will award approximately 60 grants for Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities sites, each of which will receive up to $360,000 total over four years, or approximately $90,000 per year.
Civic Ventures: Purpose Prize for Experienced Social Innovators
Deadline: Mar 9
These awards go to people over 60 who are taking on society's biggest challenges. The prize recognizes those with the passion and experience to discover new opportunities, create new programs, and make lasting change. Five awards of $100,000 and five awards of $50,000 will be given to exceptional individuals who are channeling their creativity and talent to address critical social problems at the local, regional, national, or international level. The winners may be working in public, private, nonprofit, or for-profit organizations devoted to tackling the hardest challenges of our time: homelessness, social justice and human rights, violence, poverty and hunger, health, education, and the environment, to name a few. Nominees must be legal residents of the U.S. who have initiated important innovations in an encore career.
Community Access to Child Health Implementation Funds
Applications accepted: Nov. 1-Jan. 31
The Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Program is a national program of the American Academy of Pediatrics designed to improve access to health care by supporting pediatricians and communities that are involved in community-based efforts for children. The CATCH Implementation Funds Program provides grants of up to $12,000 each year to pediatricians who want to initiate a pilot project that addresses the local health needs of children in the community. (Grants are also available for pediatric residents, but limited to a maximum of $3,000.)
Innovating Worthy Projects Foundation
Requests are accepted from Jan 1 through Aug 31
The Innovating Worthy Projects Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations throughout the United States that are dedicated to providing direct care or services for children with special needs, acute illnesses, or chronic disabilities. Preference is given to small organizations that might not otherwise be helped. Grants support new ideas and approaches to providing services as well as equipment purchases.
Advancing technology to improve healthcare sevices: Verizon Foundation
Applications accepted: Jan 1 through Nov 30
The mission of the Verizon Foundation is to improve education, literacy, family safety, and healthcare by addressing Verizon's commitment to deliver technology that touches life. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that benefit communities in the locations the company serves within the United States. One of the Foundation’s priority categories is Education and Literacy, with emphasis on innovative, technology-based approaches to literacy and K-12 education. In addition, through the Safety and Health category, the Foundation supports initiatives that contribute to the safety and well-being of families, with emphasis on domestic violence prevention and technology for healthcare and healthcare accessibility.
Nathan Cummings Foundation
Letters of inquiry may be submitted at any time
Next deadline for invited proposals: Jan. 15
The Nathan Cummings Foundation is rooted in the Jewish tradition and committed to democratic values and social justice, including fairness, diversity, and community. The Foundation seeks to build a socially and economically just society that values nature and protects the ecological balance for future generations, promotes humane health care, and fosters arts and culture that enrich communities. An additional goal is to strengthen the capacity of the Jewish community to work for social and economic justice, both in the United States and Israel. Funding priority is given to projects that have an impact at the state, multi-state, or national level.
Families USA Wellstone and Social and Health Care Justice Fellowships
Deadline: Jan. 15
The Wellstone Fellowship for Social Justice is designed to foster the advancement of social justice through participation in health care advocacy work that focuses on the unique challenges facing many communities of color. Through this fellowship, Families USA hopes to expand the pool of talented social justice advocates from underrepresented economic, racial, and ethnic minority groups, including black/African American, Latino, Native American, and Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Candidates seeking consideration for the Wellstone Fellowship must demonstrate an interest in health care policy as a tool for reducing racial and ethnic health disparities. While there is no bias in favor of any specific academic discipline, a college degree is preferred. The Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice was created to inspire and develop the next generation of healthcare justice leaders. Villers Fellows will be given the opportunity to work on a variety of healthcare justice issues during their year-long tenure and will be exposed to different advocacy strategies, including producing analytic reports, disseminating effective messages through the media, successful coalition building, and e-advocacy techniques. Fellows will also develop an understanding of the federal legislative process. Candidates applying for the Villers Fellowship must demonstrate a commitment to social and healthcare justice advocacy following their year of hands-on experience as a fellow. Each fellowship will last from August 2009 through July 2010, and fellows will receive a compensatory package that includes an annual salary of approximately $35,000 and excellent health care benefits. One Wellstone Fellow and one Villers Fellow are selected each year.
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health Annual Award
Deadline: Jan 30
Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH) promotes health (broadly defined) through partnerships between communities and higher educational institutions, including through service-learning and community-based participatory research.
Public Welfare Foundation
Letters of inquiry due: 6-8 weeks before deadlines
Deadlines: Mar 23, July 27
The Public Welfare Foundation supports efforts to ensure fundamental rights and opportunities for people in need. The Foundation looks for carefully defined points where funds can make a difference in bringing about systemic changes that can improve the lives of countless people. 2009 funding priorities include a Health Reform program that fosters the development of strong systems of advocacy with expertise in health policy, organizing community and interfaith groups, and building coalitions
The Humana Foundation
Proposals accepted: Nov 1-June 15
The Humana Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in communities where the company has facilities in states including Florida. The Foundation is committed to serving the needs of children, families, and seniors in their quest to build healthier lives and communities. Special consideration is given to proposals that focus on the following areas: health and fitness efforts that lead to better lifestyles; literacy activities that lead to improved health experiences; and the development of technology, tools, and resources that lead to healthy communities.
Department of Health and Human Services Understanding and Promoting Health Literacy (R21)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): April 24, 2009; December 24, 2009
Application Submission/Receipt Date(s): Sept 24, 2008; May 25, 2009; Jan 25, 2010
Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health (R03)
Closing date for applications: May 7, 2009, Multiple deadlines
This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) issued by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research solicits Small Research Grant (R03) applications from organizations/institutions that propose to develop empirical research on social work practice, concepts, and theory as these relate to the NIH public health goal of improving health outcomes for persons with medical and behavioral disorders and conditions.
Planning Grant for Oral Health Promotion across the Life Span (R21)
Closing date for applications: May 7, 2010, Multiple deadlines
This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is intended to encourage and support meritorious oral health promotion research directed at improving oral health and preventing diseases and/or their sequelae across the lifespan.
Community Participation Research Targeting the Medically Underserved (R01)
Expiration Date: May 15, 2010
The ultimate goal of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) with a special review issued by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is to solicit Research Project Grant (R01) applications that propose research on health promotion, disease prevention, and health disparities that is jointly conducted by communities and researchers and targets medically underserved areas (MUAs) and medically underserved populations (MUPs) as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Community Participation Research Targeting the Medically Underserved (R21)
Expiration Date: May 15, 2010
The ultimate goal of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is to solicit Exploratory/Developmental (R21) grant applications that propose research on health promotion, disease prevention, and health disparities that is jointly conducted by communities and researchers and targets medically underserved areas (MUAs) and medically underserved populations (MUPs) as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Community Participation in Research (R01)
Expiration Date: May 8, 2011
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) solicits R01 grant applications that propose intervention research on health promotion, disease prevention, and health disparities that communities and researchers jointly conduct.
The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination/Bias on Health Care Delivery (R01)
The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination/Bias on Health Care Delivery (R21)
The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination/Bias on Health Care Delivery (R03)
Expiration Date: May 8, 2011
Grant applications are encouraged from institutions/ organizations that propose to: (1) improve the measurement of racial /ethnic discrimination in health care delivery systems through improved instrumentation, data collection, and statistical/analytical techniques; (2) to enhance understanding of the influence of racial/ethnic discrimination in health care delivery and its association with disparities in disease incidence, treatment, and outcomes among disadvantaged racial/ethnic minority groups; and (3) to reduce the prevalence of racial/ethnic health disparities through the development of interventions to reduce the influence of racial/ethnic discrimination on health care delivery systems in the United States.
Kresge Foundation Grantmaking Programs in Health and Environment
Deadline: Open
Both the Health and Environment Programs address health and environment-related social issues, particularly those affecting minority, low-income, and other underserved communities.
United Health Foundation - Health Services Programs Supported Nationwide
Deadline: Open
United Health Foundation works to improve health outcomes for all Americans. Support is provided to nonprofit organizations that serve the health needs of people and communities throughout the US. The Foundation's priorities are: to enhance the quality of health and medical care services by providing reliable, scientifically-based information to support decisions made by health professionals, communities, and individuals; and to expand access to medical care and health-related services for individuals and families who live in challenging circumstances. Grants generally range from $1,000 to $50,000.
Educational Foundation of America
Rolling Acceptance
The mission of the Educational Foundation of America is to improve individual lives and surroundings through education and awareness, in hopes of bettering humanity and the world we inhabit. The Foundation provides grants to progressive nonprofit organizations throughout the United States that offer specific programs with broad impact. The Foundation’s areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the environment, reproductive freedom, theatre, education, medicine, drug policy reform, democracy, peace and national security issues, and human services. Online letters of inquiry are accepted at any time through the website listed above.
Johnson Foundation: Wingspread Conferences
Letters of inquiry accepted at any time.
The mission of the Johnson Foundation is to cultivate ideas that sustain community – people living in harmony with one another and their environment. The Foundation pursues this mission through Wingspread Conferences, small meetings of thoughtful inquiry convened in an atmosphere of candor and purpose. The Foundation co-sponsors conferences with nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, or government agencies that work in the following areas: education, media, family, democracy and community, and sustainable development and the environment. The conferences are held at Wingspread, the Foundation's headquarters and educational conference center located near Racine, WI.
Fulbright Scholar Award
Multiple deadlines
Applications continue to be accepted for some Fulbright Scholar awards for lecturing, research or combined lecturing/research awards in public health during the 2008-2009 academic year. Faculty and professionals in public health may apply for awards specifically in their field, as well as one of the many "All Discipline" awards open to any field.
Ladder to Leadership: Developing the Next Generation of Community Health Leaders
Application deadline: Varies
Ladder to Leadership: Developing the Next Generation of Community Health Leaders is a collaborative initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Center for Creative Leadership. The initiative aims to enhance the leadership capacity of community-based nonprofit health organizations serving vulnerable populations. It will develop critical leadership competencies for 270 early- to mid-career professionals through an innovative, sixteen-month leadership development curriculum
Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation Community Improvement Programs
Applications accepted throughout the year.
Provides support to nonprofit organizations that improve communities and positively impact lives. The grantmaking emphasis is on programs that help children and families, animals, or the environment. Average grant $2,500.
Donors Forum of South Florida on-line database
The new online searchable Donors Forum of South Florida database has up-to-date information about funders in South Florida. This resource— which is also available in hard copy — presents continuously updated information about the giving interests and procedures of funders with a track record of investing in the South Florida area and working collaboratively with others. To order, email leot@donorsforumsf.org or call 305/371-7944.
Directory Of Health Policy Fellowships
This Kaiser directory contains new listings for undergraduates, graduate students and professionals searching for summer, school-year, or post-doctoral positions.
Florida CHAIN Website Resources
Organizations and Services
Florida
Children's Health Care
Medicare
Prescription Medications
Health Disparities
Other
Manuals, Guides and Toolkits
Children's Health Care
Medicaid
Medicare
Uninsured
Health Disparities
Other
Technology and Audio Visual Materials
Media Programming
Web Sites, Web Features
Florida
Children's Health
Medicaid
Medicare
Health Disparities
Other
Audio, Videos and Films: Web, Rent/Purchase. Theater
Periodicals and Books
Reports and Studies
New Listings
New Listings: Medicaid
New Listings: Children's Health Care
New Listings: Medicare
New Listings: Federal/State Budget
New: Health Insurance, Health Care Costs
New: Health Disparities
New: Other Health Issues
Florida Reports
Children's Health Care
Medicaid
Medicare
Federal/State Budgets
Health Insurance, Health Care Costs
Health Disparities
Other Health Issues
FLORIDA CHAIN WEBSITE RESOURCE UPDATE
Florida CHAIN Website Updated
www.floridachain.org continues to be updated with current resources. Find comprehensive information about Medicaid Reform including background information, evaluations, media coverage, consumer experiences, correspondence with AHCA, and more. Apply for Florida KidCare, access the KidCare renewal flyer, or view the KidCare Coordinating Council’s annual report. Discover resources for people who are uninsured. Find the contact information of Florida’s health committee members. Use our town hall meeting template to create your own town hall. Access health care resources in Spanish. Learn more about Florida CHAIN’s activities, board of directors, and partners. View Florida CHAIN’s publications. Just visit www.floridachain.org and mark it as one of your favorites. For feedback or suggestions, contact Lisa Margulis at lisam@floridachain.org or 954-986-6535.
ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICES
Newly posted resources are at the top of each Topics List.
Florida
(Florida) Hispanic Health Initiatives
In Florida, almost half of the 3 million uninsured adults are Hispanic. Central Florida has continued to see the rates of the uninsured increase and the availability of culturally competent services decrease. One agency, Hispanic Health Initiatives, Inc (HHI), is the only health services facility in Central Florida created to specifically address the needs of the Hispanic community. Since its inception in June of 2000, this volunteer-driven, community-based organization has worked to connect medically underserved families with free or low-cost health care services. Read more.
The Florida Discount Drug Card
is designed to lower the cost of prescriptions for Florida residents who are 60 and older and without prescription drug coverage or who fall into the Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage gap; OR under age 60, without prescription drug coverage, and with an annual family income of less than 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. Qualifying incomes include those below: $30,636 (individual); $41,076 (family of two); $61,956 (family of four). It can give eligible participants a discount on virtually all drugs and be used at all participating pharmacies.
Florida Relay Service 711
The Florida Relay Service is the communications link for people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf/Blind, or Speech Impaired. Through the Florida Relay Service, people who use specialized telephone equipment can communicate with people who use standard telephone equipment. To call Florida Relay, dial 7-1-1, or use the appropriate toll free numbers: 800-955-8771 (TTY); 800-955-8770 (Voice); 800-955-1339 (ASCII); 877-955-8260 (VCO-Direct); 877-955-5334 (STS); 877-955-8773 (Spanish); 877-955-8707 (French Creole) In emergencies, Relay users should call 9-1-1 directly or the emergency services center in their community. Note: 711 can't be accessed from many buildings with a switchboard system because the PBX system won't recognize it, and consumers need to dial 1-800-955-8771 from them. Florida Relay customer service is available 24 hours a day 365 days a year: 1-800-676-3777 (English); 1-800-676-4290 (Spanish)
Southeast Florida Cancer Control Collaborative (SFCCC)
SFCCC works to reduce the cancer burden and cancer disparities in Southeast Florida, including Broward, Indian River, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties. The SFCCC includes representatives from more than 60 public and private organizations, agencies and health care providers, as well as cancer survivor and advocacy groups. SFCCC aims to increase awareness about cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment among populations at high risk. The Collaborative meets quarterly at various locations in the region.
Children's Health
IPUT, Informed Parents United Together: Advocating for Universal Education and More!
This nonprofit agency works at an individual local network level to educate parents
and increase their advocacy for Inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in General Education environments. Check out the IEP Tool Box.
Medicare
AARP's Public Policy Institute
This website offers an array of publications addressing health care issues that are now available online, including such titles as Quick Health Facts 2008: A Compilation of Selected State Data and Doors To Extra Help: Boosting Enrollment In The Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy.
Medicare Rights Center (MRC) has an Rx Hotline for Nonprofit Professionals as one component of its comprehensive independent source of health care information and assistance for older adults and people with disabilities. It helps with understanding or explaining the Medicare prescription drug benefit to clients. Call RxHelp, a national hotline dedicated for nonprofit professionals serving the Medicare population, operated from 10 am to 6 pm EDT. Dial 877/RXHELP-0 (877/794-3570).Other services include: a telephone hotline; a database of case advice; education and training; public policy work; electronic newsletters; and communications with local and national media outlets. To help you understand your Medicare health plan choices, the Medicare Rights Center offers Medicare Interactive (MI), a web-based Medicare counseling tool.
Access to Benefits Coalition
The nonprofit ABC is dedicated to ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries with limited incomes know about and make the best use of all available resources for accessing prescription drugs and reducing their costs. ABC is working through local community coalitions to inform beneficiaries and their families, as well as the professionals who serve them, about Medicare Part-D. Extra Help is provided online or in person; find out if you or someone qualifies by going to BenefitsCheckUpRx?. Publications include: Applying for the Low-Income Subsidy: A Tool Kit for Advocates; and Pathways to Success: Meeting the Challenge of Enrolling Medicare Beneficiaries with Limited Incomes
A Healthier US Starts Here: CMS Prevention and Wellness Initiative
This spring and summer, as part of the "A Healthier US Starts Here" initiative the US Department of Health and Human Services and CMS will join with local officials and partners, to raise awareness of the importance of preventing chronic disease and illness, promote Medicare preventive benefits and provide information about how beneficiaries can take action to maintain and improve their health.
Prescription Medications
The AZ&Me? Prescription Savings
This new AstraZeneca program provides medicines free of charge to community free clinics, community health centers and hospitals that serve the uninsured. AstraZeneca plans to provide medicines to hundreds of thousands of patients at approximately 150 facilities by the end of 2008. The new program builds on current AstraZeneca patient assistance programs by extending prescription drug assistance directly to the sites where uninsured patients interact with healthcare providers, supporting patients at one central place where they can get the medicine and care they need. In light of the updates to their patient assistance programs in the last year, AstraZeneca has decided to no longer participate in the Together Rx Access program after January 31, 2008. They offer AstraZeneca programs that provide medicines free of charge to those making up to $30,000 for an individual, or $60,000 for a family of four. More info: 1-866-325-8198
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance
is a service sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry that offers a single point of access to more than 475 patient prescription assistance programs, including more than 180 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. Through referrals by organizations, more than 260,000 people in Florida have received assistance with their prescriptions medicines. They have launched a national campaign to raise awareness about the importance of SCHIP and its reauthorization, including a website and TV and print ads. They also have updated their FAQs and Fact Sheet to include SCHIP.
The Prescription Project
This project is led by Community Catalyst in partnership with the Institute on Medicine as a Profession. Funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Project seeks to eliminate conflicts of interest created by industry marketing by promoting policy change among academic medical centers, professional medical societies and public and private payers. In addition the Project will advance state and national level policy solutions. The Project will sponsor a wide range of activities to achieve its goals, including research and policy analysis; national and community-based forums; outreach to the media; and meetings with key decision-makers, including deans of medical schools, health care administrators, business leaders, policy makers and consumers. These include the Prescription Project Weekly Reader, a readable, relevant way to keep members and friends of the Project informed about what is happening at the intersection of medical conflict-of-interest issues and prescription drugs.
Together Rx Access
is a prescription savings program sponsored by 10 pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer. It provides savings on a wide range of prescription products at the pharmacy counter to eligible patients without prescription coverage. For more information, call 1-800-444-4106
Health Disparities
Save Our Sons
Save Our Sons is an innovative health education project, sponsored by Community Voices of Morehouse School of Medicine, the Lorain County Urban League, The National Urban League and Pfizer, Inc. The Save our Sons project targets African-American men and boys and provides free educational workshops on ways to incorporate healthy eating and exercise in an effort to maintain healthy lifestyles and reduce diabetes rates.
PrevengaLaGripeInfantil.org
Is a resource for service providers working with Hispanic communities, who play a key role in reaching Spanish-speaking parents, caregivers and youth about the benefits of annual influenza (flu) vaccination. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases has created a Spanish-language website where you can access free Spanish-language flu vaccination educational materials. Note: English-language materials are also available at PreventChildhoodInfluenza.org
Health-Wise Woman Diabetes Prevention Education Project
Every minute of every day, someone develops type 2 diabetes. For some, the risk of diabetes is even higher. Among African Americans, 1 in 7 has the disease, and Black women ages 20 and older represent 15 percent of those living with diabetes. Without intervention to change these trends, 1 in 2 African American children born today will develop type 2 diabetes. Black Women’s Health Imperative is proud to be among the eight national organizations funded by the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), a joint program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to work across the country to improve the treatment and outcomes of diabetes among individuals, families, communities and health care systems.
Health Resources in Haitian Creole
Provided by Florida Association of Community Health Centers, Inc.
The National Resource Center on Public Health Preparedness Needs of Culturally Diverse Communities is a new online central clearinghouse of resources and an exchange site to facilitate communication, collaboration, and networking among key players working to empower and eliminate disparities for culturally diverse communities in emergencies.
African American Health Coalition (AfAHC)
During a time when our country faces tough economic decisions, many programs are being cut that provide information and health services to diverse communities. One such program, the African American Health Coalition (AfAHC), remains committed to providing services to the African and Hispanic-American population in Houston, Texas. Read more
National Resource Center on Advancing Emergency Preparedness for Culturally Diverse Communities
A joint initiative of the Drexel University School of Public Health's Center for Health Equality and the United States Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health, the site features hundreds of cross-referenced annotated resources in over 40 languages highlighting research, training and education opportunities, measurement and evaluation tools, effective risk communication strategies, and other successful programs and projects.
National Health Law Program (NHeLP) Resources
Language access continues to be a significant barrier to health care for individuals with limited English proficiency. Over 23 million individuals—almost 9 percent of the population—speak English less than “very well” and likely need assistance communicating in the health care arena. In an attempt to provide tools for health care providers and others, NHeLP has released a series of reports outlining promising practices for providing language services in health care settings. In mid-April, the National Health Law Program and the American College of Physicians released Language Services for Patients with Limited English Proficiency: Results of a National Survey of Internal Medicine Physicians. Other resources include Providing Language Services in State and Local Health-Related Benefits Offices: Examples from the Field, which outlines how state and local benefit offices can provide language services and Language Services Resource Guide for Healthcare Providers which offers information on how to provide language services including translator agencies, training programs, and health care symbols.
Refugee Health Information Network
RHIN is a national collaborative partnership, managed by refugee health professionals, whose objective is to provide quality multilingual, health information resources for those providing care to resettled refugees and asylees. RHIN places its greatest emphasis on identifying, collecting, and making quality available materials that have been produced in refugee languages. Sources of these materials include federal, state and local public health agencies; national organizations; health care agencies; community-based organizations; academic institutions and international organizations. RHIN also strives to identify news and events, as well as other information resources useful to health providers serving refugees.
Training Alliance for Communities of Color
This website is from National Health Policy Training Alliance for Communities of Color, a partnership between Families USA, the Joint Center Health Policy Institute (HPI), the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, and the National Medical Association (NMA). Their mission is to empower community leaders, elected officials, and journalists from communities of color with pertinent information about health policy developments in order to: expand their capacity to address and catalyze action on crucial health and health care issues; bolster the skills of leaders from communities of color to play a more influential role in shaping and creating health policies that are of relevance to their respective communities; and engage diverse leaders in national health policy development.
The National Hispanic Resource Help-Line 1/800-473-3003 provides support for Latinos throughout the nation who need information about educational, health and human service providers. To become part of their database, click here.
Other
Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease Promising Practices
The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, a diverse, national coalition of more than 100 partner organizations, is committed to raising awareness of policies and practices that save lives and reduce health costs through more effective prevention and management of chronic disease.
Community Clinical Oncology Program
State-of-the-art clinical trials in your community medical practice
CCOP is a network for conducting cancer prevention and treatment clinical trials by community medical practitioners. This network connects academic centers (Research Bases who design and conduct the trials) with community physicians (CCOP, MB-CCOP) who accrue patients to those trials.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
has released a new brochure, Women and Depression, about the many dimensions of major depression in women. It can be downloaded. The 13-page brochure highlights symptoms, causes, women of color, life stages, and treatment, with additional sections on seeking professional help, self-help, preventing recurrent depression, and helping other women. Bulk copies for community education can be purchased on-line.
MANUALS, GUIDES, TOOLKITS
Newly posted resources are at the top of each Topics List.
Children's Health
Monitoring and Assessing the Use of External Quality Review Organizations to Improve Services for Young Children: A Toolkit for State Medicaid Agencies
State Medicaid agencies typically contract with external quality review organizations (EQROs) to assess the quality of health services provided through Medicaid managed care plans. But only a handful of states are using these organizations to improve the quality of preventive and developmental services for young children. This toolkit shows state Medicaid officials how they can work with EQROs to evaluate and improve the quality of preventive and developmental services delivered to children enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans. (July 2008, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., and George Washington University)
First Focus Children's Budget 2008
This new publication informs readers of the sad state of funding for children's programs. Over the past five years, only one percent of every new, real non-defense dollar has been spent on children. The book provides an analysis of the over 180 federally funded programs that assist America's children. Downloadable book, fact sheet, powerpoint presentation. (2008, First Focus)
Alliance for Health Reform has developed an online toolkit on child health coverage. The toolkit provides links to resources that will improve the user’s understanding of how children get coverage in the U.S. and the importance of public programs and employer-sponsored health insurance to children.
Cover the Uninsured Storybook - The Success of SCHIP: How the State Children's Health Insurance Program Helps America's Working Families
This is a 15-page, downloadable booklet that shares the touching stories of 23 families that have benefited from coverage provided through SCHIP. Download it today to share with opinion leaders in your community. Order Free Materials: FREE English and Spanish promotional materials featuring the 1(877) KIDS-NOW hotline, which parents can call to find out if their uninsured kids are eligible for SCHIP or Medicaid, are available to augment your outreach efforts. Order fans, bookmarks, posters and more to distribute in your community while supplies last.
Helping Pediatric Practices Implement Parental Depression Screening
A new online manual helps pediatric clinicians successfully screen parents for depression, discuss with them the impact depression can have on their children, and refer parents for counseling. Rates of major depression peak during women's childbearing years. Research has shown that maternal and paternal depression can affect parenting behaviors and, ultimately, harm children's health and development. Because pediatricians have frequent contact with parents, they have opportunities to screen for depression and intervene when necessary. Accumulating data about the adverse effect of parental depression on child health, development, and behavior have provided an impetus among pediatric practices for changing clinical care.
Medicaid
Medicaid: A Primer
This publication provides an overview of the basic components of the nation’s largest health coverage program, which covers 59 million low-income individuals, including children and families, people with disabilities and the elderly who are also covered by Medicare. Medicaid is also the dominant source of the country’s long-term care financing. The primer examines how the program is structured, who it covers, what services it provides, and how much it costs. The updated primer includes tables examining the state-to-state variation in eligibility, enrollment, and spending for Medicaid enrollees. (December 2008, KFF)
Return on Investment Calculator for Medicaid Quality Initiatives
The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) has launched the Return on Investment Forecasting Calculator for Quality Initiatives, a Web-based tool designed to help Medicaid stakeholders identify programs with the potential to both improve health care quality and control costs. It can generate realistic return on investment (ROI) estimates for quality improvement initiatives.
The Basics of Medicare and Medicaid
The primers help explain Medicaid and Medicare, including an overview, how they work, who they serve and how they are funded. The Medicare primer is new, and the Medicaid primer has been updated with the most current information (Kaiser Family Foundation, "The Basics of Medicare and Medicaid," (3/19/07, Kaiser Family Foundation)
The Medicaid Matters web site is a resource for people working across the country to protect Medicaid, the health insurance that 50 million rely on. It stores a ready-to-use toolkit of messages, materials and dissemination ideas. Users are able to download, at no cost, tested messages emphasizing the importance of Medicaid and the threat now facing the program. Messages are enhanced by high quality, full color photography. One set of materials is designed to be ready to print. Once downloaded, they can be forwarded to any print house or copy shop without any further formatting. The second set of materials is designed so that components of the product can be adapted to suit the needs of that organization or constituency that wishes to use them.
Medicare
Toolkit: Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans
The toolkit contains links to resources on general information about Medicare private fee-for-service plans, advantages and incentives of using the plans and the difficulties that beneficiaries have faced with the plans, including enrollment fraud. The toolkit also includes a list of experts and Web sites for further information on the plans. (7/12/07, Alliance for Health Reform)
Medicare Advantage Tutorial on the basics of Medicare Advantage and types of MA plans, as well as trends in MA enrollment, characteristics of beneficiaries and the impact of MA plans on traditional Medicare. And an updated Medicare Health and Prescription Drug Plan Tracker with MA plan enrollment data for June, containing local, regional and national data on MA plans and stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans. (7/17/07, Kaiser Family Foundation)
The Basics of Medicare and Medicaid
The primers help explain Medicaid and Medicare, including an overview, how they work, who they serve and how they are funded. The Medicare primer is new, and the Medicaid primer has been updated with the most current information (Kaiser Family Foundation, "The Basics of Medicare and Medicaid," (3/19/07, Kaiser Family Foundation)
Medicare Rights Center Part D appeals manual
This free, comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide is for advocates who help people with Medicare get the drugs they need.This 25-page manual offers a complete overview of the entire appeals process, real-life case examples from MRC's Client Services department, a glossary of important Part D appeals terms, a sample appeals protocol for advocates, and links to important resources and documents. All in consumer-friendly language
New/Updated Resources Medicare Drug Plan Resources
In advance of the 2007 Medicare drug plans open enrollment period beginning Nov. 15, Kaiser Family Foundation has issued a series of new and updated resources based on ongoing research including consumer surveys:
Updated fact sheet providing state-specific data about Medicare drug plan options for 2007, including stand-alone drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans, and information on premiums, gap coverage, and availability to beneficiaries who qualify for full low-income assistance.
Updated Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit fact sheet, with a revised estimate that 4 million people will be affected by the coverage gap in 2006, as well as current enrollment and low-income subsidy participation and updated Medicare per capita drug spending.
Updated Talking About Medicare online consumer guide, reflecting 2007 benefit changes, to help people with Medicare and their families understand options and make decisions based on their personal situations; includes information about financial assistance for those with limited incomes, supplemental insurance options, and Medicare Advantage.
Uninsured
Getting Ready For National Health Care Reform: A Handbook for State Advocates
With President-elect Barack Obama's appointment of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to head the Department of Health and Human Services as well as the new White House Office of Health Reform, it is clear that national health reform efforts are moving forward. Community Catalyst has created Getting Ready For National Health Care Reform: A Handbook for State Advocates, which shares lessons learned from the 1993-1994 health care reform effort and offers suggestions for maximizing your involvement in the 2009 debate. We will continue to provide technical assistance and educational materials to state-based groups involved in health reform efforts and support state partners by helping them build and mobilize coalitions, understand health policy proposals, and create strategies to ensure that organized consumer advocates continue to impact health care reform.
Approaches to Covering the Uninsured: A Guide
The guide explains the key strategies for expanding coverage to the nation's 45 million uninsured people and explains and how different policy options can be combined to form comprehensive reform proposals. It organizes the various policy strategies under four overall approaches: strengthening current coverage arrangements, improving the affordability of coverage, improving the availability of coverage and changing the tax treatment and financing of health insurance. (December 2008, KFF)
The Opportunity for National Health Reform in 2009 is a PowerPoint presentation from Community Catalyst that provides a broad overview of the current health care environment, a history of prior reform efforts, and possible scenarios for the future. The presentation focuses on building the capacity of state consumer advocates to influence the national effort, facilitating state advocacy group participation in policy and design and implementation, promoting federal policy that supports state programs, and working to protect vulnerable populations. Click on the orange box labeled “The Opportunity for National Health Reform in 2009”
Community Benefit & Charity Care: State-by-State Maps
ACHI has updated national, state-by-state maps of hospital association and government Web sites and documents on community benefit and charity care. States are linked to either recent statewide reports on community benefit or charity care, or to state reporting requirements or guidelines. View the two maps here. Write to communityhlth@aha.org with suggested updates or additions.
Community Benefit Bibliography Updated
ACHI has updated its annotated bibliography of published community benefit articles. Among the additions are several new pieces written since mid-2007, some reflecting on upcoming changes in IRS reporting. Download the bibliography here
The Consumer Guide to State Health Reform
Community Catalyst and Families USA new Web-Based Guide to State Health Reform for Advocates. More and more states are prioritizing health care reform to address the coverage gaps that exist, the affordability crisis that continues to worsen, and the increasing costs of health care. Community Catalyst and Families USA are pleased to announce the release of a unique web-based guide to state health reform for consumer advocates working to strengthen and expand health care coverage in their states. A Consumer Guide to State Health Reform provides a detailed look at the building blocks of comprehensive health care coverage.
Fact Sheets and Primer on the Uninsured
The Kaiser Family Foundation has collected links to some resources on the topics of health coverage and the nation’s uninsured population to assist you in your work related to these issues:
The Uninsured and Their Access to Care
Covering the Uninsured: Growing Need, Strained Resources
Massachusetts’ New Law to Cover the Uninsured
Women's Health Insurance Coverage
The Uninsured: A Primer
Health Disparities
Promoting Health Equity: A Resource to Help Communities Address Social Determinants of Health
This workbook was created by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help new and existing partnerships address the social determinants of health inequities in order to work towards eliminating health disparities. It highlights lessons learned by communities and provides tools to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions that address these social determinants.
Fact Sheet: HIV/AIDS among African Americans, contains the latest statistics on how HIV/AIDS has affected the African American community. (Updated August 2008, CDC)
Critical MASS Toolkit: Taking Community ACTION on Health Disparities
Designed to help communities and grassroots coalitions take charge in the fight against disparities, this toolkit was developed by Critical MASS to support individuals and communities like yours in efforts to: Understand the different causes and impacts of disparities in health; Learn where and how to look for data and patterns regarding health; Use group action as a strategy to address health disparities and related issues in communities
Medicaid and SCHIP: Critical for Latino Families Facing Financial Hardship is a new fact sheet that discusses how Medicaid is important to low-income Latino families, especially during economic hard times. The fact sheet argues that having access to Medicaid benefits prevents Latino families from having to compromise their health care or finances. (4/10/08, national Council of La Raza)
Disparities Toolkit for Collecting Patient Race, Ethnicity, and Primary Language Data
The updated version of this web-based toolkit is now available free of charge on the HRET Web site, thanks to HRET and AHA support. The new edition, which can be viewed online and downloaded as a PDF, is easy to navigate and offers important new material.
Women's Health Policy: Coverage and Access to Care Tutorial
The tutorial provides an overview of women's health care needs and concerns, and discusses important issues stemming from women's health coverage and access to care and reviews central policy challenges in improving women's access to care (Feb 2008, Kaiser Family Foundation)
Race Matters
This toolkit was created to help advocates and leaders address race and power structures within their work to help create equitable opportunities for all. (Voices for America's Children and The Annie E. Casey Foundation)
A Patient-Centered Guide to Implementing Language Access Services in Healthcare Organizations
The guide was created to assist health care organizations in better serving their clients with limited English proficiency and decrease disparities in access to health care. (DHHS Ofc. of Minority Health)
Amigos en Salud Online Disparities Toolkit
Pfizer has created a free toolkit to help community health centers reduce racial health disparities. The program, called Amigos en Salud/Friends in Health, involves training community health workers to be a bridge between minority communities and the healthcare system.
Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities: A Quality Improvement Initiative in Medicaid Managed Care ToolkitCenter for Health Care Strategies
The toolkit examines the experiences of a workgroup - comprising 10 Medicaid health plans and a state primary care case management association - that adopted strategies to identify and address racial and ethnic health disparities in birth outcomes and immunizations, asthma care and diabetes care. (January 2007)
Families USA is offering Making Public Programs Work for Communities of Color: An Action Kit for Community Leaders, from its Minority Health Initiatives Department. The kit provides community leaders with information, tools, and resources to engage in health advocacy and improve the health and well being of their communities. Emphasizing the importance of public programs in reducing racial and ethnic health disparities, the kit contains: a summary and statistics of racial and ethnic health disparities and the role public programs can play in reducing them; an overview of Medicaid (and SCHIP) and Medicare, including their relationships to communities of color; fact sheets on improving health coverage for racial and ethnic minority groups; state and local case studies on health advocacy; advocacy tools including a powerpoint presentation, and lists of organizations and publications. Contact: 202/628-3030 or rpanares@familiesusa.org.
Other
The Community Health Promotion Handbook: Action Guides to Improve Community Health
Partnership for Prevention and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have worked together to bridge the gap between research and practice by developing these Action Guides.
Updated! State-by-State Community Benefit Requirements and Reports
ACHI has updated its interactive maps with state-by-state requirements and voluntary reports on hospital community benefit. Located on the Community Benefit Resources page, these maps are based on research by ACHI and by the Catholic Health Association. Visit the interactive maps to learn how each state is working to tell its community benefit story.
2008 Federal Poverty Guidelines
HHS has released its updated guidelines. (1/23/08, Federal Register)
Environmental Health Disparities Fact Sheets
These US EPA fact sheets address disparities in secondhand smoke exposure and asthma among African American and Hispanic American children. The intended audiences are parents and community-based organizations working on environmental health issues of specific minority populations.
GoingSmokeFree.org: A Toolkit for Implementing Smoke-Free Laws
The site is a clearinghouse for activities, events, and tools states and communities need to plan, implement and support new or expanded smoke-free laws. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in partnership with the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, has created this free online resource to help states and communities implement smoke-free laws.
New Web Tool Provides Samples of Report Cards on Health Care Quality
With rising interest in information about the quality of care delivered by health care providers, HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has developed a new Web tool demonstrating a variety of approaches for health quality report cards. The new Health Care Report Card Compendium is a searchable directory of over 200 samples of report cards produced by a variety of organizations. The samples show formats and approaches for providing comparative information on the quality of health plans, hospitals, medical groups, individual physicians, nursing homes, and other providers of care.
Slides, Resource Links Added to Community Health Assessment Toolkit
ACHI has added a downloadable slide set illustrating the Community Health Assessment Toolkit's six steps, checklists, and other features. Use it as a quick orientation for yourself or share it to build understanding among your community partners. The slides are accessible without logging in. We've also updated and expanded the resource links in each step.
Five Guidelines for Developing Customer-Friendly Websites
This new Covering Kids & Families publication is intended to help state agencies and other organizations do a
better job of helping people find information on the Web about Medicaid, SCHIP and other government services by producing a customer-friendly sites
TECHNOLOGY AND AUDIO/VIDEO RESOURCES
Media Programming
Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?
This seven-part series for PBS broadcast and DVD release will, for the first time on television, sound the alarm about our glaring socio-economic and racial disparities in health--and seek out root causes. While we pour more and more money into drugs, dietary supplements and new medical technologies, it turns out there is much more to our health than bad habits, health care or unlucky genes. The social conditions in which we are born, live and work profoundly affect our well-being and longevity. The series is part of an ambitious Public Impact Campaign conducted in partnership with leading public health, policy, and community-based organizations, pointing out that investing in our schools, improving housing, integrating neighborhoods, better jobs and wages, and giving people more control over their work, are as much health strategies as smoking diet and exercise.
Web Sites, Web Features & Databases
Newly posted resources are at the top of each Topics List.
Florida
SHADAC Launches Redesigned State Health Access Assistance Web Site
The new RWJF Web site gives users easy access to research and resources related to issues of health insurance coverage, data collection methods and state health policy.
Florida Medicaid Reform Evaluation Project
The website provides information on the evaluation and access to key publications, talks, and presentations produced by the MRE team. The University of Florida (is conducting a five-year evaluation of the state’s Medicaid Reform Demonstration Project under a contract with AHCA, Florida’s state agency for health policy and planning. The evaluation will be conducted over the period of Florida’s Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver (July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2010), as approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by the Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy at UF. The overall objective is to assess whether Florida's Medicaid Reform accomplishes its stated objectives of delivering quality healthcare services while achieving better health outcomes and enrollee satisfaction at a more predictable lower cost. For further information, contact (352) 273-6073 or mre@phhp.ufl.edu
Florida's Community and Migrant Health Centers Brochure UPDATED 9/07
A low literacy brochure describing services offered at Florida's CHCs with a map of all CHC locations and phone numbers. English Brochure Spanish Brochure Haitian Creole Brochure
Annie E. Casey Foundation: 18th KIDS COUNT Data Book
This is the recently released new edition of this national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in the United States. By providing policymakers and citizens with benchmarks of child well-being, the Foundation seeks to enrich local, state, and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all children. Information is also available in an online database that enables users to generate custom graphs, maps, ranked lists, and state-by-state profiles. Both the book and the online database can be accessed on the website listed above.
First Steps: A Guide for Parents of Young Children with Developmental Disabilities
Florida Developmental Disabilities Council’s most popular publication ever has been revised and updated with critical info for any parent or family member of a young child with a developmental disability. The publication is a reliable source of info for parents at the beginning of a new journey. They will learn a new vocabulary, discover advocacy skills they never knew they had, and meet new people who will become important in their life as friends, teachers, doctors, therapists and caregivers. This is a valuable tool to help guide parents in the initial steps of their journey as well as a resource they can visit again and again as they, their child and their families grow through the coming years together. The publication is available in both English and Spanish, as well as in a full color version and a black and white version – both are in Acrobat Reader format (PDF) and available in two sections – Chapters 1 to 5 and Chapters 6 to 10 – for your convenience downloading the publications.
Florida Health News, free online non-profit news service
The Florida Health Policy Center has announced the launch of an independent, free, non-profit news service: Florida Health News Inc. FHN will post health-related stories reported around the state, highlight the Florida impact of national stories, and track state health legislation. The news service also will feature original coverage of major health policy developments and a free Monday-through-Friday news service. You can visit the site and subscribe to the e-mail news service by clicking on the link: www.FloridaHealthNews.org. To send your comments, story tips and news of conferences and other events, or get more information, contact pat.curtis@floridahealthnews.org or 850/556-1668.
Florida Health Insurance Coverage of Children 0-18 (2004-2005)
Kaiser Family Foundation has released information about this on-line resource.
Statehealthfacts.org Updates Data on Medicaid & SCHIP Coverage for Children
Statehealthfacts.org has updated information on eligibility levels for children in Medicaid and SCHIP and parents and pregnant women in Medicaid using survey data from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU). The latest information on Medicaid and SCHIP enrollment practices for pregnant women and children and renewal practices is also now available. Overall SCHIP spending for FY 2006 and Federal SCHIP spending data from FY 1998 through FY 2006 are also now available. Recent additions to the site include new information on children's demographics and health insurance status from analysis of the Census Bureau's March 2005 and 2006 Current Population Surveys. These additions include the distribution of children by race/ethnicity, the distribution of children by citizenship status, and health insurance coverage among low-income children living near poverty.
Florida Association of Community Health Centers (FACHC)
The following resources have recently been added to the FACHC web site:
Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Spanish-speaking Adults (SAHLSA-50) A new health literacy test than can be used to screen for low health literacy among Spanish speakers.
Health Coverage and Access to Care for Hispanics in "New Growth Communities" and "Major Hispanic Centers" A 2006 Report from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
Spanish Language Mental Health Manual for Health Promoters Developed by the California- Mexico Bi-National Health Initiative.
Florida Health Care Website for Consumers
A new Web site for Florida health-care consumers officially launches today, courtesy of the Florida Hospital Association. The site offers links to information on doctors, hospitals and health-care plans as well as checklists to help consumers ask the right questions. It is intended largely as a portal to other, established sites. There are links to sites for Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, among others.
State of Florida Health Care Consumer Websites
The recently expanded FloridaCompareCare.gov aims to improve care and reduce costs by giving citizens the tools to compare outcomes and prices between health care providers and medical services. Through this website one can see data on certain conditions and procedures related to quality of care, pricing and performance at the state’s hospitals and ambulatory (outpatient) surgery centers. In 2005, Florida became the first state to publicly report infection and mortality rates in each hospital. In July 2006, Florida became the first state to publicly report separate pediatric quality of care data. In addition, adult data can now be broken out specific to ages 65 and over. Additional new breakdowns include types of facilities.
FloridaHealthStat.com provides health care information to assist consumers, health care professionals, and researchers in making well-informed health care decisions and in researching the status of health care in Florida. MyFloridaRx.com provides consumers with the retail prices of the most commonly used prescribed drugs by pharmacy across Florida. For questions or comments regarding any of Florida’s consumer websites, contact 850/922-7036.
Medicaid Applications Online 24/7 and in Neighborhoods
Local partners can direct families to their area sites or online to apply for Medicaid and other benefits. The Web Application is generally preferable as the data makes it into the Florida system more quickly and there is a reduced chance of data entry errors.
Florida KidCare Applications can be completed online
Website Offers Free 24 Hour Health Information to Floridians to address concerns and inquiries
The Florida Department of Health (DOH) Secretary encourages health care consumers to visit www.FLHealthSource.com whenever they need information about a licensed health care professional. DOH’s Division of Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) maintains FLHealthSource.com. The site provides health care consumers with a host of information, including license status, office address, and disciplinary information for all health care professionals licensed in Florida. The site also provides additional information for the five profiled professions –medical doctors, osteopathic physicians, chiropractic physicians, podiatric physicians and advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs).
Statehealthfacts.org provides free, up-to-date, and easy-to-use health data on all 50 states, covering more than 500 health topics.
Florida Progressive Information Network (FLPIN)
offers a nonpartisan communication system designed to link progressive organizers with progressive activists. Individuals may sign up free of charge to receive alerts on a variety of progressive issues from other organizations participating in the Network. In order to make FLPIN work, it must be used on a regular basis. The more information put in, the more valuable it is as a tool. Link FLPIN to organization websites. A training manual is at www.flpin.net/alert.pdf. For more information or assistance, contact jen@floridahumanist.org
Children's Health
Healthy Counties Database on Youth Obesity
A new resource containing more than 100 profiles of model policies, programs and initiatives that counties nationwide enacted to prevent childhood obesity. (June 2008, National Association of Counties)
Children’s Health Coverage Conversation Guide
Children’s Defense Fund offers help with opportunities to talk about important issues with your friends and family, such as children's health coverage. Health coverage is going to be discussed on the campaign trail, on the nightly news and as a key reason why working Americans are having a difficult time paying their bills. Beware, there is a lot of misinformation out there! This guide provides helpful responses you can use to explain why health coverage for all children is a step forward for children that will improve the lives of all of us.
Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health
The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI) presents the Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health. This resource is a no-cost, easy-to-use website that puts national, state, and regional survey findings right at your fingertips. You'll find: interactive data search tools; personalized technical help by email or telephone and information and examples to help you use data more effectively.
Online Parent SCHIP Information
To assist in the growing problem of America's uninsured children, medical insurance hub HealthInsuranceFinders has added information to assist parents in finding and understanding all of their health insurance options: a State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) section with an overview of State Children Health Insurance Programs for each state.
State By State National Survey of Children’s Health Data Resource Center Dataset
The DRC Child Health Indicators version of the 2003 NSCH Dataset is now available. Added to the data sets are the 65 Child Health Indicators for the DRC online data query and the National Chartbook. Also included are Healthy People 2010 relevant indicators and key socio-demographic variables.
Medicaid
Medicaid Calculator
You can show your state officials that cutting Medicaid is a big mistake with this revised and updated Medicaid Calculator from Families USA. Simply click on your state and use the worksheet to find out how much your state stands to lose in jobs, wages, and business activity.
Fact Sheets on Medicare, Long-Term Care Spending; Medicaid; Long-Term Spending Data
Fact sheets, Georgetown University Long-Term Care Financing Project: The Georgetown University Long-Term Care Financing Project has released two new fact sheets on Medicare and long-term care and Medicaid policy that aims to protect the incomes and resources of spouses of nursing home residents who are trying to enroll in Medicaid. The project also has updated its 2005 national long-term care spending estimates. (February 2007, Georgetown University Long-Term Care Financing Project)
Medicaid Fact Sheets Tool
Compare your state's Medicaid program and the population it serves to other states and the nation by visiting Kaiser's new interactive online State Medicaid Fact Sheets tool.
Interactive Tools on Medicaid
The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured presents the State Medicaid Fact Sheets and the Medicaid Benefits Online Database, two interactive tools featuring the latest key data, information and services provided for each state’s Medicaid program. Both tools allow for easy access to the data which can then be printed, saved and emailed.
Medicare
2009 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder and Medicare Options Compare
CMS has announced that beneficiaries, their caregivers, and family members can begin to review 2009 Medicare prescription drug plan and health plan information online. The 2009 Plan Finder allows beneficiaries to compare prescription drug coverage from both stand-alone Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that provide prescription drug coverage (MA-PD plans) and to view premiums, formularies, and availability of coverage in the gap. Additionally, the 2009 Medicare Options Compare tool allows beneficiaries to compare Medicare health plan options, such as HMOs and PPOs. For more information and to view the plan finder tool please click here. The LIS Outreach Toolkit can be accessed here. People without Web access can get the same information provided by the online plan comparison tools by calling 1-800 MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), by visiting their local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) office for free personalized counseling.
Understanding Advance Beneficiary Notices
Usually, health suppliers and providers have an idea of whether or not Original Medicare will pay for your health services. However, there are some services that are only covered in specific circumstances and a supplier or provider might not know if Medicare will cover it for you. An Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN) is a notice that suppliers and other medical providers are required to give you when they offer you services or items that they know or have reason to believe Medicare will not pay for in this individual case, even though Medicare may cover it at other times. Read the full article from Medicare Rights.
Finding out What Has Been Covered: Understanding Medicare Summary Notices (MSNs) and Explanations of Benefits (EOBs)
The MSN is a summary of all claims Medicare has processed for you during the previous three months. The MSN is not a bill. It will contain information about submitted charges, the amount that Medicare paid, and the amount you may be responsible for. If you have a Medicare private health plan, your plan may also send you this information in an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) notice. The EOB will contain similar information fields to the MSN but these fields’ titles may vary among plans. Read the full article from Medicare Rights.
Know What You Should Pay for Outpatient Services with Original Medicare
Much of the time, payment for Original Medicare-covered services is a smooth and easy process. If you have Original Medicare and you see a provider who agrees to accept the Medicare-approved cost of services, you simply pay the provider a coinsurance. However, there are several factors that can complicate the situation. Avoid problems by knowing when you can be asked to pay for Medicare-covered services, how much you should be charged, and what your providers’ responsibilities are to submit claims to Medicare. Read the full article from Medicare Rights.
CMS Updates Web Site to Help Medicare Beneficiaries Better Compare Drug Plans Price, Coverage, Quality
CMS has launched a revised version of the Medicare Drug Plan Finder Web site that allows beneficiaries to sort plans offered in their communities by annual costs based on prescriptions, monthly premiums, coverage levels in the so-called "doughnut hole" and other factors and view the information in one chart. (October 2007, CMS)
Online Interactive Medicare Advantage Comparison Tools
Before making the switch to Medicare Advantage, beneficiaries can compare plans to determine their needs. Then they can review each plan using the “Guidelines for Considering Medicare Advantage” from the Center for Medicare Advocacy. More information about Medicare Advantage managed care plans is online at Medicare.gov. More recent FAQs on private fee-for-service plans is available through CMS.
Fact Sheets on Medicare, Long-Term Care Spending; Medicaid; Long-Term Spending Data
Fact sheets, Georgetown University Long-Term Care Financing Project: The Georgetown University Long-Term Care Financing Project has released two new fact sheets on Medicare and long-term care and Medicaid policy that aims to protect the incomes and resources of spouses of nursing home residents who are trying to enroll in Medicaid. The project also has updated its 2005 national long-term care spending estimates. (February 2007, Georgetown University Long-Term Care Financing Project)
Uninsured
Ask the Experts: High-Risk Pools
In this webcast, panelists discuss how high-risk pools work, including their funding, the benefits they provide, and the premiums that are charged to enrollees. Panelists also discussed how high-risk pools are a factor in helping stabilize the individual insurance market, as well as what role they might play in a reformed health care system. (7/15/08, KFF)
Election Year Health Reform Messaging (ppt presentation)
This election season we are working hard to promote comprehensive health care reform. But how do we talk about health care in a way that resonates with voters? Drew Westen, psychologist and author of “The Political Brain”, and Celinda Lake, political strategist and President of Lake Research Partners, recently completed cutting-edge research that identifies persuasive narratives, messages, and counter-responses to support health care reform. This project, funded jointly by Families USA, Herndon Alliance, and AARP, developed and rigorously tested a set of principled stands on health care reform. Rather than just produce a set of key words or phrases, the project developed a menu of narratives and the counter-responses to predictable attacks on the narratives.
Interactive Online Side-by-Side Comparisons of Presidential Candidate Health Care Proposals
The online tool allows users to customize side-by-side comparisons by selecting as many as four candidates for comparison that can then be formatted into a printer-friendly format. [Kaiser Family Foundation]
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured Updates Medicaid Benefits: Online Database with 2006 Data
Using this tool, Medicaid benefits can be compared across the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the US Territories or by specific service. The online tool contains Medicaid benefits survey data from 2003, 2004 and 2006 with information about benefits covered, limits, co-payments and reimbursement. It includes an interactive map, an expandable list of benefits, and the ability to compare data across the three survey periods.
Families USA’s State Coverage Expansions Resource Center
Many states are taking steps — expanding public programs, launching new state programs, and reforming private insurance — to make it possible for more people to get coverage. This new Resource Center will help you find out what the states are doing. Click here. The State Coverage Expansions map guides you to information on key state expansions, with fact sheets, links to legislation, and links to state advocacy groups. Comparing State Expansions is a series of tables that show you the key elements of these new proposals/laws state-by-state. How are states financing their expansions? Who is covered? What benefits do they get? Will small businesses be helped? All this and more is covered in the tables. If your state is doing similar efforts that are not yet on our map, click here to call or send Families USA an e-mail.
Health08.Org, A Hub for Information about Health Care and The Presidential Campaign
With health care emerging as one of the hot topics in the 2008 presidential election, this new ad-free Kaiser Family Foundation Web site will provide analysis of health policy issues, the results of regular public opinion surveys, and news and video coverage from the campaign trail. It will feature original content produced by Kaiser as well as health-related resources from various campaigns, other organizations, and news outlets. The site will offer summaries of candidates' health reform proposals, basic facts and information about the health system, the results of Kaiser tracking surveys examining the public's views on health issues and their perceptions of the candidates' views on health care, syntheses of health news coverage, podcasts and video from the campaign trail, and interviews with candidates and other key players in the health reform debate.
Uninsured Tutorial, Module, and Reference Library
This KaiserEDU.org page contains comprehensive resources including links to key research, policy analysis, and the latest data and statistics on the uninsured.
Health Care Coverage in America: Understanding the Issues and Proposed Solutions includes a corresponding PowerPoint presentation. (Cover the Uninsured)
Healthcare Coverage Options Database: Assistance for Obtaining Health Coverage
This Web site provides information on health insurance options for low-income U.S. residents. The site includes comprehensive information on large-scale programs like Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and the federal Health Care Tax Credit Program, as well as hundreds of smaller state, federal, and private programs.
Health Disparities
Health Literacy Website
The average American adult reads at a middle school level; but, most medical information printed and spoken by doctors is at a college level or more. This disconnect can cause major problems. To combat this, the Jefferson County Health Department has begun to work toward improving health literacy. They have partnered with East Central Missouri Area Health Education Center (ECMO-AHEC) in creating a health literacy internship for a recent pre-med high school graduate. Through this internship, the Department has begun to change their written materials to a reading level all people can understand. Also, they have been working toward staff education so they can ensure that their patients understand the medical information told them. Finally, they have created a health literacy website. This website includes information for patients, providers, and public health professionals, as well as a page linking to even more health literacy resources.
State Expansion Resource Center from Minority Health Initiatives at Families USA features states that have expanded, or are working to expand coverage, on a more comprehensive scale. Here too you will find the most recent headlines.
Unified Health Communication 101: Addressing Health Literacy, Cultural Competency, and Limited English Proficiency
is a free online learning experience designed to help health professionals improve their patient-communication skills, increase their awareness and knowledge of factors that affect their communication with patients, and implement patient-centered communication practices. The course, developed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), comprises five modules and is estimated to take a total of 5 hours to complete. The course may be completed at the user's own pace and may be taken for credit (CEU/CE, CHES, CME, and CNE) or not for credit.
Guide to Health Programs (Guia de Programas de Salud)
This easy-to-use bilingual guide in Spanish and English is available for free to anyone looking for basic information on health insurance, nutrition, and other public programs. (California HealthCare Foundation, October 2007)
“Race, Ethnicity and Health Care” tutorial
Online from Kaiser Family Foundation.
Systematic Review of Current Disparities Research Interventions Identifies Successful Strategies for Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care
Complete body of reviewed research available through new interactive tool. (10/11/07, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
The Context of Health: What Are We Really Doing To Change It?
Healthy People 2010 recognizes that communities, States, and national organizations will need to take a multidisciplinary approach to achieving health equity—an approach that involves improving health, education, housing, labor, justice, transportation, agriculture, and the environment. [95-slide ppt]
Think Cultural Health is a new web page that provides a wealth of resources and information on the issues of cultural competence in health care and health care disparities. (DHHS Office of Minority Health)
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's new disparities Web page includes publications and information listed according to racial/ ethnic group, as well as by topic area.
National Cancer Institute Spanish Web Site
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has launched a new Web site, cancer.gov en español tailored to the needs of the U.S. Hispanic/Latino community. The Web site is completely in Spanish and is one of the latest tools developed by the NCI in its efforts to address cancer health disparities. It is intended to meet the needs of Hispanic/Latino cancer patients, their families and health care providers, who are either Hispanic/Latino or serve such patients.
Facing Race 2007
The Applied Research Center (ARC) and COLORLINES Magazine have made various resources from their conference available on the ARC Web site, the ARC blog, and on the Facing Race wiki
US Racial Disparities Update
Kaiser Family Foundation issued a new data update that shows the percentage of whites, African Americans, and Hispanics in all 50 states and the District of Columbia that are uninsured, enrolled in Medicaid, and living in poverty. The data also provide a quick glance at disparities in rates of infant mortality, diabetes-related mortality, and AIDS cases between these racial and ethnic groups.
Faith Based Efforts and Resources
Families USA has posted a new page on the Minority Health Initiatives section of the Web site with links to various to encourage faith leaders to become involved in health care advocacy.
Factline: Tracking Health in Underserved Communities
This website is sponsored by the National Library of Medicine and Meharry Medical College that highlights health disparities in underserved communities. Factline presents information about health disparities faced by women, members of minority groups, the elderly and others. The focus of the website is two-fold: presenting significant findings from scholarly research in public health on the subject of health disparities and providing bibliographic references to the literature in which these findings are established. The framework for the research is Healthy People 2010.
New Database for Medical Language Access
The Medical Leadership Council on Cultural Proficiency has unveiled a first-of-its-kind database designed to assist physicians and others in providing improved language access and culturally competent health care. With more than 350 initial entries, the searchable, internet-based, free-to-the-public database includes contact information for interpreters, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, public health departments and others that provide health information and services in languages other than English. Users, including physicians, nurses, social service workers, patients and the general public, can search for listings by county, by language, or by type of service.
2007 Federal Poverty Guidelines Now Available
The Southern Institute on Children and Families has made available the 2007 Federal Poverty Guidelines. Compiled from the 2007 HHS Poverty Guidelines, these guidelines provide income levels for families at 50%, 100%, 125%, 133%, 150%, 185% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Information is provided for the continental United States and separately for Alaska and Hawaii.
Women's Health Insurance Coverage Fact Sheet
As the cost of health insurance continues to rise, women in particular may face difficult challenges affording coverage because they are disproportionately low-income and can have poorer access to employer-based insurance. This fact sheet describes the major sources of health insurance coverage for women ages 18-64, including employer-sponsored insurance and Medicaid. It provides information on the more than 17 million women who are uninsured and summarizes the major policy challenges facing women in the health insurance sector. (Feb 2007, Kaiser Family Foundation)
Comprehensive source of Hispanic data
Recent release from the Census Bureau with data and linkage to sources covering many areas.
Rural Communities Statistics and Information
The Rural Assistance Center has added to its Web site a new resource providing continuously updated demographics and statistics, documents and resources and contacts for all 50 states. RAC said the federally funded "State Resources" addition is designed to help health care providers and human services representatives in rural communities with activities such as locating and competing for funding opportunities and networking.
Immigrant Health Policy Reference Library
This new compendium summarizes data and research on immigrants’ health coverage and access to care. The library also includes a list of organizations that conduct analysis on the impact of major health policies on immigrants and presents research on specific populations, including Latino, African and Asian immigrants.
Other
WhyNotTheBest.org Web Tool Allows Hospital Comparisons
The Commonwealth Fund has launched a new Web site that allows health care providers, researchers, and professionals to easily conduct side-by-side comparisons of 4,500 hospitals nationwide, track performance over time against numerous benchmarks, and download tools to improve health care quality. (12/17/08, Commonwealth Fund)
CDC Launches CDC-TV On-Line Video Resource
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched CDC-TV, a new online video resource that will cover a variety of health, safety and preparedness topics. The premiere series on CDC-TV is "Health Matters."
Health, United States, 2007
is a compilation of more than 150 health tables. Nearly one in five U.S. adults - more than 40 million people - report they do not have adequate access to the health care they need, according to the annual report on the nation's health released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report also contains a special section focusing on access to care, which shows that nearly 20 percent of adults reported that they needed and did not receive one or more key services in the past year including medical care
America's Health Rankings: A Call to Action for People and Their Communities
This report ranked states' overall health based on 20 well-being factors, including poverty levels for children, violent crime, obesity, and racial and ethnic health disparities. The report indicated that health disparities remain between minorities and whites. In addition, the report shows that Hispanics have the lowest percentage of access to routine dental care and colon cancer screenings. (November, 2007, United Health Fdn., American Public Health Assn., Partnership for Prevention)
Latest Health Policy Facts and Data
The Kaiser Family Foundation has launched Kaiser Fast Facts, featuring QuickTakes and Kaiser Slides - two sources of facts, data and slides about the nation's health care system and programs.
Tracking the Presidential Candidates on Health Care
The Kaiser Family Foundation's health08.org website offers resources for following health care developments during campaign season. The website serves as a hub of information about health and the election, including original content produced by Kaiser and easy access to health-related resources from the campaigns, other organizations and news outlets.
Consumer Health Information for You and Your Family
Keeping up with the latest consumer health information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just got easier. FDA has a new Web page to provides comprehensive and timely consumer information. A free monthly e-newsletter, FDA Consumer Health Information will alert consumers to content contained on the page.
Metropolitan Quality of Life Data
Diversitydata.org allows visitors to explore how metropolitan areas throughout the U.S. perform on a diverse range of social measures via a dataset of socioeconomic indicators in the form of tables, thematic maps, and customizable reports. The data cover various racial/ethnic, income and nativity groups. Multiple data sources have been used to show data for numerous domains such as housing opportunities, economic opportunities, residential integration, and health.
New Online Medical Dictionary Reference Tool
MediLexicon International Limited, corporate owners of Medical News Today, was pleased to announce on Nov. 11 the launch of a new medical dictionary tool. This dictionary search is a joint collaboration between MediLexicon and Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, who have provided the data.
American Community Census Data Online
The new poverty, income, and health insurance data from the U.S. Census Bureau released on August 29, 2006 is available online. This year, it has more state and local data than in previous annual surveys.
State Level Data on Health Coverage & the Uninsured
Kaiser Family Foundation's interactive web tool includes the health insurance status of the state’s population (those with various types of health coverage or who are uninsured), and demographic information (such as income, race/ethnicity, age, gender) for those who are uninsured, have employer-based insurance, or Medicaid. Information about Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries can be found in those respective categories. Find data from other categories on the website that relate to Health Coverage & Uninsured.
The Johns Hopkins INFO Project's OneSource Database
This provides one-stop access to over 360,000 resources and six separate databases with a single mouse click or search term. OneSource users can quickly search for reports, articles, documents, posters and pamphlets, photos, web sites, Q&As and news articles through a single interface. An enhanced search and browse capability makes finding global family planning, reproductive health and population information faster and more simple than ever. Enter your terms in the search box. Select the resource type you want to look for, or search all six databases at once, and click Search.
Audio, Videos and Films: Web, Rent/Purchase, Theater
Are Health Disparities Back on the National Agenda? Examining the Impact of a New Administration and Congress
Health policy experts discussed how the new Administration and Congress can prioritize efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care. View the webcast. (December 2008, KFF)
Webcast: Political Promises
What lies ahead for health reform? Will President-elect Obama bring insurance coverage to more Americans despite the country's financial problems? The latest episode of "Talking Health," called "Political Promises," featured two experts who have been following the politics of health reform for a long time: Karen Davis, president of The Commonwealth Fund, and Sheila P. Burke, a lecturer in public policy at Harvard University. Two panelists, Julie Rovner, health policy correspondent for NPR, and Marilyn Werber Serafini, health care and welfare reporter for National Journal, gave suggestions to journalists covering the story for the next year both nationally and locally.
The Indirect and Direct Costs of Health Disparities: The Economics of Prevention and Why and How Companies Are Making it Their Business is a webinar of a forum hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust at the CBS’s annual legislative conference in Washington, DC.
Cultural Taboos That Influence Minority Patient’s Care is a video features the Maimonides Cancer Center in Brooklyn, NY. The medical center faces challenges in treating and diagnosing cancer among its very diverse patient population. According to doctors at the center there is an increasing need for a culturally-sensitive approach to patient care—one that meets the needs of and respects each patient’s cultural values.
Investigating an Urgent Healthcare Problem
By the year 2020, a nationwide shortage of up to one million trained nurses could mean that hundreds of thousands of patients will receive less attention and substandard treatment. [NOW on PBS]
Mobilizing for National Health Care Reform
The forum held on October 22, is now online as a podcast, with additional documents. Renowned public health leaders, and advocates for single payer and transitional plans, compared the presidential candidates' plans for national health care reform, and examined how these plans address the concerns of public health, women, low-income residents and health care providers. (Center for Policy Analysis)
A podcast from The Commonwealth Fund highlights the success of remote simultaneous medical interpreting (RSMI), a new translation method being used at New York City’s Bellevue Hospital. Like the translation service used at the United Nations, RSMI allows the doctor and patient to speak into enhanced telephones while an off-site interpreter translates.
The Deadliest Disease in America, is a documentary produced by URU The Right To Be, Inc, which chronicles the stories of four individuals who experienced racism while seeking medical care. The film serves as a vehicle to foster discussion about the U.S. health care system and what strides are being made to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities. For more information, to view the trailer, and to see a list of conference tour locations, click here.
Viewpoints: The Health Care Debate
This new series online from Kaiser Family Foundation Broadcast Studio features interviews with leaders of organizations representing health care providers, insurers, policymakers, employers, labor unions and consumers sharing their views on shortcomings in the nation's health care system and how it could be improved.
The Alliance for Health Reform recently hosted a briefing, Racial and Ethnic Disparities: States and Feds to the Rescue?, which examined what states and the federal government are doing to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities, and how they can continue narrowing the health gap. For more information and to view the webcast or listen to the podcast, click here.
The Kaiser Family Foundation hosted a webcast, State Initiatives to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, that examined current state efforts to improve access to care and health outcomes for minority populations in Massachusetts, Georgia, and Ohio. Panelists on the webcast also discussed how these initiatives fit into a state’s larger reform efforts and the role of the federal government. For more information and to view the webcast, click here.
The Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust and the National Minority Health Forum’s webcast of the recent two-day meeting, Health Equity and Justice Now!, includes the opening session and panel discussions covering a range of topics such as health care costs, health disparities, health quality, health equity, and social justice. To view the webcast, click here.
The Partnership for Quality Care hosted a summit, “Confronting the Chronic Care Challenge,” that focused on improving value in delivering care to patients with chronic conditions. In particular, the second panel of the summit focused on changing delivery systems to reduce inequities in health care. To view the entire summit or specific panels, click here.
Sick People or Sick Societies?
We are healthier than ever before, and we live longer, but improvements in health are not distributed evenly. The rich outlive the middle classes, who outlive the poor. Swedes and Japanese live longer than Canadians, and Canadians, longer than Americans. Freelance journalist Jill Eisen discovers that the reasons have little to do with our health care systems. FREE download available for limited period.
Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?
This seven-part series for PBS broadcast and DVD release will, for the first time on television, sound the alarm about our glaring socio-economic and racial disparities in health--and seek out root causes. While we pour more and more money into drugs, dietary supplements and new medical technologies, it turns out there is much more to our health than bad habits, health care or unlucky genes. The social conditions in which we are born, live and work profoundly affect our well-being and longevity. The series is part of an ambitious Public Impact Campaign conducted in partnership with leading public health, policy, and community-based organizations, pointing out that investing in our schools, improving housing, integrating neighborhoods, better jobs and wages, and giving people more control over their work, are as much health strategies as smoking diet and exercise.
Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?
Hosted by the Black Women’s Agenda, the workshop featured a panel discussion of this PBS documentary produced by California Newsreel. View the entire panel discussion online.
Partnerships to Achieve Health Equity
This Society for Public Health Education summit featured a series of plenary sessions dealing with the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities by focusing on health behavior dissemination, research, and implementation. Videos and transcripts available online.
Can Tax Credits Be a Linchpin for Health Reform? Lessons from the Factory Floor
In a policy field notoriously beset by ideological and partisan division, one of the few ideas enjoying support across the philosophical spectrum is the use of federal income tax credits to cover the uninsured. The only credit of this sort now available-the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC), serving workers displaced by international trade-aids no more than 15 percent of eligible households. (4/1/08, Urban Institute)
PERIODICALS AND BOOKS
Social Epidemiology: Strategies for Public Health Activism
By tracking the distribution of disease and pinpointing relevant risk factors, social epidemiology reveals how social problems are intrinsically linked to the health of populations. The practice also takes into account the psychosocial, biological, and medial determinants of disease and health.
Health Disparities in the United States: Social Class, Race, Ethnicity, and Health
"Clearly articulates the problem of health disparities and how socioeconomic status and race and ethnicity are interwoven. Barr has brought together a vast amount of material in a conceptually meaningful way that hopefully will be digested by those in training to be medical professionals."
The Public Health Observatory Handbook of Health Inequalities Measurement
This new South East Public Health Observatory handbook primarily focuses on the measurement and interpretation of health inequalities.
Ahora Hablo! Medical Edition,"Simple Steps to Communicate with Spanish-speaking Patients
Unlike other medical Spanish books on the market, this book is pocket-sized and includes vocabulary for dental and vision care as well as many specialized areas such as obstetrics and cardiology. It retails for $9.95. It is being picked up independent and college book stores as well as hospitals and clinics. For more information: m.h.graham@ahorahablo.com or call 414-331-7178
Florida Dept of Health Women’s Health Newsletter
The FL Dept of Health website has a Women’s Health page with a new quarterly Women’s Health Newsletter. The April-June 2008 will be online.
REPORTS AND STUDIES
New Listings
New Listings: Medicaid
Interruptions in Medicaid Increase Risk of Hospitalization
Interruptions in health insurance coverage are common in the United States. For people covered by a public insurance program like Medicaid, the myriad state rules governing eligibility for coverage are partly to blame: to continue qualifying for benefits, Medicaid beneficiaries must demonstrate eligibility each year and, in some states, as often as every three months. (12/16/08, Annals of Internal Medicine)
Many States Experience Increases in Medicaid Enrollment as Tax Revenues Fall Below Projections
"[s]ince the recession began a year ago, many states have seen increases in the Medicaid rolls just as tax revenues are falling below projections." According to the AP/Chronicle, the unemployment rate has increased to 6.7% from 4.7% at the beginning of the recession in December 2007. An analysis released earlier this year by the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured found that each one percentage point increase in the national unemployment rate leads to an additional one million beneficiaries enrolled in Medicaid and SCHIP. Currently, Medicaid covers nearly one in six low-income U.S. residents. In the budget year ending Sept. 30, 2007, Medicaid spending totaled $333 billion, with the federal government paying 57% of those costs. As Medicaid enrollment continues to grow, state governors are asking President-elect Barack Obama to increase federal Medicaid spending by $40 billion over two years. The governors say the additional funding will "ease the service cuts or tax increases that legislatures need to balance state budgets," according to the AP/Chronicle. (12/22/08, Kaiser Network)
State Budget Deficits Put Pressure on Medicaid Spending Nationwide
States faced with declining revenue are cutting overall spending for the first time since 1983, and Medicaid funding could face serious shortfalls in some states if the federal government does not provide relief, according to a new survey. (12/14/08, National Association of State Budget Officers and the National Governors Association)
State Fiscal Conditions and Medicaid
Analyzes the relationship between states’ budgets and their Medicaid programs, and it discusses the current fiscal situation in the states and how it is affecting Medicaid. The report found that declines in tax revenue inhibit states’ ability to meet rising Medicaid costs as enrollment grows, which presents states with tough choices when trying to balance their budgets. (November 2008, KFF)
Florida’s Medicaid Reform: Informed Consumer Choice?
Examines Florida’s Medicaid reform pilot program, which was designed to encourage “consumer choice” and “market competition” by allowing enrollees to choose among different plans and by giving health plans new authority to vary benefits. About three in 10 beneficiaries who participated in the pilot program were not aware that they were expected to choose a new health plan for themselves, 30 percent did not know that they were enrolled in the program, and 60 percent did not know that they could opt out of the program by using their Medicaid funds to purchase private coverage. (November 2008, KFF)
How Do Employment Outcomes of Medicaid Buy-In Participants Vary Based on Prior Medicaid Coverage?
An Example from Massachusetts examines the Medicaid Buy-In Program, a key component of the federal effort to help people with disabilities work without fear of losing health coverage even if their income is otherwise too high for Medicaid. The brief looks at differences in post-enrollment rates, monthly hours worked, earnings, and private health insurance between new CommonHealth Working (CHW) enrollees who were previously covered under MassHealth and those without prior MassHealth coverage. The average employment rate among CHW participants rose sharply from 36 percent to 86 percent. (November 2008, Mathematica)
New Listings: Children's Health Care
Emerging Health Information Technology for Children in Medicaid and SCHIP Programs
Highlights states’ innovative use of health information technology to improve their ability to reach and enroll eligible children, improve quality of care, increase communications with families, and modernize programs. Although states continue to face financing and other challenges to obtaining new health information technology, findings to date show improvements in access to care, care coordination, case management, and administrative efficiency.(11/19/08, KFF)
Unclaimed Children Revisited: The Status of Children’s Mental Health Policy in the United States
Reports that children with serious mental health problems do not receive adequate care in more than one in five states. The survey found that some federal and state policies prohibit Medicaid reimbursements for preventive or early mental health care for children. States identified federal fiscal barriers, including Medicaid, as the most critical policy challenge to addressing the mental health needs of children, youth, and their families. (November 2008, National Center for Children in Poverty)
Health Coverage of Children: The Role of Medicaid and SCHIP
This fact sheet summarizes the latest coverage data on the nation's children and examines the key role played by two public health coverage programs, Medicaid and SCHIP. (November 2008, KFF)
Left Behind: America’s Uninsured Children
Although the Bush Administration proclaimed it would “leave no child behind” when it comes to education, 8.6 million American children are being left behind because they lack health coverage. Last year’s bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which would have expanded health coverage throughout the nation to approximately 4 million additional uninsured children, failed when President Bush vetoed it – twice. The result is that millions of American children – a majority of whom are from working families – remain uninsured.” (November 2008, Families USA)
New Listings: Medicare
CBO Predicts Medicare Public Buy-In Would Lead To Higher Insured Rates And Lower Costs
A detailed report issued by the Congressional Budget Office comparing health care reform options found that a plan to allow Americans to buy into Medicare before turning 65 would lead to more people with health coverage and lower costs than private insurance coverage.12/27/08, CBO)
Medicare Advantage: Characteristics, Financial Risks, and Disenrollment Rates of Beneficiaries in Private Fee-for-Service Plans
Medicare Advantage private fee-for-service plans can cost beneficiaries more out-of-pocket than the traditional fee-for-service program, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report. It called on CMS to investigative PFFS plans that require Medicare beneficiaries to inform them before they receive services and ensure that the plans follow agency guidance. (December 2008, GAO)
Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008: Addressing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
The report discusses how the new Medicare law includes provisions to address health disparities within the Medicare population. MIPPA provisions include: improved data collection for measuring and evaluating health disparities and compliance with cultural competency standards. (November 2008, Families USA)
Cancer Patients in Part D Will Spend More and Face More Restrictions
People with cancer enrolled in Medicare Part D plans will spend more out-of-pocket for their Part D drugs and face increased restrictions on access to them in 2009, according to new research released by (December 2008, Avalere Health and American Cancer Society Cancer
Medicare Rule Deters Blacks from Hospice
Blacks might be less likely than whites to seek end-of-life hospice care because of financial barriers and a Medicare rule that requires hospice patients to forgo additional curative treatments. (12/24/08, Cancer)
Does Poorer Familiarity With Medicare Translate Into Worse Access to Health Care?
This report concludes that African American and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries are more likely than whites to be unfamiliar with their Medicare benefits. Poorer familiarity with Medicare may affect beneficiaries' ability to access care, may lead them to delay or avoid seeking care, and ultimately may negatively affect the quality of care they receive. Well-designed educational interventions or policies that simplify Medicare benefit programs could have a positive impact on beneficiaries' abilities to get needed care. (11/11/08, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society)
New Listings: Federal/State Budgets
State Revenues: A Failing Structure
Florida’s General Revenues as a percentage of its total personal income has dramatically dropped in the past 5 years. The percentage remained at a relatively stable rate of 4.2% during 1970-2005; but is now projected at an all-time low of 3.0% of total personal income for this fiscal year, as well as the next. That is more than a 28% drop in state revenues relative to the economic indicator used in the Florida Constitution as best representing the taxpayers’ ability to pay. (12/10/08, Center for Florida Fiscal & Tax Reform)
A Painful Recession: States Cut Health Care Safety Net Programs
Taking a closer look at the economic impact on state budgets, Families USA has come out with a new report about the harm that the recession has caused to states—and the risks that lie ahead if states don’t receive additional help from the government. (12/15/08, Families USA)
State Budget Cuts Jeopardize America's Health
Shrinking state health department budgets, brought on by the current economic downturn, are forcing cuts in critical public health programs and reductions in workforce that will have wide ranging effects. This is according to a recent survey of state and territorial health agencies. (12/23/08, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials)
State Budget Troubles Worsen
At least 44 states faced or are facing shortfalls in their budgets for this and/or next year, and severe fiscal problems are highly likely to continue into the following year." Combined state budget gaps for the remainder of this fiscal year and fiscal years 2010 and 2011 are estimated to total more than $350 billion. (12/23/08, CBPP)
Long-Term Fiscal Outlook is Bleak: Restoring Fiscal Sustainability Will Require Major Changes to Programs, Revenues, and the Nation’s Health Care System
The nation faces a grim long-term budget outlook even after the economy recovers from the current recession, with the prospect of skyrocketing deficits and debt in the coming decades that will far eclipse all previous levels...” (12/16/08, CBPP)
Facing Deficits, Many States are Imposing Cuts that Hurt Vulnerable Residents
At least 30 states have made or proposed budget cuts that threaten vital services for many residents. Targeted areas include: Public health: 19 states; Elderly and disabled services: 18 states. Fourteen states have increased taxes or taken other revenue raising measures. (12/23/08, CBPP)
Overview of States and the Weak Economy
This snapshot of state budget problems has been updated to reflect the new data on 2009 and 2010 state budget shortfalls included in the above analysis. (12/23/08, CBPP)
States Cut Health Care Coverage Due to Deficits
A report by Families USA shows that 19 states have enacted or proposed cuts to Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for 2009 or 2010 as a way to deal with budget deficits, which could lead to more than 1 million people losing their coverage and many more having their benefits reduced. (12/11/08, Families USA)
New Listings: Health Insurance, Health Care Costs
Study: Medical Bills Above 2.5% of Income Strain Family Finances
Financial pressure from medical bills increases sharply when out-of-pocket spending for medical care exceeds 2.5% of family income, according to a survey. One in three families reported medical bill problems when out-of-pocket medical spending was between 2.5% and 5% of family income, compared with 15% of families spending less than 2.5% of family income, the 2007 survey found. Low-income families and people in poor health were more likely than others to report medical bill problems when out-of-pocket costs were less than 2.5% of income. “As health care costs continue to rise rapidly amid a sharp economic downturn, out-of-pocket medical expenses are straining family budgets, leaving even insured families with little cushion to weather unexpected illnesses or injuries,” said a co-author. (12/18/08, Center for Studying Health System Change)
Study: Privately Insured Hit with Medicare, Medicaid Underpayments
Medicare and Medicaid annually underpay hospitals and physicians by an estimated $88.8 billion, effectively shifting those costs to the privately insured, according to a study. This cost shifting increases annual health spending for the average U.S. family by $1,788, the study estimates. This also forces providers to charge private insurers more for their service and in turn drives up premium costs for employers and workers, according to a study sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans, the American Hospital Association and the BlueCross BlueShield Association (12/9/08, reported in CongressDaily)
Checking Up on Retail-Based Health Clinics: Is the Boom Ending?
Anew issue brief found that only a tiny fraction of American families in 2007 had ever used these in-store clinics. While the number of retail clinics grew from about 60 in 18 states at the beginning of 2006 to more than 900 in 30 states by the end of 2007, only 1.2 percent of families reported they had visited a retail clinic during the past 12 months. (12/15/08, Center for Studying Health System Change)
Americans Worry More About Access to Care Than Diseases
According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans are more concerned about access to health care and its rising costs than any specific diseases such as cancer, heart disease, AIDS or diabetes. (Washington Times, 12/2/08, Washington Times)
Rise in Unemployment Leads to Rise in Uninsured
"As jobless numbers reach levels not seen in 25 years, another crisis is unfolding for millions of people who lost their health insurance along with their jobs, joining the ranks of the uninsured." (12/7/08, New York Times)
Health Coverage in a Period of Rising Unemployment
This policy brief reviews the public and private options available to help people maintain coverage if they become unemployed during a downturn and cannot get employer-sponsored coverage through a spouse. Specifically, it examines COBRA, non-group insurance and Medicaid. And it explains why, despite such options, more people will become uninsured as unemployment rises. Recent analysis predicts that each 1 percentage point increase in unemployment will lead to 1.1 million more uninsured adults. (December 2008, KFF)
Getting What You Pay For: Reducing Wasteful Medical Spending
As medical spending in the United States tops $6.5 billion per day, the nation needs to focus more on getting good value for our money, according to a report. As much as 30 percent of health care spending is wasted and could be eliminated without the nation's health suffering at all. The big targets include overuse, underuse and misuse of medical care. By starting to address these problems, we can save money and improve quality at the same time. The report analyzes the problems and suggests ways that advocates and policymakers can work for change. (December 2008, Community Catalyst)
Rising Number of Uninsured Burdens Emergency Rooms
As more Americans lose their jobs and their health insurance, emergency rooms are becoming increasingly overburdened and "could have even more trouble handling the heart attacks, broken bones and other traumas that define their core mission." (12/9/08, New York Times)
Majority Of U.S. Residents Believes Obama Should Seek Major Changes To Health Care System
A majority of U.S. adults believe that President-elect Barack Obama should make major reforms to the health care system. Seventy-seven percent of adults believe that Obama should make major reforms to the health care system, compared with 20% who said he should not, the poll found. Of those supporting major reforms, 51% of adults believe that Obama should seek them immediately after he takes office, and 26% believe that he should wait until later in his presidency, according to the poll. Sixty-eight percent of adults believe that Obama will have the ability to make major reforms to the health care system, compared with 28% who believe that he will not have the ability, the poll found. Almost three-fourths of adults believe that Obama should increase federal funds for health insurance for children, compared with 23% who believe that he should not. (12/23/08, Washington Post-ABC News Poll)
Consumers And Employers Paying Almost $90 Billion Due To Under-Payments To Hospitals And Physicians By Medicare And Medicaid
Low Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals and physicians lead to significantly higher health insurance costs for consumers and employers, according to a study. The report found that annual health care spending for an average family of four is $1,788 higher than it would be if Medicare, Medicaid and private employers paid hospitals and physicians similar rates, with total provider reimbursement unchanged. (12/17/08, Millman Inc)
Healthcare Costs Prevented Nearly 40 Million Americans From Filling Their Prescriptions In 2008
Nearly 40 million U.S. adults decided not to fill a prescription medication from a doctor in the past year because of the cost, according to apharmaceutical and healthcare market research company study that found that women and patients with neurological and mental health conditions were the most likely to give up their medication due to cost. (12/22/08, Manhattan Research's Cybercitizen Health)
New Listings: Health Disparities
Florida Office of Minority Health Strategic Plan 2008-2011
The Florida Department of Health is proud to announce that the 2008-2011 Health Disparities Strategic Plan is now available. This strategic plan provides guidelines for furthering the department’s mission of promoting, protecting and improving the health of all people in Florida. There are three strategic goals in the plan: (1) Decrease morbidity and mortality rates due to health care disparities; (2) Promote culturally competent, linguistically appropriate, health care delivery; and, (3) Advocate for resources that support the elimination of health care disparities. Each strategic goal has objectives and activities designed to reduce health disparities. The disparate areas include cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, infant and maternal mortality, immunization and oral health care.
Survey: Chronically Ill Fare Poorly in U.S.
If anyone still wonders why health care reform is a top priority for many in Washington, the most recent Commonwealth Fund survey comparing the experiences of patients in the U.S. with those in other leading industrialized nations should be especially illuminating. (November 2008, Commonwealth Fund)
Rising Healthcare Costs Affect Women's Health
Almost half of women surveyed in a national poll said they had failed to seek health care for themselves or their families over the previous year because the cost was too high. The annual survey of women's attitudes and behaviors regarding health care found that women were most likely to put off doctor visits for themselves and least likely to put off doctor visits for their children. (12/2/08, National Women's Health Resource Center)
Older Blacks Rate Own Health Less Positively Than Older Whites Do
When asked by health care professionals about their health, older African-American adults consistently report poorer health than whites of the same age do even if both groups are functioning extremely well, a new study finds. (12/23/08, Journal of Gerontology)
Determinants of Health Insurance Status for Children of Latino Immigrant and Other US Farm Workers: Findings From the National Agricultural Workers Survey
Farm workers' children were uninsured at roughly 3 times the rate of all other children and almost twice the rate of those at or near the federal poverty level. Programs aimed at extending insurance coverage for children should consider the unique social barriers that characterize this vulnerable population of US children. Moreover, there is significant regional variation that may reflect varying levels of insurance resources and eligibility from state to state. (December 2008, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine)
A Burden No Child Should Bear: How the Health System is Failing Latino Children
The author concludes that Hispanic children disproportionately suffer from preventable health conditions, because they are more likely to be uninsured and/or have limited access to health care. To improve these health disparities, the report suggests that policy makers address the health coverage gap. (National Council of La Raza)
Persistent Disparities in Health Insurance Coverage: Hispanic Children, 1996 to 2005 and Strangers in a Strange Land: Health Care Experiences for Recent Latino Immigrants in Midwest Communities. The first report concludes that while the number of uninsured Hispanic children decreased from 1996-2005, Hispanic children still have a higher likelihood of being uninsured relative to non-Hispanic white children. The second report finds that Hispanic immigrants do not use or are unaware of local public health programs because of barriers to care, such as lack of health insurance and language barriers. (November 2008, Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved)
New Listings: Other Health Issues
U.S. Emergency Care System Rated C-
The U.S. emergency care system received an overall grade of C-minus in a 2009 state-by-state analysis. The task force divided the measures into five categories: access to emergency care; quality and patient safety environment; medical liability environment; public health and injury prevention; and disaster preparedness. (December 2008, American College of Emergency Physicians)
IOM Report Suggests 20 Key Indicators of U.S. Health
An Institute of Medicine committee suggests policymakers, the media and the public focus on 20 specific health indicators to measure and track the overall health and well-being of Americans. The indicators reflect a range of factors that determine well-being, from smoking and physical activity to life expectancy, per capita health care spending, health insurance coverage and chronic disease prevalence. They will be used on the health section of a Web site being developed by State of the USA Inc. to measure and monitor the nation on a range of issues. “We believe this set of measures, as deployed by the State of the USA project, can help move the nation toward better health,” said IOM committee chair George Isham. (December 2008, IOM)
Medical Error Data Not Shared With Those Who Could Ameliorate the Problems
Most hospitals nationwide collect information about patient injuries or deaths that result from medical errors, but only one in five shares the data with managers and others who could implement measures to address the problems, according to a survey conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that appeared on Monday in the journal, (12/11/08, AHRQ in Quality and Safety in Health Care)
Progress Toward Public Health Readiness at Risk
Funding cuts threaten continued progress to protect the nation from disease outbreaks, natural disasters and bioterrorism, according to a report released today by. Federal funding for state and local preparedness has declined more than 25% since fiscal year 2005, and 11 states and the District of Columbia have cut their public health budgets in the past year, the report notes. (December 2008, Trust for America's Health and RWJF)
Florida Reports
Florida among 10 worst states for adult diabetes
In just one decade, Florida has gone from having one of lowest rates of adult diabetes in the country to cracking the top 10 worst, federal health officials reported Thursday. Diabetes more than tripled in Florida in the past decade while it was doubling at the national level, according to CDC. (10/31/08, South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
Florida CHAIN Issue Brief: Health Plans' Persistently Consumer-Unfriendly and Divergent "Preferred Drug List" Posting Practices Exemplify Unresolved Challenges in Medicaid Reform
As with other benefits made available under the Medicaid Reform Pilot Program, the prescription drugs covered by health plans (called Preferred Drug Lists, or PDLs) are permitted to deviate significantly from standard Medicaid. Although this flexibility has been touted as increasing consumer choice, meaningfully informed choice is still not possible given the lack of simple and direct access to usable information about those options. In particular, longstanding problems in Reform with respect to accessing plans' PDLs on-line have still not been resolved. These problems may stem from AHCA's reluctance to impose requirements ensuring clarity, accessibility and uniformity of consumer information, as well as from its apparent unwillingness to enforce even the weak requirements it has already imposed.
Dying for Coverage in Florida
More than six people die each day in Florida because they do not have health insurance. A new Families USA report is the first-ever state-specific report of its type, based on a ground-breaking national study by the Institute of Medicine, which in 2002 forged the direct link between a lack of health coverage and deaths from health-related causes. The report also finds that:Between 2000 and 2006, the estimated number of adults between the ages of 25 and 64 in Florida who died because they did not have health insurance was more than 13,600. Across the United States, in 2006, twice as many people in that same age category died from a lack of health insurance as died from homicide. (March 2008, Families USA)
HHS Failed To Show Budget Neutrality Before Approving Florida, Vermont Medicaid Waivers
HHS did not ensure that two Medicaid pilot projects in Florida and Vermont would be budget neutral before approving them. Under federal law, states can obtain a federal waiver for pilot programs to test new ways of delivering care under Medicaid if they can show that spending would not rise faster than it normally would. However, in approving the Florida and Vermont programs, "HHS approved spending limits that were higher than the limits that would have been granted if HHS had held the states to limits based on benchmark growth rates," the report found. In addition, "HHS' basis for approving the higher spending limits was not fully supported by documentation," according to GAO. (March 2008, GAO)
State of Breast Cancer Report Names Florida as One of the "Most Restrictive" for State Assisted Breast Cancer Treatment
Florida is part of a minority of states that still determines a woman ineligible for Medicaid-funded treatment unless she was screened through the state program, restricting access to care for those diagnosed elsewhere. The Florida Suncoast Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is on a mission to lobby the state legislature to change laws affecting women seeking Medicaid-funded treatment for breast cancer. The affiliate also encourages survivors, their families and the Tampa Bay community to contact their local and state representatives, urging them to revisit the laws governing breast cancer treatment. The Report provides information on advancements in diagnosis, treatment and research that have made breast cancer a survivable disease for more than 2 million people in the United States. The report also explores cultural, social, educational and financial barriers – or disparities – that prevent many people from getting screening and receiving life-saving breast cancer care. (11/26/07, Susan Komen Fdn)
Florida Funding For Safety-Net Hospitals Could Be Affected By Proposed Property Tax Cuts
Proposed cuts to Florida property taxes could reduce funding for safety-net hospitals in fiscal year 2009. The "low-income pool" of local and state tax dollars, which receives federal matching funds to reimburse hospitals that provide care to low-income and uninsured residents not covered by Medicaid, is mostly funded by ad valorem property tax revenue. Gov. Charlie Crist (R) and state lawmakers have proposed cutting those taxes this year. (1/3/08, Tampa Tribune)
Too Great a Burden: Florida Families at Risk A Report on the Impact of Healthcare Costs on Florida Families
Over the past eight years, relentless growth in health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs has made spending on health care an increasing burden. For many Floridians, this means that health care is consuming an ever-growing share of their budgets, forcing them to make difficult sacrifices in other areas so they can make ends meet. And for many hard-working families, the burden of these health care costs has become too great to bear. (Dec 2007, Families USA)
Miami-Dade Health Profiles 2007
The Health Council of South Florida released the South Miami-Dade 2007 Health Profile in fall 2007. The South-Miami Dade Health Profile is the second in a series of area Health Profiles prepared for Miami-Dade County's Office of Countywide Healthcare Planning as part of the Building Better Communities General Obligations Bond Program which seeks to improve access to primary care throughout Miami-Dade County. A Health Profile of the Miami Beach Service Area was released in July, and one focusing on the North Miami-Dade Service Area will be released in December. Comparative data is included for Miami-Dade as a whole. The profiles provide a general overview of the population, health needs and resources available in the Service Areas.
(Florida) AHCA's Annual Report on Medicaid Reform
(delivered 10/1/07)
Annie E. Casey Foundation: 18th KIDS COUNT Data Book
This is the recently released new edition of this national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in the United States. By providing policymakers and citizens with benchmarks of child well-being, the Foundation seeks to enrich local, state, and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all children. Information is also available in an online database that enables users to generate custom graphs, maps, ranked lists, and state-by-state profiles. Both the book and the online database can be accessed on the website listed above.
2007 Miami-Dade County Community Health Report Card: Health improvement through benchmarking, priority setting and leadership engagement
Intended as a “call to action” for area health care advocates and policy makers, the report assesses how well systems and institutions are meeting residents’ needs. It analyzes and synthesizes 93 health indicators, examines pervasive continuing racial and ethnic disparities, and sets targets for ten priority need areas including access to health care and coverage.
Florida Children’s Action Agenda 2007/2008 Available Online
Florida state Senators Nan Rich and Durell Peaden and Representatives Loranne Ausley and J.C. Planas have released the final recommendations of the 2006 Florida Children’s Summit. The Summit participants learned a lot, and the next Summit in Fall 2008 will reflect that. In 2008 they will spend substantially more time in workshops hashing out recommendations and will secure experienced workshop facilitators who are knowledgeable about the topics they are facilitating. Also, they will institute a process to ensure that when leaving the 2008 Summit - or very shortly thereafter - all will know the Summit recommendations.
Report looks at uninsured in Florida
This report from the Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy at FIU documents and breaks down Florida's uninsured figures, finding 18.5% of the total Florida population uninsured. The report looks at employment and industry data related to lack of coverage, and proposes a partial solution.
Medicaid
Do Reimbursement Delays Discourage Medicaid Participation By Physicians?
This study examines how variation in average reimbursement times across states affects physicians' willingness to accept Medicaid beneficiaries. The study finds that payment delays can offset the effects of higher Medicaid payment rates on physician participation in the program (11/18/08, Center for Studying Health System Change)
Children's Health Care
Number of Uninsured Children in Florida Continues to Climb
Nearly 19 percent or 797,000 children in Florida do not have health insurance -- the second highest percentage in the country -- and experts expect the number to rise as more parents are laid off. (10/30/08, Families USA)
More Children Gain Health Insurance After Falling Into Poverty
A report found that the number of uninsured children in America declined by about 6 percent last year, "but that's largely because the child poverty rate increased, so more children qualified for government-sponsored insurance." (11/26/08, Families USA)
Medicare
The Emerging Role of Group Medicare Private-Fee-For-Service Plans
As of June 2008, nearly 1.7 million people with Medicare were enrolled in group Medicare Advantage (MA) plans sponsored by their former employer or union, up from just over 900,000 in 2006. One particular type of MA plan, the private fee-for-service (PFFS) plan, has gained the majority of new enrollment in group MA plans, with enrollment increasing from about 33,000 in 2006 to more than 600,000 in 2008. (December 2008, KFF)
The Impact of the Medicare Drug Benefit on Health Care Spending by Older Households
Medicare’s Part D prescription drug benefit has not significantly reduced health care–related expenditures for people with Medicare, according to a new study. Middle- and high-income households with Medicare coverage actually experienced a more rapid increase in prescription drug and insurance expenditures since the implementation of the drug benefit. (December 2008, Center for Economic and Policy Research)
Medicare Part D 2009 Data Spotlight: Premiums
More than 90 percent of stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) enrollees will face higher premiums in 2009, unless they switch to a lower premium plan. For PDP enrollees who do not switch plans, the average monthly premium for PDPs will increase by $7.40 per month, a 25 percent increase. (November 2008, KFF)
CMS Issues Improper Payment Rates for Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP
Medicare private health plans (also known as “Medicare Advantage” plans) received $6.8 billion in improper payments in 2006, primarily from plans’ errors in documenting their enrollees’ diagnoses. The improper payments are equal to 10.6 percent of total payments to Medicare Advantage plans for the year. (November 2008, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
Medicare Part D Spending Down By $6B As Generic Drug Use Grows
Medicare prescription drug benefit spending in fiscal year 2008 totaled $44 billion -- $6 billion lower than estimated -- as the program experienced lower-than-expected enrollment, more use of low-cost generic drugs and beneficiaries reducing drug spending to avoid the program's "doughnut hole," (11/3/08, USA Today)
Most Medicare Beneficiaries Do Not Understand Prescription Drug Benefit 'Doughnut Hole' Coverage Gap
Sixty-two percent of Medicare beneficiaries do not fully understand the so-called "doughnut hole" in the prescription drug benefit, and 28% do not understand the coverage gap at all or are not aware of the gap, according to a new survey. (11/19/08, Medco)
Does Poorer Familiarity With Medicare Translate Into Worse Access to Health Care?
2,997 white, black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries were surveyed. About one-third said they were unfamiliar or very unfamiliar with their Medicare benefits and blacks and Hispanics were more likely than whites to be unfamiliar with their Medicare benefits. Researchers also found that familiarity with Medicare benefits is lower among Medicare managed care plan beneficiaries, as well as those with lower incomes and education. Morgan said, "Beneficiaries' understanding of their health benefits ultimately may affect the quality and outcomes of their care. Well designed educational interventions or policies simplifying Medicare benefit programs could have a significant effect on beneficiaries' abilities to get needed care" (11/18/08, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society)
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Influenza and Pneumococcal Immunization Rates Among Medicare Beneficiaries
This issues report discusses factors that might contribute to black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries' access to immunizations. The report presents data on racial and ethnic immunization disparities that indicate black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries have lower inoculation rates for pneumonia and influenza, despite Medicare's coverage of such immunizations. The report also examines current Medicare immunization coverage policies and makes recommendations on how governments can address the disparities (October 2008, AARP Public Policy Institute)
Federal & State Budgets/Health Care
State Budgets Worsen
Mid-year shortfalls totaling $24.3 billion have opened up in the 2009 budgets of at least 31 states and the District of Columbia. This new round of shortfalls is in addition to the budget gaps of $48 billion that 29 states closed as they adopted their budgets for this fiscal year. Twenty-one states now project deficits for 2010. Joining this list since the last update. (11/12/08, CBPP)
State Revenues Plummet: July-September Revenue Numbers Are Worst in Years
The median revenue decline is 5 percent among the 42 states that have released data for this quarter, after adjusting for inflation. (11/12/08, CBPP)
Many States Imposing Cuts that Hurt Vulnerable Residents
As a new fiscal year begins in most states, at least 25 states have made or proposed budget cuts that threaten vital services for many residents; including cuts to public health in 17 states, and to elderly and disabled services in 15 states. (11/12/08, CBPP)
Overview of States and the Weak Economy
This snapshot of state budget problems has been updated to reflect the new data on state budget cuts, state revenues, and 2009 and 2010 state budget shortfalls included in the above analyses. (11/12/08, CBPP)
Health Insurance, Health Care
16th Health Care Opinion Leaders Survey
The survey asked a diverse group of experts about health care payment system reform. Survey participants are fundamentally dissatisfied with the way health care is paid for in the United States, with more than two-thirds reporting the fee-for-service system is not effective at encouraging high quality and efficient care and more than three-quarters preferring a move toward bundled per patient payment. Shared accountability for resource use was favored as a means for improving efficiency, and at least two-thirds supported realigning provider payment incentives to improve efficiency and effectiveness, using strategies including increasing payments for primary care under Medicare and paying for transitional care services. Opinion leaders also supported Medicare negotiation of pharmaceutical prices and competitive bidding for durable medical equipment. A majority expressed support for creation of a Medicare Health Board to make Medicare payment and benefit decisions, subject to congressional guidelines. (11/3/08, Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare)
New International Survey: More Than Half of Chronically Ill U.S. Adults Skip Needed Care Due to Costs
A new survey of chronically ill patients in eight industrialized nations—Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States—finds that those in the U.S. are by far the most likely to forgo care because of cost, as well as the most likely to experience medical errors, care coordination problems, and high out-of-pocket costs. (11/13/08, Commonwealth Fund)
Average Deductible Surpasses $1,000 Mark for the First Time
For the first time ever, the average annual deductible for an individual is more than $1,000, reflecting how employers are increasingly passing the burden of rising health care costs onto their employees. (11/20/08, Los Angeles Times)
America’s Small Business Owners and Health Reform: Key Findings from Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Making health care more affordable is a top concern of small business owners, who say that health care costs are the primary issue confronting their businesses. More than one in three small business owners (36 percent) say that rising costs are likely to cause them to cut some portion of health insurance benefits for their employees, according to 2008, a survey funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The survey included small business owners and executives of firms that pay for some portion of their employees’ health benefits. 12/3/08, RWJF-funded; Public Opinion Strategies and Lake Research Partners)
Hospitals Experience Decline In Admissions As Some Patients Delay Elective Treatments
Some hospitals have said they are experiencing a decline in patient admissions as the recent economic downturn might have led some patients to defer major procedures and elective treatments that are among the most lucrative for hospitals and "tend to subsidize the charity care and unpaid medical bills that are increasing as a result of the slow economy." (11/10/08, New York Times)
More Americans Must Choose Between Paying Medical Bills and Paying Mortgage
The economic crisis, collapse of the housing market and rise in unemployment are forcing some Americans to choose between paying their medical bills and paying their mortgage. (11/25/08, Wall Street Journal)
Hospitals See Fewer Patients Who Can Pay and More Who Can’t
Some hospitals are experiencing lower levels of paying patients as people with health insurance decide to defer nonurgent treatments because of the faltering economy, but at the same time they are seeing an increase in people "showing up at emergency rooms unable to pay their bills.” (11/7/08, New York Times)
Struggling Small Businesses Face Skyrocketing Health Care Costs
Small businesses that are already struggling amidst a weakening economy and a tightening credit market are now confronting massive increases in health insurance premiums. (11/17/08, Wall Street Journal)
Choice of Health Plans Shrinks for Many Employees
With open enrollment for health care plans in full swing, employees are being given far fewer options this year, and many are being offered a "single take-it-or-leave-it option" of a high deductible plan that requires they spend more out of pocket. (11/15/08, New York Times)
Findings From the 2008 EBRI Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey The Commonwealth 2008 Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI) Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey revealed that enrollment in consumer-directed or high-deductible health plans increased to 9.8 million, with participants more likely to have higher incomes and to be in better health than those with traditional coverage. Findings are compared with the 2005, 2006, and 2007 editions of the survey. (November 2008, Commonwealth Fund)
Study Reveals Problems in Costs and Quality of American Health Care System
"As President-elect Barack Obama and his allies work on plans to rein in health costs and extend insurance to more people," a study from the Commonwealth Fund shows that "chronically ill Americans are more likely to forgo medical care because of high costs or experience medical errors than patients in other affluent countries" (11/13/08, Reuters)
Valuing the Invaluable: The Economic Value of Family Caregiving, 2008 Update
In 2007, about 34 million family caregivers provided care at any given point in time, and about 52 million provided care at some time during the year. The estimated economic value of their unpaid contributions was approximately $375 billion in 2007, up from an estimated $350 billion in 2006. (November 2008, AARP Public Policy Institute)
Ethnic Disparities in Initial Management of Trauma Patients in a Nationwide Sample of Emergency Department Visits
This study concludes that health insurance is a more important predictor of trauma outcomes than race. African Americans have a 20 percent increased death risk with no health insurance (compared to 17 percent with health insurance), and Hispanics have a 51 percent increased risk with no health insurance (compared to 47 percent with health insurance). (October 2008, Archives of Surgery)
Health Disparities
Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008: Addressing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
While Medicare provides the same health coverage to all enrollees, research has consistently shown that communities of color experience differences in access, treatment, and quality of care. As the Medicare population continues to grow and becomes more diverse, it's important to understand why these disparities persist and to find the appropriate solutions to address them. (November 2008, Families USA)
Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health Care: What Are the Options?
This policy brief that examines why racial and ethnic disparities in health care are a concern in the United States. It presents policy options to address these disparities, including raising public and provider awareness, expanding health coverage, and increasing the number and capacity of providers in underserved communities. (October 2008, KFF)
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Treatment of Dementia Among Medicare Beneficiaries
This study, which reviewed data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey from 2001 through 2003, found that use of anti-dementia medications among Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with dementia was approximately 30 percent higher among non-Hispanic whites compared with other racial and ethnic groups. (11/24/08, Commonwealth Fund)
Racial Disparities in Access to Long-Term Care: The Illusive Pursuit of Equity
In 2000, use of nursing homes among African Americans, which previously lagged behind whites, was 14 percent higher than it was among whites, a study of 14,374 U.S. nursing homes finds. This reversal, however, masks another inequity: the lower quality of facilities predominantly used by African Americans, and the shift among whites toward the use of private-pay alternatives, such as home care and assisted living. (11/24/08, Commonwealth Fund)
American Health Care Involving Seriously Injured or Ill Uninsured Immigrants Found “Haphazard”
The New York Times examined the "haphazard way in which the American health care system handles cases involving uninsured immigrants who are gravely injured or seriously ill." According to the Times, "Whether these patients receive sustained care in this country or are privately deported by a hospital depends on what emergency room they initially visit." (11/11/08, New York Times)
Differences in Access to Care for Non-Hispanic Asian and Non-Hispanic White Children, 2002-2005; and
Characteristics of Non-Hispanic Asian and Non-Hispanic White Adults Uninsured for 6-12 Months During a Year, 2002-2005
These studies concluded that from 2002 to 2005, non-Hispanic Asian children were less likely to have a usual source of care and to be insured as compared with non-Hispanic whites. (October 2008, AHRQ)
Assessing the Effects of Medicaid Documentation Requirements on Health Centers and Their Patients: Results of a “Second Wave” Survey
This policy brief finds that 75 percent of all health centers face significant barriers with respect to citizenship documentation for one or more patient groups, including minority pregnant women, children, and newborns. (10/15/08, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services)
Language Spoken and Differences in Health Status, Access to Care, and Receipt of Preventive Services among U.S. Hispanics
This study explains that the Spanish-speaking Hispanic population faces worse health outcomes than English-speaking Hispanics. More than half of Spanish-speaking Hispanics lack health insurance, for example, as compared with 23 percent of English-speaking Hispanics. (October 2008, American Journal of Public Health)
An Update on the State of Minorities
This report finds that the economic state of Hispanics and African Americans continued to decline in 2007. The authors examined a variety of factors, including health care access, and report that uninsured rates continued to be disproportionately higher among Hispanics (32.1 percent) and African Americans (19.2 percent) when compared to non-Hispanic whites (10.4 percent). (9/25/08, Center for American Progress Action Fund)
Other Health Issues
2008 America's Health Rankings
Recent improvements in the overall health of U.S. residents have stalled and might reverse in the near future, according to a new report. Health experts examined 20 years of data on 22 measures - such as access to care, immunizations, prenatal care, infant mortality, heart disease deaths, smoking cessation, infectious disease deaths, violent crime and occupational deaths. Although the overall health of U.S. residents improved by 18% between 1990 and 2000, that progress stalled during the past four years. (December 2008, United Health Foundation, American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention) |
