April 24, 2009

 

 

Health-Related Bills Alive As Session Enters Final Week

In this legislative session dominated by concern over a massive budget deficit, some bills related to health care have now gathered some momentum, but with the end looming on May 1, their fate is still uncertain. Three such “live” bills are related to Medicaid Managed Care, KidCare and Insurance Payments. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more

 

 

Cigarette User Fee  Campaign Update

Although the Florida Senate passed a measure to increase the cigarette tax by $1 per pack of cigarettes unanimously last week, the House of Representatives has yet to come to a compromise. Senate bill sponsor Ted Deutch told reporters that although a consensus has not yet been reached, his understanding was that they were getting closer in their negotiations.  (Leah Cook Florida CHAIN) Read more

 

 

TAKE ACTION: Florida House Missing in Action on KidCare; Bill Could Assure Future Federal Funds for Florida’s Uninsured Children

Once a national model, Florida KidCare is now viewed as one of the most complicated and inefficient in the nation. SB 918 to fix this  is moving forward in the Senate. Not so in the House. Tell House leaders to make the KidCare bill a priority this year to streamline the program and maximize available federal funds to enroll eligible uninsured children. (Linda Merrell, Florida Child Healthcare Coalition) Read more and TAKE ACTION

 

 

Health Insurance Costs Challenge State Retirees

In their late 70s, two retired state employees find it increasingly difficult to live on their state retirment benefits and maintain their health insurance. Time has made earning additional income more difficult, as medical bills from Parkinson's Disease and cancer escalate. (Betty Lendaway) Read more

 

 

73% of Voters Want a Choice Between Private and Public Coverage

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the President’s proposal for health care reform is the creation of a public health insurance plan option that would compete against private insurance plans. In other words, consumers shopping for health coverage could choose between a plan offered by a private insurer or the publicly administered option. Yet, nearly 3/4 of voters want the choice. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more

 

 

Medicaid Budget Development: Some Ups, Many Downs

As the 2009 regular session winds down, the only bill the Florida Legislature must pass (the budget) is nearing completion. The House and Senate have approved separate versions of the 2009-10 budget and are now in the process of reconciling their differences. Although Medicaid recipients will fare much better than it seemed they might a few months ago, further cuts still seem likely.  (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more

Response to AHCA’s Dismissal of Concerns Re: New Medicaid HMOs

On April 17th, an article in Health News Florida explained that Florida CHAIN had sent a letter to AHCA expressing concerns arising from the sale of two health plans and their conversion to HMOs. CHAIN's letter indicated that the effect of the change was to forcibly re-assign enrollees to an HMO and remove many from access to their mental health plans. In a follow-up article, HNF reported on AHCA's response; Florida CHAIN had submitted an official response to HNF, but it was not included in the article. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more

 

 

Informational Flyers for Medicaid Reform Consumers On WellCare in Broward and Duval Counties

The Medicaid HMO WellCare is in the process of pulling out of the Medicaid Reform Pilot. WellCare currently operates both the HealthEase and Staywell plans in Broward and Duval Counties. More than 75,000 enrollees will be forced to change plans over the next few months. Flyers are available with transition information. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more

 

 

SEIU Joins with Other Groups in Town Hall Meeting on Health Care Reform

On April 21, SEIU Florida Change that Works, along with ASFCME, NAACP, Florida Alliance of Retired Americans and Physicians for a National Health Program hosted a town hall meeting at the Tallahassee City Hall to discuss Health Care Reform and the need for quality, affordable health care for all Americans. (Ucha Ndukwe, SEIU, Florida Chapter) Read more

 

 

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 Lisa Grossman at 954-986-6535 for more information.  

 

 

 

 

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  

 

 

 


April 24, 2009

 

 

Health-Related Bills Alive As Session Enters Final Week

 

In this legislative session dominated by concern over a massive budget deficit, most bills proposing changes to laws or programs have taken a back seat. Most sponsors of bills that would increase the State budget were aware that their bills would likely be dead upon filing. But the pace has picked up recently, and some form of the usual frenetic end-of-session scramble will occur. Some bills related to health care have now gathered some momentum, but with the end looming on May 1, their fate is still uncertain. Three such “live” bills of significance include:

 

CS/HB 7131 (Medicaid):  This broad legislation initiated by Rep. Ed Homan (R-Tampa) would make a number of changes to Medicaid managed care, and in particular help protect recipients and providers from some of its biggest problems. It would also create a pilot program to test a version of the “medical homes” model in two counties. The bill emerged late in the process, but has already passed through its 2 committee stops, including a somewhat controversial hearing before the Policy Council, with legislators from both parties voting for and against. Part of that controversy involved the fact that another live Medicaid bill, CS/CS/CS SB 1986 – an even larger Medicaid fraud and abuse initiative - was added on despite not having been heard in any House committee. The bill now heads to the House floor, and although no Senate companion bill had been filed, the sponsor of the Medicaid fraud bill, Senator Don Gaetz (R- Ft. Walton Beach), agreed to amend language similar to some portions of the House bill onto it.

                                                                              

CS/CS/SB 918 (KidCare):  Child health advocates have persistently tried to move legislation addressing barriers to getting and keeping coverage through Florida KidCare. This year’s version of the bill includes the most straightforward fixes and simplifications, but even that bill was weakened when the improvements that would cost money to implement were removed in committee. The remaining items are important, however. The bill is now awaiting a final vote by the full Senate, although the House hasn’t considered it in any form.

 

HB 855 and CS/SB 1122 (Insurance Payments):  This bill is the result of an ongoing push-and-pull between doctors and insurance companies. Under this bill, sought by the doctors, when a patient in a “PPO” seeks non-emergency care from a provider outside the insurer’s approved network, the insurer would be required to pay that provider directly. Currently, the insurer instead pays the patient, who likely already paid (or still owe) the provider an even greater amount (this is the penalty for going outside the network). Doctors could still try to collect from patients for the portion of charges not paid by the insurer. Insurers believe that this will undercut the financial advantage associated with having a provider network in the first place. Consumer advocates like Florida PIRG agree and predict that higher insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs will result.

Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN

 

April 24, 2009

Cigarette User Fee  Campaign Update

 

Bill Status: Although the Florida Senate passed a measure to increase the cigarette tax by $1 per pack of cigarettes unanimously last week, the House of Representatives has yet to come to a compromise  However, when questioned by reporters about the likelihood of its passage in the House, Senator bill sponsor Ted Deutch explained that although a consensus had not yet been reached, his understanding was that they were getting closer in their negotiations. 

Press Conference: Florida CHAIN joined a broad based coalition of health care advocates and students for a press conference with Senator Ted Deutch, the Senate sponsor of the cigarette user fee legislation.  Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) illustrated the number of cigarettes smoked every year by children by showcasing 15,000 pencils in place of cigarettes.   Having the students deliver that message was very powerful.    

“People won’t start smoking if they can’t afford to, and an extra $1 for a pack will mean fewer smokers.  Price may be the most effective way to stop kids from smoking,” said Auriel Rolle-Polk, a senior at Chiles High School in Tallahassee and a member of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

Policy Brief:  Community Catalyst, a national nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to making quality, affordable health care accessible to everyone, just released a report titled Big Benefits from $1: Raising Cigarette Taxes in Florida and the South to Boost Health and the Economy.

The report examines smoking’s costly health burdens on 13 southern states and proivdes Florida-specific data. It also looks at the benefits of the tax that include reducing smoking and smoking related costs, protecting access to health care, and bolstering the state economy.  To read the full report, click here. 

Leah Cook, Florida CHAIN


 

April 24, 2009

TAKE ACTION:
Florida House Missing in Action on KidCare
Bill Could Assure Future Federal Funds for Florida’s Uninsured Children

Why do we need a KidCare bill this session?

 

Florida's budget debacle and economic hard times have only increased the need for the Legislature needs to streamline the KidCare program, a bi-partisan federal-state program for low income uninsured children, recently reauthorized by Congress.

 

Changes to the complex Florida KidCare program – the state’s name for the Child Health Insurance Program, CHIP, would be the prudent and fiscally sound thing to do.  It would allow the state to access generous federal funds for uninsured children in the future and reduce long term costs for emergency hospital services and chronic illness among uninsured children.

What’s the problem?

 

Once a national model for uninsured children of low income working families, KidCare is now viewed as one of the most complicated and inefficient in the nation.  Barriers to enrollment and gaps in coverage make it difficult for eligible children to get coverage or maintain their health care access.

 

Fortunately Senate bill, SB 918 by Senator Nan Rich to fix the problem is moving forward in the Senate and has been pulled from the last committee of reference. The bill is now scheduled to go to the Senate floor for a vote.

 

Not so in the House.

 

The estimated fiscal impact to improve the KidCare program is about $4 million dollars. This  has been a stumbling block in the House. However, the proposed House and Senate budget  this year is adequate to  cover the one time “down payment”  needed to fix the system and still  enroll the targeted population of uninsured eligible children.

Contact:

Speaker Larry Cretul 

(850) 488-1450       larry.cretul@myfloridahouse.gov

 

Rep. Adam Hasner, Majority Leader

(850) 488-2234       adam.hasner@myfloridahouse.gov

 

Rep. Bill Galvano

(850) 488-4086      bill.galvano@myfloridahouse.gov

(Tell him: Make this happen this year - you have been a leader on KidCare for years)

 

Tell them:

Make the KidCare bill a priority this year to streamline the program and maximize available federal funds to enroll eligible uninsured children in Florida.

  • Florida needs to pass the good KidCare bills that remove administrative barriers to the KidCare program, make it easier for families to enroll uninsured eligible children, and prevent currently enrolled children from losing coverage. Thousands of children needlessly lose coverage every month under KidCare.
  • Florida will have a better chance to qualify for federal bonus dollars under the Child Health Insurance Reauthorization Act, CHIP, recently passed by Congress, and to maximize Florida’s federal funds in the future.

Linda Merrell, Florida Child Healthcare Coalition

 

REAL STORIES FROM FLORIDA HEALTH CARE CONSUMERS

April 24, 2009

 

Health Insurance Costs Challenge State Retirees

 

My name is Betty Lendway. In 2003 I retired from the state of Florida after 32 years of service within Children’s and Families Services (formerly known as HRS). I was hired in 1971 at about half of what I earned at my previous job in Ohio. It was explained that, while the wage was very low, the benefits were extraordinarily good and were well worth the lower wage.

 

After retiring from the state of Florida I returned to college to earn credentials necessary to teach at the university level in hopes that I could pass on some of the knowledge that I had gained in those 32 years of work. Now, I am 77 years old. I am employed as an adjunct instructor at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University where I earn very low OPS wages for part time employment. Due to Florida’s budget crisis I have no assurance that I will be employed from one semester to another. Few employers will consider hiring a 77 year old woman to run a cash register or stock shelves so employment in the labor market is unlikely for my future.

 

My husband worked for the state of Florida for 18 years at which time he was forced to retire because his Parkinson’s Disease had become too debilitating for him to continue working. He is fortunate that he is still covered with the state of Florida health insurance because he now has cancer. The cost for his treatments is alarming. As I look at some of the bills on my desk I see one for $7,483.97. Here are another one for $26,355.15 and one for $$6,499.07 and $17,802.07, $17,802.076, $499.13 and 17,915.58.

 

After the state of Florida deducts my husband’s health insurance (just for him) from his retirement benefits, they send him his retirement check for $201.23. This is after 18 years of service to the citizens of the state of Florida. My health insurance costs are deducted from my own retirement check which is higher because I worked for the state longer. After our mortgage is paid from my retirement check I receive $820 dollars from my retirement from the state of Florida.

 

We are fortunate that we have Social Security and Medicare. Many retirees are in a worse situation than we are in. However, we cannot live on our state retirement and we cannot drop our health insurance.

 

Last week I received a letter from the Florida Division of Retirement. The letter noted that if my retirement check was inadequate to cover my health insurance costs, I should contact the Division of Retirement to determine the amount of the check that I will need to submit to the state of Florida to cover my health insurance. I am fortunate. Some retirees are already sending that check and they are not able to work and bring home a paycheck.

 

Betty Lendway

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


April 24, 2009

 

73% of Voters Want a Choice Between Private and Public Coverage

 

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the President’s proposal for health care reform is the creation of a public health insurance plan option that would compete against private insurance plans. In other words, consumers shopping for health coverage could choose between a plan offered by a private insurer or the publicly administered option.

 

The benefits of having a public plan option are clear. For one, it would provide a guaranteed back-up option for people who lose their coverage. It would also assure that meaningful options are available for small businesses and self-employed people who cannot obtain meaningful group coverage. The increased competition would also lower costs.

 

Opposition to this proposal has already been mobilized, however, and criticisms of this plan have emerged. The most common are that creating a public coverage option will lead to “socialized medicine” and that bureaucrats will decide what health care Americans get.  Most of the attack messages that incorporate these and similar sound bites make little sense.

 

Their argument, and it’s seldom explained, is that the creation of a public plan choice will start America down the road to “government-run health care”, and from there it’s just a matter of time. They assert that employers will stop offering coverage and simply encourage workers to enroll in the public plan. Then, once that plan dominates the market, the government will make health care decisions for everyone.  Such descriptions are neither accurate nor fair. They misrepresent both the nature of our health care system now and what would happen to it under reform.

 

The fact is, however, most Americans understand the need for a public plan option. A recent nationwide poll conducted by Lake Research Partners found that 73% of voters want Americans to have a choice between private and public coverage. That level of support remained steady even after respondents heard all of the most common attacks levied by critics. Only 15% supported private insurance as the only option. Three of five agreed that a public plan option would help control health costs by using its purchasing power to increase competition, while only 28% agreed with opponents that a public plan would be a big and costly government bureaucracy.

 

Creating a public coverage option would help drive increases in health quality and plan choice while lowering health costs.  But count on a bitter fight over that point when Congress considers it.

 

Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN

 

Information used in this article was provided by the Herndon Alliance.

 

April 24, 2009

 

Medicaid Budget Development: Some Ups, Many Downs

 

As the 2009 regular session winds down, the only bill the Florida Legislature must pass (the budget) is nearing completion. The House and Senate have approved separate versions of the 2009-10 budget and are now in the process of reconciling their differences. (That process was delayed this week as leaders worked behind closed doors to get on the same page about what new sources of revenue to tap and what types of cuts to make.)

 

The Senate’s budget includes about $600 million more in total spending than the House, but the $65.6 billion would still be less than the 2006-07 total. The Senate’s HHS budget (which includes Medicaid) of $25.5 billion is slightly less than the House’s proposal, however.

 

The process of developing this year’s budget has involved many ups and downs for the consumers who must rely on Medicaid, including all of the following:

 

Continuously declining revenues left Florida with a $6+ billion shortfall for next year. Deep cuts to Medicaid seemed inevitable.

 

Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the stimulus legislation. After some hesitation, the Legislature agreed to accept up to $5 billion in federal Medicaid stimulus funding over 2 years.

 

Accepting Medicaid stimulus funding committed Florida to continuing all current Medicaid programs until January 2011.

 

Despite the urgency of the budget crisis, the Legislature has generally avoided the question of how to fix Florida’s broken revenue structure.

 

Hundreds of millions in federal stimulus funding was used to replace State funding in the Medicaid budget, freeing that money up for unrelated purposes. Last week, another billion dollars in the current Medicaid budget was replaced with stimulus funding and placed in reserves.

 

The Senate built its Medicaid budget using revenue generated by a $1.00 per pack increase in the Cigarette User Fee (CUF), but these funds simply replace State General Revenue funds in a number of components of the program. As of this writing, the House had indicated a willingness to accept the CUF increase as part of a compromise with the Senate on other issues.

 

Despite all this, the Senate still proposed cuts to Medicaid in the form of reduced payments to nursing homes, hospitals, HMOs, health departments and mental health and substance abuse providers. The House proposed some cuts, but not as deep or as broad as those in the Senate. Any Medicaid cuts ultimately approved would be the 4th over the past 18 months.

 

In short, although Medicaid recipients will fare much better than it seemed they might a few months ago, further cuts still seem likely. Even if Medicaid recipients break even, the real winners are the special interests that diverted funds sought in the name of the health care safety net in lieu of meaningfully tackling finance and tax reform.

 

Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN


  April 24, 2009 

Response to AHCA’s Dismissal of Concerns Re: New Medicaid HMOs

 

On April 17th, an article in Health News Florida explained that Florida CHAIN had sent a letter to AHCA expressing concerns arising from the sale of two health plans and their conversion to HMOs. Our letter indicated that the effect of the change was to forcibly re-assign enrollees to an HMO and remove many from access to their mental health plans.  

 

In a follow-up article published on Monday, HNF reported on AHCA's response (see bottom).  Florida CHAIN had submitted an official response to HNF, but it was not included in the article.     

In response to AHCA’s indirect response to HNF, we believe one or both of the following to be true:

 

1.   AHCA has responded to questions that are different from the ones posed by Florida CHAIN.

 

AHCA’s Claim:  Enrollees were “notified" prior to being switched to an HMO.

Response:   It is not clear, however, who notified enrollees and what information that notification included about enrollees’ rights to change plans, etc. A letter from an HMO welcoming their new enrollees, for example, isn't nearly enough. 

 

AHCA’s Claim: HMOs’ contracts include requirements that protect enrollees during the transition period.

Response:  Recipients certainly don't have those contracts or know what's in them. AHCA knows what rights enrollees have, but that knowledge is meaningless unless it is communicated to them in a clear and timely fashion. 

 

AHCA's Claim: An emphasis is placed on preserving "continuity of care" for enrollees once the switch to an HMO occurs.

Response:  Such efforts are simply an attempt to help enrollees catch up with a change that has already occurred. They are also an acknowledgement that enrollees were forcibly reassigned to a new plan.

 

AHCA’s Claim: When forced to switch into an HMO, recipients are: 1) given the opportunity to change to MediPass or another plan, prior to the switch, and 2) allowed to change plans without a reason for 90 days after the switch.

Response:  The main point we made in our letter was that AHCA seemingly did not consider conversion to an HMO as an event that actually forces enrollees to switch plans. Although AHCA acknowledges that a number of steps must be taken whenever enrollees are officially switched into a new plan, the agency has still not clarified that it actually took those steps in this case. 

 

2.   AHCA is meeting some of the applicable requirements, but only AHCA and the plans are aware of and able to identify these efforts.

 

The fact is, AHCA's explanation of what is happening doesn't square with reports received from a wide array of consumers, providers and advocates in both Tampa Bay and Miami-Dade who have been impacted by the change.

 

At a minimum, stakeholders are very, very confused. If AHCA has indeed taken all of the necessary steps - an assertion that we are still unable to confirm - we believe that this illustrates the ongoing and dire need for the Agency to better communicate with Medicaid stakeholders. This incident is one of many Medicaid-related changes about which stakeholders have been in the dark until the fallout has become apparent.

 

In closing, Florida CHAIN did not send its letter to AHCA prematurely or flippantly, ultimately responding on behalf of recipients in a responsible manner based on the best information available.

 

Lisa Grossman

Interim Executive Director, Florida CHAIN

 

Medicaid: We protect mentally ill

4/20/2009 © Health News Florida

The state Medicaid program will "ensure a smooth transition" for recipients with serious mental illness whose caregiver networks were bought by  corporate HMOs, a statement from the Agency for Health Care Administration says.

Thousands of beneficiaries affected by the sale of Access Health Solutions and NetPASS to subsidiaries of national HMOs will remain in the same prepaid mental-health plans until the HMO's specialists assess them and set up a transition plan, the statement says. Prescription medication remains covered, as well.

Medicaid beneficiaries have 90 days after reassignment to an HMO to leave it and remain with their current mental-health treatment plan, the statement said. 

So the accusation leveled last week by Florida CHAIN -- that thousands of Florida Medicaid patients who were being treated in specially-designed mental health plans had been switched without warning or consent into HMOs -- is not true, AHCA said in a statement released by spokeswoman Shelisha Durden.

"Florida Medicaid is meeting all federal Medicaid regulatory requirements..." it said.
 
Earlier Friday, Health News Florida published a report based on a letter from the advocacy group's interim executive director, 
Lisa Margulis Grossman, to AHCA Secretary Holly Benson protesting "forced reassignments" of mentally ill patients. She warned that such a "backdoor expansion of HMOs" appeared to violate state and federal Medicaid regulations that require patients to be notified before changes take place.

Patients in four counties – Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Miami-Dade – have been affected so far by the sale of Access Health Solutions and NetPASS to Molina Healthcare and Centene Corp., Grossman said in her letter. She predicted similar events in other counties.

“Many of these affected recipients are seriously emotionally disturbed children and severely mentally ill adults who specifically chose (Access Health and NetPASS because they) provided them with a medical home,” Grossman wrote. 

"We take issue with the allegations raised by Florida CHAIN," the AHCA statement said. The agency's contracts carefully provide for continuity of care, it said.

"The Agency partners with the health plans to ensure a smooth transition for beneficiaries...," the statement said. "Prior notice is provided 60 days and 30 days before a change, and beneficiaries are given the opportunity during these time frames to choose a plan or pick a MediPass provider." MediPass is more like traditional Medicaid, managed through a primary-care practice. If they go into MediPass, the AHCA statement says, they can continue to receive mental health care in the same arrangement they had before.

"As with any managed care enrollee, a beneficiary can disenroll from their plan and choose another provider at any time for good cause,' the statement added.

 

April 24, 2009

 

Informational Flyers

for Medicaid Reform Consumers

On WellCare in Broward and Duval Counties

 

As you may know, the Medicaid HMO WellCare is in the process of pulling out of the Medicaid Reform Pilot.

 

WellCare currently operates both the HealthEase and Staywell plans in Broward and Duval Counties. More than 75,000 enrollees will be forced to change plans over the next few months.

 

In Broward, HealthEase will leave on May 1st and Staywell will leave on June 1st.    

In Duval, Staywell will leave on May 1st and HealthEase will leave on July 1st.

 

AHCA has now finalized county specific 11x17 informational flyers (see links below) explaining the changes and what recipients need to do to make the transition to a new plan.   AHCA reports adding choice counseling call center staff, posting choice counselors in the field and offering face-to-face choice counseling at Medicaid offices. In addition, both WellCare and AHCA are supposed to mail recipients directly about the change.

 

AHCA also reported taking additional steps to avoid stranding recipients without plans.  Specifically, AHCA will select a new plan for those who don't choose one at least 30 days prior to their plan's departure.  As the old plan leaves, the switch to the new plan will take effect. Recipients will then have 90 days to change plans - for any reason or for no reason at all.

 

BROWARD WellCare Transition Flyer
DUVAL WellCare Transition Flyer

 

If you are in Broward or Duval Counties, please review, circulate and post this flyer.  If you become aware of questions or problems, contact us at lisam@floridachain.org or 954-986-6535.   

 

 Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN

April 24, 2009

 

SEIU Joins with Other Groups in Town Hall Meeting on Health Care Reform

 

On April 21, SEIU Florida Change that Works, along with ASFCME, NAACP, Florida Alliance of Retired Americans and Physicians for a National Health Program hosted a town hall meeting at the Tallahassee City Hall to discuss Health Care Reform and the need for quality, affordable health care for all Americans. 

 

State Senator Tony Hill Sr., State Rep. Alan Williams, Leon County Commissioner Cliff Thaell, local leaders, over 100 community members and various organizations convened to discuss the critical issue.

 

Moderated by Commissioner Thaell, the panel consisted of local community members, Dr. Ray Bellamy of Physicians for National Health Care, Martha Baker of SEIU Local 1991 in South Florida, and Karen Woodall of the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy, who lead the conversation around the importance of health care reform.

 

Members of the audience shared personal stories of the struggles they face in obtaining quality, affordable health insurance for themselves and their families. Their stories were documented and will be delivered by a delegation to Congressman Allen Boyd.

 

Ucha Ndukwe, SEIU, Florida Chapter

 

Photo captions: Top - Town Hall Panel; Middle - Senator Tony Hill speaks; Botton - Panelists and some of the audience.

April 24, 2009

State Events 
     North Florida

     Central Florida     

     East Central Florida    

     West Central Florida
     Southwest Florida
     Southeast Florida
     Florida Audio and Web Events
     Statewide Notices

 

National Events 
     Conferences 
     National Audio and Web Events

     National Notices

     National Campaigns


STATE EVENTS & NOTICES

NORTH FLORIDA   

  

Notices

CENTRAL FLORIDA

 

1st Annual Florida Tobacco Summit
May 13-14   Rosen Hotel, Orlando

The Purpose of the Florida AHEC Network’s Tobacco Summit is to bring Florida's Health Care Professionals together to educate and inform them about the newest tobacco related treatment options, trends and areas of interest. This two day Summit will host speakers from Harvard University, the Centers for Disease Control, Florida State University, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, University of South Florida, University of Florida, Nova Southeastern University, the Florida Dept. of Health and others. Registration Fee for Program: $100.00 (Includes 1 Breakfast, 2 Lunches, 3 Breaks and all program materials) For any Questions Please Call 305-743-7111 ext. 203

 

NACCHO Annual Conference 2009
July 29-31  Orlando
The theme of the conference is, “The New Public Health - Working Across Sectors to Leverage Investment in Communities.” Conference tracks include Quality Improvement & Performance Standards; Successful Multisector Investments in the Community’s Health; The Value of Public Health Interventions; and the Power of Public Health. MAPP users are encouraged to submit abstracts that showcase how their process has helped them work across sectors to leverage investments.

EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA

WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA 

Events

 

2009 Florida Conference on Aging

Aug 24-26  St. Pete Beach, TradeWinds Island Resort.

For more information: 850-222-8877 or www.fcoa.org. For reservations, call 800-808-9833. 

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

"Improve Your Health to Change the Quality of Your Life" Community Health Awareness Fair
April 25  10:00 am-2:00 pm  Philadelphia Evangelical Baptist Church, Miami
Screenings by UM/Jackson Health System North Dade Health Center Clinic and The Beautiful Gate Inc. Cancer Support & Resource Center. Sponsors & additional health providers are needed. Call (786) 585-4831 or email Ijoseph27@hotmail.com

Health Care Information for the Uninsured
April 25  10:00 am-6:00 pm   Boynton Beach Mall, Center Court
Uninsured people in Palm Beach County can learn their options for finding health care, and get some help signing up. Officials from government agencies and nonprofit groups that offer health coverage or health care to the uninsured will be on hand to tell people which programs can help them and how to enroll. Among them: The County Health Care District, County Department of Health, State Medicaid, State Department of Children and Families, Cover Florida, county Medical Society, County Community Health Alliance, Community Health Center and Legal Aid Society. For information, call the medical society at 561-433-3940.

Donors Forum of South Florida Annual IMPACT Awards
Awards: April 29
This program honors funders for grants/initiatives that have had a positive impact on the community. In addition to receiving self-nominations or nominations of colleagues by funders, nonprofits may also nominate funders.  Over the past few years, this has been an important way that we have learned what funding has been most helpful from the nonprofit perspective. Donors Forum will announce this year’s award recipients and celebrate the impact funders are making during our annual South Florida “Making Connections” Conference. Call (305) 371-7944

 

The Third Annual Day of Hispanic Wellness

May 2   10:00 am-3:00 pm   Gilda’s Club So. Florida, 119 Rose Dr, Ft. L.

This FREE Conference Providing Information about Cancer for the Hispanic Community WILL BE CONDUCTED ENTIRELY IN SPANISH. Lunch served, seating limited. RSVP to mary@gildasclubsouthflorida.org or 954-763-6776 (English), 954-763-6626 (Español)

 

Second Annual Women's Health Day Miami

May 9   9:00 am-12:30 pm  Univ of Miami Hospital Seminar Center, 1400 NW 12th Ave

This is a free event featuring interactive and informational sessions on Preparing for Pregnancy, Menopause, Cancer Prevention and Early Detection, Cardiovascular Disease in Women, Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery, all led by expert physicians. Shannon Hori, CBS 4 news anchor, will keynote. Other activities include tours, exhibits, free heart-healthy breakfast, door prizes. Registration required: isanchez3@med.miami.edu or 305-243-4766.

 

Health Care Heroes Awards Luncheon

May 14  11:30 am–1:30 pm   Jungle Island, Miami

Honoring Health Care Professionals.  Registration $75/person.

 

South Florida Cancer Control Collaborative

May 21   Area Agency on Aging Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, WPB 

Additional information available soon.

 

2nd Annual Back to School Community Health Fair

Aug 8   10:00 am -2:00 pm   Deicke Auditorium, Plantation

FREE Health Screenings and Education presented by Woman2Woman Breast Cancer Foundation and Florida Medical Center. Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, Cholesterol Testing, Body Mass Index, Posture Evaluation and Screening, and Wellness Information and Health Education/Counseling on Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart Disease, Asthma, Sickle Cell Disease, Colorectal Cancer, Women’s Health Issues, Osteoporosis, Prostate Cancer, Breast Cancer, and other forms of cancers, Support Groups/Programs, Nutrition, Exercise, Information on Medicaid benefits, Family Counseling Services, Education, Prevention, Care/ Treatment. In addition, there will be a Children’s Corner to educate children on hand washing, hygiene, safety, and nutrition as well.  The focus of the health fair will be on health promotion, prevention, and wellness for the community. June 5 cutoff to sign as a vendor. For more information: 954-703-1529 or Keandra.gray@w2wbcf.org. Appt needed for Bone Density Test; call 1-866-442-2362

Notices

 

“The Earlier, the Better” Breast Cancer Detection Program Seeks Haitian Women

The Haitian American Association Against Cancer (HAAAC) and the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center are asking for your help in finding women for one of their projects, “The Earlier, the Better.” The project’s goal is to improve early detection of breast cancer among Haitian women in South Florida. They are interested in learning about Haitian American women’s experiences with breast cancer and in hearing their opinions about how to educate Haitian women about the disease. Women will receive a gift certificate for their participation.  For more information including flyers in English or Haitian Creole, please contact Pascale Auguste from HAAAC at 305-572-1825, padenize@aol.com, or Jenny Blanco from Sylvester at 305-243-1360, jblanco3@med.miami.edu.

 

Community Foundation Developing Palm Beach County's Digital Public Square

Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties is forging unique partnerships among non-profit and community organizations as the charity prepares to launch Palm Beach County's first-ever "digital public square.” From video footage of community events and an interactive historical timeline of Palm Beach County's history, to nonprofit news and comprehensive databases of community information, the Foundation's content partners are creating a wide array of resources and online training tools for the innovative project. Funds from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation are being used to develop the project and ensure its long-term sustainability. This includes training for content partners, the provision of grants to area non-profits, public outreach, development of development of grassroots civic journalism among community organizations and citizens, recruiting content contributions from across the region and staff support and technical training. For more information please visit www.yourcommunityfoundation.org or call 561-659-6800.

FLORIDA AUDIO CONFERENCES AND WEBCAST

STATEWIDE NOTICES  

Join Florida Breast Cancer Coalition Research Foundation at the Annual NBCC Washington Lobby Day

May 2-5   Washington, DC

NBCC advocates from nearly every state and the District of Columbia prepare to become advocates in training, briefings, and state delegation meetings, and spend an entire day on Capitol Hill conducting and participating in more than 400 meetings with members of Congress and congressional staff.  Scholarships for FBCCRF members are available to attend.To download the scholarship application please visit www.stopbreastcancer.org or call 1-866-640-0969.

Health Information Security and Privacy Toolkit for Physicians to Encourage Health Information Exchange
Florida is one of 8 pilot states for this initiative launched January 2009, called the Health Information Security and Privacy Toolkit that will provide physicians with the information they need to participate in electronic health information exchange. The Web-based toolkit focuses on safe, private and secure health information exchange for providers. It offers tools and resources to help physicians get connected electronically. Physicians can also earn continuing medical education credits while learning more about electronic health information exchange and electronic health record systems.

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.

NATIONAL EVENTS & NOTICES

 

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS 

  

The Fifth Annual Mobile Health Clinics Forum
April 26-28 Las Vegas
Mobile Healthcare professionals share their insights and invaluable expertise on a broad range of topics. Whether you currently operate a mobile health clinic or are launching a new mobile outreach program, the Forum curriculum will enhance your skills and expand your knowledge-base. Sessions address such topics as: budget development, business plans, funding options and grant writing, universal benchmarks, ROI and outcomes assessment, electronic medical records, telehealth/telemedicine, emergency response, political advocacy and more.

Creating the Future We Want to Be: Transformation Through Partnerships

Community-Campus Partnerships for Health's 11th Conference

April 29 - May 2   Milwaukee

 

National Breast Cancer Coalition 2009 Annual Advocacy Training Conference 

May 2-5  Washington, DC

Each year, hundreds of breast cancer advocates come together to network with one another, hone their advocacy skills and hear the latest news in breast cancer science, research and policy. The four-day conference includes thought-provoking plenary sessions, delivered by well-known researchers, scientists, advocates and policy makers. Workshops offer scientific information and practical skills for advocates, and we set aside time to have some fun.

 

Strategies for Navigating the New Medicaid
May 31-June 2   Washington, DC
The Fourth National Medicaid Congress has announced a Call for Presentation Proposals. For further registration information, go to the website, call 800-684-4549 or email registration@hcconferences.com.

 

Disparities in Health in America:  Working Towards Social Justice
June 20–26  University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
The goal of the 7th Annual Summer Workshop is to provide a comprehensive approach to the issue of health disparities, and to provide attendees with a broad base of knowledge so that they may address health disparities with a bio-psychosocial approach.

 

Race and Class Inequalities in Health 
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

 

Presentation Opportunities for Child Health Services Researchers

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.

 

Diversity Matters: An Ongoing Conversation
Nov 2-3     Vancouver, BC

Proposals are currently being accepted for this conference , which is open to professionals, educators, managers, executives, ethicists and researchers in health care, social services, and community service and development; government leaders and policy-makers; as well as consumers and all those interested,. It focuses on cultural competencies in healthcare, education, research and community services.  Among keynote speakers, Dr. Roberto Lewis-Fernandez will present on Reduction of Healthcare Disparities Through Cultural Competence: Barriers and Solutions to Consumer Engagement  and The Role of Cultural Idioms of Distress in Psychiatric Diagnosis.

AUDIO AND WEB EVENTS      

Live Webcast on the Public Insurance Plan Option
May 1   2:30 pm (ET)
The latest webcast in a series called "Talking Health," presented by the Association of Health Care Journalists, The Commonwealth Fund, and the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism, will feature health and journalist experts providing  insights and suggestions on what will soon be a major story.

 

ACHI Webinar - Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Advance Community and Public Health
May 21  2:00 – 3:00 pm (ET)
This presentation will demonstrate the uses and value of GIS with visual demonstrations using sample health data. It will also share information on how HIPAA compliance can be maintained when working with sensitive patient data in the GIS environment. GIS is advanced technology that is growing every day in its application to community and public health. This session will equip participants with up-to-date knowledge and greater clarity on the ways GIS can strengthen their initiatives.

ACHI Webinar - Priority Setting for Community Benefit: A Primer on Matching Community Need and Organizational Effort
June 18   2:00 (ET)
This session will establish the community needs assessment as the starting point linking the community benefit plan and program priorities. Biel will discuss the importance of adopting a formal priority setting process, and share techniques and tools for making it happen. This will include discussion of explicit priority setting criteria, tools and discussion questions to help guide the process, and real case examples from a variety of hospitals. Register for the session online.

NOTICES

CAMPAIGNS & INITIATIVES

 

Visit the National Health Information Center for a complete list of the 2009 National Health Observances and contact information for resources

 

April 24, 2009

New listings, in order of submission deadlines 

 

Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida Seeks Nominations for Sapphire Award Recognizing Community Health Excellence
Deadline: May 12

Three grants of up to $120,000 will be awarded to nonprofit community health programs working to foster systemic change, including public policy changes that improve related outcomes of Florida's at-risk populations and communities. The award's recognition of effective initiatives is meant to promote greater and more lasting support for improved services and systems that can be sustained over time.

 

Information Interchange and Technical Assistance for HIV Prevention
Deadline: May 28
The purpose of the program is to provide technical assistance on CDC HIV related policies and programs by promoting active communication and information exchange between mayors and other local and state government health officials.

 

Recognizing Innovation in Multicultural Health Care Award Program

Deadline: June 1

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is now accepting applications for its 2009 Recognizing Innovation in Multicultural Health Care Award program. This program highlights and recognizes health plans for their exemplary efforts and demonstrated effectiveness in promoting cultural competence and addressing the health care needs of diverse members. Download the Innovative Practices Reports from 2006, 2007, and 2008 here. Email CLASAwards@ncqa.org with questions.

Premier Cares Award
Deadline: July 31
The Premier Cares Award was established to recognize exemplary, innovative efforts that have made health services more accessible to the medically underserved, particularly as demonstrated in superior health outcomes. Programs exhibiting these characteristics are requested to submit an entry.

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research Consortium
Deadline: Oct 6
This FOA, issued by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), solicits cooperative agreement grant applications from institutions to conduct randomized controlled trials to test innovative interventions that address issues immediately germane to the childhood obesity epidemic and runs parallel with a separate Funding Opportunity Announcement.  


2009 Aetna Foundation Regional Community Investment Programs
Various Deadlines
Information regarding the Regional Community Grants Program and Healthy Community Outreach Program including funding categories, schedule, target markets, and the online application process is now available on the Aetna Foundation website.

 

Community-Based Partnerships for Childhood Obesity Prevention and Control: Research to Inform Policy
Deadline: May 7, 2012
The purpose of this FOA, issued by the NICHD, is to enhance childhood obesity research by fostering the formation of local, state, or regional teams consisting of researchers, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders (e.g., community representatives, public health practitioners or officials, educators) in order to identify research questions and hypotheses, design and implement the relevant research, and translate the research into evidence relevant to potential policy efforts in this area.

 

Cancer Surveillance Using Health Claims-based Data System
Deadline: May 7, 2012
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), issued by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), encourages grant applications for research entailing the use of health claims data for cancer surveillance. Cancer surveillance may include assessment of patterns of care, quality, and outcomes of care, and health disparities across the continuum of treatment.

 

Continuing listings, in order of submission deadlines     

Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers
Deadline: April 30
The Children’s Environmental Health Centers have been examining the interaction between environmental exposures and child health outcomes. Combining research and outreach, these Centers form a national network to address a range of health outcomes that may result from environmental exposures, including impairments in overall growth and development, nervous system development and respiratory dysfunction. The Centers work with communities, health care providers, researchers and government officials to conduct research with the goal to prevent and reduce childhood diseases in these areas. 

 

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.

 

The Florida Breast Cancer Coalition Research Foundation Education Grants

Deadline: April 30

FBCCRF is currently offering education grants of up to $10,000.00 for innovative projects in the areas of breast health and breast cancer education, outreach, and support targeting services not otherwise available to the medically underserved populations of Florida.  Grants are available for up to one (1) year. Those interested in applying to the Florida Breast Cancer Coalition Research Foundation for funding should complete the application following ALL of our guidelines and requirements. Please, ONLY Florida non-profit organizations who are currently classified by the IRS as a 501 (C)(3) and/ or 509 (a)(1), (2), or (3) with an historic interest in providing life-saving health information to Florida residents are eligible to receive grant funding

 

Translational Research for the Prevention and Control of Diabetes and Obesity
Deadline: May 7
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute of Nursing Research and the Office of Behavior and Social Sciences Research seek to develop cost effective and sustainable interventions that can be adopted in real world settings, for the prevention and control of diabetes and obesity.

 

Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health (R03)

Closing date for applications: May 7

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.

 

Seed Grants for Dementia Day Programs
Deadline: July 1

The Brookdale Foundation works to advance the fields of geriatrics and gerontology and to improve the lives of senior citizens. The Brookdale National Group Respite Program supports community-based efforts throughout the U.S. to develop social model respite programs for elders with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia, and their families. The initiative awards seed grants to service providers that are planning to implement new, dementia-specific Group Respite or Early Memory Loss programs. Up to 40 programs will receive grants for $7,500 in the first year. Grants are renewable at $3,000 in the second year, based upon evaluation of the first year's activities and potential for future continuity of the program.

 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Awards

Deadline: July 7 (Stage 1 Brief Proposals)

The RWJF Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research funds highly-qualified individuals to undertake broad studies of the most challenging health policy issues facing America. RWJF will award approximately 10 grants of up to $335,000 each to investigators from a variety of disciplines to support projects that combine creative and conceptual thinking with innovative, policy-relevant solutions. The RWJF welcomes applications from investigators in the health, social, and behavioral sciences, as well as other fields. They seek a diverse group of applicants, including minorities, early-career investigators, and individuals who work in nonacademic settings such as research firms and policy organizations. Fourteen matching grants of up to $500,000 will be awarded to independent, private, community, and corporate grantmakers working to improve the health of residents in their communities.

 

RWJF: Local Health Collaboration Partnerships
Brief Proposal Deadline: July 7
Local Funding Partnerships a collaborative program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and local grantmakers, supports innovative, community-based projects throughout the United States. Through LFP, a local grantmaker proposes a funding partnership with RWJF to provide seed money for a new project that addresses the health or health care problems of people who are not reached by traditional health and social services or for whom existing services are insufficient. Projects are expected to create meaningful change by addressing health in the context of complex social factors that impede good health for society's most vulnerable people. Programs that address access to medical care – such as the start-up of community health centers, mobile vans, dental services, or school-based health centers – also are not likely to be competitive. LFP provides grants of $200,000 to $500,000 per project, which must be matched dollar for dollar by local grantmakers such as community foundations, family foundations, corporate funders, etc.

 

Active Living Research and Healthy Eating Research
Letters of Intent Deadline: July 17
The Active Living Research and Healthy Eating Research joint call for proposals for 2009 Rapid-Response Round 2 Grants. This CFP supports time-sensitive, opportunistic studies to evaluate changes in policies or environments with the potential to reach children who are at highest risk for obesity, including African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander children (ages 3 to 18) who live in low-income communities or communities with limited access to affordable healthy foods and/or safe opportunities for physical activity. Research studies may focus on one or both sides of the energy balance equation - on physical activity (including sedentary behavior), healthy eating, or both. 

 

Public Welfare Foundation
Letters of inquiry due: 6-8 weeks before deadlines

Deadlines: 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 

 

Wal-Mart Foundation State Giving Program
Online Application Deadlines: Sept 18

The Wal-Mart Foundation State Giving Program awards grants at the state and regional level to programs that have a strong impact within the communities the company serves. The program provides grants of $25,000 and up in categories including Health and Wellness; these grants strive to improve access to healthcare, reduce healthcare disparities, and promote healthy lifestyles. The Foundation has a particular interest in supporting veterans and military families, traditionally underserved groups, individuals with disabilities, and people impacted by natural disasters.

 

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research Consortium
Deadline: Oct 6
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development solicit cooperative agreement grant applications from institutions to conduct randomized controlled trials to test innovative interventions that address issues immediately germane to the childhood obesity epidemic and runs parallel with a separate Funding Opportunity Announcement.

 

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. 

 

Frueauff Foundation
Deadline: Dec 15
The Frueauff Foundation supports mental health services, organizations serving at-risk youth and other community programs. Since its founding, hospitals and health agencies have been recipients of Foundation awards. Equipment, outreach programs, staff positions, screening and education materials are just a few examples of grants given. Health education programs for at-risk children and their parents, support for the critically ill, AIDS/HIV education programs, and nursing scholarships have all received awards in the past decade. Specific institutions and specific programs, rather than national organizations, are usually given.

    

Department of Health and Human Services Understanding and Promoting Health Literacy (R21)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): December 24, 2009
Application Submission/Receipt Date(s): 25, 2010

  

NIOSH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings
Application Deadline: May 8, 2011
The purpose of the program is to support high quality conferences/scientific meetings that are relevant to its scientific mission and to the public health.

 

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. 

 

Chronic Illness Self-Management in Children and Adolescents
Multiple Closing Dates, Jan 10, 2010
The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement is to solicit research to improve self-management and quality of life in children and adolescents with chronic illnesses. Biobehavioral studies of children in the context of family and family-community dynamics are encouraged. Children diagnosed with a chronic illness and their families have a long-term responsibility for self-management. The child with the chronic illness will have a life-long responsibility to maintain and promote health and prevent complications. Research related to biological/ technological factors, as well as, sociocultural, environmental, and behavioral mechanisms that contribute to successful and ongoing self-management of chronic illnesses in children is also encouraged.

 

Occupational Safety and Health Research
Application Deadline: March 6, 2010
The purpose of this grants program is to develop an understanding of the risks and conditions that are associated with occupational diseases and injuries, to explore methods for reducing risks and for preventing or minimizing exposure to hazardous conditions in the workplace, and to translate significant scientific findings into prevention practices and products that will effectively reduce work-related illnesses and injuries.

 

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). 

 

NIOSH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings
Deadline: May 8, 2011
The purpose of the program is to support high quality conferences/scientific meetings that are relevant to its scientific mission and to the public health. 

 

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.

 

Research on Clinical Decision-Making in People with or at-Risk for Life-Threatening Illnesses
Application Deadline: May 7, 2012
This funding opportunity seeks to stimulate research on the decision-making processes made by persons at risk for and those faced with life-threatening illness. These illnesses are ones that almost always lead to death in a fairly short period of time if left untreated, but may be chronic or even cured if dealt with early in the disease process. Decision-making can occur from the point of adopting preventive behaviors through the end of life.

 

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.

 

Nathan Cummings Foundation
Letters of inquiry may be submitted at any time

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.

 

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.

April 24, 2009

Florida CHAIN Website Resources

 

Organizations and Services

     New: Florida

     New: National

     Continued Listings: Florida


Manuals, Guides and Toolkits

     New: Florida

     New: National

     Continued Listings: Florida


Technology and Audio Visual Materials

     Media Programming

     Web Sites, Web Features

          New: Florida

          New: National    

          Continued Listings: Florida


Webinars, Audio, Videos and Films: Web, Rent/Purchase. Theater 

 

Periodicals and Books

 

Reports and Studies

        New: Florida Reports

        New: National

        Continued Listings: Florida Reports

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

New: Florida Organizations and Services

Florida Legal Services: Free help for low-income adults denied prescription-drug coverage from Medicaid or Medicare Part D. Online: floridalegal.org  Phone: 1-800-436-6001

 

New: National

 

Continued Listings: Florida

Insurance claim denied? Here's where to get help
Florida Office of Insurance Regulation: Investigates complaints against insurers, including denials of claims. Online: floir.com  Phone: 1-877-693-5236
Subscriber Assistance Program: Reviews disputes between individuals and their managed-care plans. Online: fdhc.state.fl.us/MCHQ/Consumer/SPSAP/  Phone: 1-888-419-3456
Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, SHINE: Helps consumers navigate the Medicare appeals process. Online: floridashine.org  Phone: 1-800-963-5337 
Medicare Rights Center: National group helps Medicare clients understand their rights and benefits. Online: medicarerights.org  Phone: 1-800-333-4114

Medicare Access Network of Florida
Do you know of any Medicare Part D beneficiaries who have questions about their plan? If so, feel free to direct them to one of the SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) free counseling sites for help that are located throughout Broward and Miami-Dade. To make an appointment, or for questions, call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (1- 800-963-5337).

South Florida Smoking Cessation Programs
South Florida Cancer Control Collaborative has also started a list of smoking cessation links. Click here to view the list.

 

(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.

 

MANUALS, GUIDES, TOOLKITS

 

New: Florida 

 

New: National

 

Continued Listings: Florida

TECHNOLOGY AND AUDIO/VIDEO RESOURCES 

Media Programming

Web Sites, Web Features & Databases 

New: Florida Listings

Updates to www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov Website

AHCA has announced a major redesign of this site and the addition of a new hospice comparison tool. The site contains interactive tools that give Floridians the opportunity to compare pricing and performance for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, emergency rooms, health plans, nursing homes, and pricing on prescription drugs.  The easy to use website provides health outcome information for over 150 conditions and procedures in Florida’s health care facilities and is linked to an extensive health care encyclopedia.

New: National

Continued Listings: Florida

 

statehealthfacts.org

This web site recently added new data on Medicaid, CHIP and Medicare. New data from the Congressional Research Service on CHIP enrollment and projected federal allocations have been added for all states and the nation. In addition, data on the distribution of enrollment in CHIP by family income level for fiscal year 2008 and the projected federal CHIP allotments under the CHIP Reauthorization Act for FY 2009 are available for all states and the nation. Statehealthfacts.org also added new data from HHS and the Government Accountability Office about temporary federal Medicaid relief provided by the federal economic stimulus plan to states from October 2008 through March 2009, along with the total estimated federal stimulus allocations to each state through December 2010. The Web site also added new data from an analysis by the Urban Institute and the Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured of 2005 CMS data on dual eligibles. The new data include Medicaid spending for dual eligibles by service, Medicaid spending per dual eligible, dual eligibles as a percent of total Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and the distribution of dual eligible enrollment.

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.

 

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

 

Webinars, Audio, Videos and Films: Web, Rent/Purchase, Theater

Webcast: The Effect of the Economic Downturn on the Health of Communities of Color
During this live, interactive March 25 KFF webcast, panelists examined how the recession is affecting communities of color in the areas of health coverage, access to care, and health outcomes. The panelists also discussed whether the economic recovery legislation would help states respond to the rising demand for programs such as Medicaid.

 

Webinar: The Economic Stimulus: Opportunities and Challenges for Underserved Communities
On March 31, the National Health Equity Coalition hosted a national conference call dialogue called. Panelists discussed how the economic recovery package has the potential to address the economic and social challenges facing underserved communities, particularly racial and ethnic minorities.

PERIODICALS AND BOOKS

 

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.

 

Covering Health Issues

The fifth edition of this sourcebook for journalists. (Alliance for Health Reform)

 

Health Care Will Not Reform Itself: A User’s Guide to Refocusing and Reforming American Health

Simple-to-understand language supplemented by insightful anecdotes and examples, to cut through the thicket of health care reform rhetoric to offer a step-by-step blueprint for achieving real improvements in health care delivery, as well as putting curbs on growing health care costs.  CRC Press/Taylor and Francis also has the ability to customize the products for your organization, whether it is a custom cover with your logo on it or creating a custom publication to meet a specific need of your organization or clients, we can create a meaningful product for you to use.  Contact: chris.manion@taylorandfrancis.com

 

REPORTS AND STUDIES

New Listings

 

New: Florida Reports

 

New Listings: Medicaid

New Listings: Children's Health Care

Changes in Children’s Health Legislation Can Reduce Harmful Impact of Documentation Requirement; Rapid State Implementation is Essential

The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) enacted in February contains several provisions to reduce the harmful impact of Medicaid’s citizenship documentation requirement, which has caused many eligible citizen children to lose or be denied coverage since its 2006 enactment.  By implementing these changes immediately, states can lighten the burden that the requirement imposes on otherwise eligible families. (4/23/09, CBPP)

 

“CHIP TIPS” Series Focuses On New Opportunities For Covering Children Under Medicaid and CHIP
States that do an especially good job of signing up eligible children for Medicaid may be in line for extra financial support from the federal government thanks to a provision in the recently passed Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act. Together Medicaid and CHIP provide coverage for more than one in four children in the U.S., yet many others remain eligible but uninsured. (4/6/09, KFF)

 

CHIPRA 101: Overview of the CHIP Reauthorization Legislation

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was created in 1997 to provide affordable health coverage to low-income children in working families who make too much money to be eligible for Medicaid but not enough to afford private coverage. The program currently covers more than 7million children. In February 2009, after a protracted political fi ght, Congress enacted, and President Obama signed, legislation that renewed CHIP through the end of 2013 and expanded its scope. This series of issue briefs examines the new provisions that were included in the reauthorization and how they will affect implementation in the coming months.(March 2009, Families USA)

 

New State Option to Provide Health Coverage to Immigrant Children and Pregnant Women

This fact sheet examines how the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) gives states the opportunity to provide affordable health coverage to legal immigrant children and pregnant women. (April 2009, National Immigration Law Center) 

New Listings: Medicare

Rx Watchdog Report: Trends in Prices of Prescription Drugs Used by Medicare Beneficiaries
A new study found that manufacturer prices for widely-used brand-name prescription drugs jumped by nearly nine percent in 2008, marking the largest average annual increase in six years and exceeding the country’s overall inflation rate of 3.8 percent. However, the study also found that the manufacturer prices of widely used generic drugs continued to decrease in 2008, falling by an average of 10.6 percent. The vast majority of generics (83 percent) did not see a price uptick in 2008. Rather, prices for generic drugs declined by about 11 percent. (April 2009, AARP Public Policy Institute) 

New Listings: Federal/State Budgets

 New Listings: Health Insurance, Health Care Costs   

The Costs of Inaction: the Urgent Need for Health Reform
Comprehensive health care reform is necessary this year because of rising costs and the declining quality of care, according to an HHS report that amasses the findings of numerous studies that have been used to substantiate calls for comprehensive health reform. HHS highlights how U.S. health care spending has doubled from 1996 to 2006, reaching $2.2 trillion in 2007, or $7,421 per capita -- accounting for more than 16% of the GDP, nearly double the average of other developed countries. According to the report, unless there is massive change, health care costs are expected to rise to 25% of GDP in 2025, and reach 49% by 2082. The report also notes, "Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have more than doubled in the last nine years," adding, "As a result of these crushing health care costs, American businesses are losing their ability to compete in the global marketplace." (April 2009, healthreform.gov)

 

Lessons from Medicare for Health Care Reform
“The federal government offers some help as beneficiaries navigate their choices, but this help is poorly coordinated and often inadequately executed. Instead of being a role model for the private sector as it could be, Medicare has offered an example of ‘what not to do.’ Hearings in the summer of 2008, for example, included reports of the large number of incorrect answers given to beneficiaries who call the ‘1-800-Medicare’ hotline. Moreover, Medicare has to compete with information provided by private plans that have a stake in placing a positive spin on their own offerings. Medicare expends a large amount of money on providing information but it does not spend those resources wisely.” (April 2009, Center for American Progress)

 

Survey: 1 in 5 Americans Putting Off Care
About 20% of U.S. households have postponed or cancelled treatment over the past year, according to a new national survey by Thomson Reuters. Among those who postponed or cancelled care, 24% cited cost as the primary reason. The majority of postponed services were for physician visits (55%), followed by imaging (8%), non-elective procedures (6.2%) and lab/diagnostic tests (5.7%). (4/21/09, AHA News Now)

 

Engagement of Health Plans and Employers in Addressing Racial, Ethnic Health Care Disparities

This study examines the awareness of racial and ethnic disparities in health care access and quality, perceptions of the roles of employers and health plans in addressing disparities, and reported efforts to measure and reduce disparities. (4/1/09, Harvard School of Public Health)

 

States Act to Help People Laid Off from Small Firms with COBRA: More Needs to Be Done

Due to provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act recently signed by President Obama, workers laid off from large firms can now get help paying their COBRA premiums from the federal government. All states should take action to give workers laid off from small businesses an opportunity to obtain coverage during these difficult times. This report shows which states have acted so far and what other steps states must take to ensure their residents can take full advantage of the subsidy. (April 2009, Families USA)

 

The 2009 Retirement Confidence Survey: Economy Drives Confidence to Record Lows; Many Looking to Work Longer

Only 25 percent of US retirees in 2009 say they are very confident that they will be able to cover the cost of medical expenses during their retirement, compared to 41 percent of retirees in 2007. (April 2009, Employee Benefit Research Institute)

 

Retirees Need Almost a Quarter of a Million Dollars for Medical Expenses
According to a study by Fidelity Investments, a couple retiring this year would need $240,000 to cover their medical expenses, a 6.7 percent increase from last year's cost and a 50 percent increase over the past seven years. (3/31/09, AP)

 

Rules of the Road: How an Insurance Exchange can Pool Risk and Protect Enrollees

Setting more specific minimum benefit standards would help to guarantee consumers adequate coverage regardless of which plan they select. No enrollee would have to worry about making the “wrong” choice and ending up with a plan that provides skimpy benefits or imposes unaffordable out-of-pocket costs for a medical condition that the individual develops during the year.” (3/31/09, CBPP)

 

Hospitals and Nonprofits Provide Basic Coverage to Uninsured Small-Business Employees 
Some local hospitals and nonprofit organizations have developed programs to provide basic health care coverage to employees of small businesses, who "make up a disproportionate share of the country's uninsured."  (4/14/09, Wall Street Journal)

 

Financial and Health Burdens of Chronic Disease Grow Between 2003 and 2007
Almost three in 10 working-age Americans with diabetes, asthma, depression or other chronic conditions lived in families with problems paying medical bills in 2007—a significant increase from two in 10 in 2003, according to a national study released by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (4/2/09, RWJF)

 

Jobless Rely on Free and Low-Cost Clinics for Medical Treatment
As more Americans lose their jobs and their employer-sponsored health care coverage, they are relying on volunteer-run clinics and publicly funded community health centers to access free or low-cost medical care, but "the safety net is being strained as demand grows and budgets shrink." (4/10/09, USA Today)

Some Unemployed Workers Must Wait Months for COBRA Subsidy
Some recently laid-off workers without health care coverage are still waiting for the COBRA subsidies promised to them as part of the economic stimulus plan, and some are being told that help might not arrive until the summer. (4/7/09, Kaiser Health News)

 

Insuring All Americans Is a Critical Component of an Efficient, High Quality Health Care System

"Extending coverage to all Americans is a necessary (but not a sufficient) condition to improving the quality and efficiency of our health care system.  Universal coverage would decrease the likelihood that individuals delay seeking care, make early detection and treatment of problems more feasible, reduce reliance on costly emergency room care, and also reduce underwriting if the system is designed well....If millions of Americans continue to lack access to affordable coverage, the system will continue to have large inefficiencies built into it.  Debates about health reform should focus on the intertwined goals of coverage, cost, and quality." (4/21/09, CBPP)

New Listings: Health Disparities 

Obesity Rates Differ Among Racial/Ethnic Groups In Kids As Young As 4

Obesity is twice as common in young American Indian/Native Alaskan children as it is in white and Asian children, according to new research offering the first nationally representative analysis of obesity prevalence among preschool-aged kids in five major racial/ethnic groups. The analysis also shows that obesity prevalence is higher in Hispanic and black children than it is in whites and Asians. The research offers evidence that obesity prevalence differs among racial and ethnic groups in the United States in children as young as age 4. (April 2009, Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine)

 

Updated Fact Sheet Highlights State Variations in Key Disparities Indicators
The Kaiser Family Foundation issued an updated fact sheet showing variations across states and racial and ethnic groups for six key health and health care indicators. (4/3/09, KFF)

 

Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: A Business Case Update for Employers

This guide is created to help employers reduce racial and ethnic health disparities in the workplace and improve the quality of health care for minority populations. The report is part of a two-year effort by the group and U.S. DHHS Office of Minority Health to build business-community coalitions to help reduce racial and ethnic health disparities. (4/20/09, National Business Group on Health)

 

Health Care Reform: Critical to Closing the Gap for Communities of Color

People of color in the United States are more likely than whites to lack health insurance, to receive lower-quality care, and to suffer from worse health outcomes. The causes of these disparities are broad and complex, ranging from societal issues like poverty and racism, to health system factors such as access to health care facilities. One of the most glaring inequities facing people of color, however, is lack of health coverage. In order to significantly close this gap, health care reform proposals must include strategies that increase access to quality, affordable health coverage for all. (March 2009, Families USA)

 

Differences in Control of Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes by Race, Ethnicity, and Education: U.S. Trends from 1999 to 2006 and Effects of Medicare Coverage
Obtaining Medicare coverage is associated with significant reductions in racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities in adults with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to a new Commonwealth Fund-supported study. (4/21/09, Annals of Internal Medicine)

 

Communiqué: Psychological and Behavioral Perspectives on Health Disparities

This guide seeks to inform policy makers, advocates, the general public, and behavioral scientists about the disproportionate impact of health disparities on communities of color. It suggests that efforts to reduce health disparities must include collaboration between medical and public health scientists with behavioral and psychological scientists. (March 2009, American Psychological Association)

New Listings: Other Health Issues   

 

Federal Tobacco Tax Hike Takes Effect, Prompts Smokers to Quit
Federal legislation raising the national tobacco tax from 39 cents per pack to $1.01 per pack has prompted a record number of smokers across the country to dial into tobacco quit lines, the Associated Press reports. (4/1/09, RWJF)

 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission Says Health Care Reform Won't Solve Nation's Health Problems – Reforms to Support Healthier Choices Urgently Needed; Children Face Grim Prospect of Sicker, Shorter Lives than their Parents
Essential as health care reform is, it will not be enough to close most of the gap between how healthy Americans are and how healthy they could be. Without urgent action to take proven steps that can make a big difference in health, America's children could have sicker, shorter lives than their parents. A new report urged all Americans to make healthier choices and society to help remove the obstacles so many people face in making those choices, issuing 10 cross-cutting recommendations for improving the nation's health. According to the Commission, how long and how well Americans live depend more on where we live, learn, work and play than on medical care, which accounts for only an estimated 10 to 15 percent of preventable early deaths. Building a healthier nation requires a broader view of health, the Commission said. (4/2/09, RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America)

 

Many Patients Lack Access to Outpatient Mental Health Care
Two-thirds of primary care physicians in 2004-05 could not get outpatient mental health services for their patients, according to a study published online by Health Affairs. Key reasons included a lack of or inadequate health insurance and a shortage of mental health providers, based on the nationally representative survey of physicians by the Center for Studying Health System Change. The survey preceded passage of the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which requires group health plans with mental health benefits to provide the same level of coverage for medical and mental health issues. The author notes that “the new law will have no effect on the severe access problems for the uninsured as well as problems related to the shortage of mental health care providers. In fact, these shortages could be exacerbated to the extent that parity in benefits results in increased demand for services.” (4/14/09, Health Affairs)

 

Experts Say Patients Getting A Raw Deal From The Drug Industry
Patients and health services are getting a poor return on their investment into new drugs, say experts in an article. Industry makes much of the expense of bringing a new drug to market, yet the public provides most of the support for developing and evaluating new drugs, (4/3/09, bmj.com)

 

Paralysis Population Survey Shows Over a Million More Paralyzed than Previously Estimated
A survey of over 33,000 households released today shows that 40 percent more Americans live with paralysis and over five times the number of Americans live with spinal cord injury than previously estimated. Specifically, the survey shows that 1.275 million have had a spinal cord injury and over 5.6 million Americans live with some form of paralysis. The highest previous estimates were 250,000 and roughly four million, respectively. (April 2009, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation)

 

2009 HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award

The recipients were identified using AHRQ data in a report by the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. If all hospitals performed at the level of Patient Safety Excellence Award™ hospitals, approximately 211,697 patient safety events and 22,771 Medicare deaths could have been avoided while saving the U.S. approximately $2.0 billion from 2005 through 2007. Between 2005 and 2007, 913,215 total patient safety events were recorded among Medicare beneficiaries, which represents 2.3 percent of the nearly 38 million Medicare hospitalizations. This equates to one reported patient safety event every 1.7 minutes. (April 2009, HealthGrades)

 

Higher Hospital Safety Rating Not Associated With Lower Risk Of In-Hospital Death
Hospitals that reported higher scores on measures of safe practices did not have a significantly lower rate of in-hospital deaths compared to hospitals that reported lower scores on these measures, according to a study.(4/1/09, JAMA)  

 

Researchers Question Effectiveness Of Warning Labels On Over-The-Counter Drugs

Medicine packages barrage consumers with information, some required to be "prominent" and "conspicuous." But marketing claims and brand names still overshadow critical fine print on nonprescription medications, Michigan State University researchers found. (April 2009, Proceedings of the National Academies of Science)

CDC Says Americans Consume Nearly Twice the Recommended Amount of Sodium
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that most Americans consume more than double the recommended daily allowance of sodium. (3/26/09, UPI)  

Continued Listings: Florida Reports

Reports Criticize Health Care At U.S., Florida Immigration Detention Centers
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency routinely delays, denies or provides low-quality medical care for detained immigrants in ill-equipped facilities nationwide, according to two new reports (March 2009,  Human Rights Watch and the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center)

 

A Closer Look at Tobacco Taxes: “Florida’s Fiscal Crisis: The Prescription”
This report recommends: Raise the cigarette tax by $1.00 per pack and increase the tax on "other tobacco products" to 100% of the wholesale price.  It is estimated that this change in tax rate will add an additional $1,000.8 million to the state's recurring general revenues. (March 2009, Florida Center for Fiscal & Economic Reform) 

 

ASTHO 2008 Florida Snapshot: Activities to Promote Health Equity
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) has published online snapshots highlighting state activities that promote health equity. Nearly every state is represented. This online tool features an overview of each state’s health priorities, a flowchart outlining the organization and infrastructure of state departments of health, each state’s activities and/or organizations that address the social determinants of health.

 

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.
 
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