The online KidCare renewal has been successfully launched. Families currently need to login to their account to view the option. Families can only renew online during their renewal period. This option will not be available to families if they are outside of their renewal period. For example, a family due for renewal in December 2007 will be able to renew online beginning October 1 and be available until they complete renewal. Also released are new user login features. Families will be asked to create their own PIN number for added security. Additionally, there are new enhanced account update capabilities. Families will be able to update or report income changes online. Last, applicants will be able to save their application at anytime and return within 120 days to complete the application.
The KidCare site is at www.floridakidcare.org
(Submitted by Jodi Ray,
Florida PIP and the Health Care Coverage Debate
Everyone but the auto insurance industry giants gets the message: affordable health care coverage needs to be expanded, not reduced. By broadening the pool of those paying into coverage, costs go down. Presidential candidates and governors of major states and both parties are either advocating or implementing some form of mandated coverage because by pooling sick and healthy, old and young, costs go down across the board. Personal Injury Protection, PIP, follows the same principle. Part of the national motor vehicle insurance landscape for almost 40 years, it compels motorists to purchase a minimum of $10,000 “no fault” insurance to cover medical bills resulting from an accident, no matter which driver is at fault. Yet auto insurers, with State Farm in the lead, want the Florida PIP to sunset, which it will do on October 1st, barring action by the legislature. The demise of PIP couldn’t come at a worse time for consumers and local governments: in the midst of budget-reducing property tax cuts, police would divert resources to assess fault in every accident and drivers would have to pursue legal action to receive payment for medical care. Arguing that only “bad” drivers would be penalized while “good” ones would receive discounts reinforces a flawed “it will never happen to me” mentality. Accidents can and do happen to anyone, and unless drivers purchase additional coverage separately, hospital and medical bills in the thousands of dollars will follow. The costs incurred by those who cannot afford the additional coverage, ensuing bills, copays and deductibles will have to be absorbed by hospitals, providers, government and, ultimately, taxpayers. Auto insurers legitimately argue that the current PIP allows for some fraud. But eliminating the entire program rather than fixing it is like throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Florida CHAIN and other consumer advocacy organizations support legislative efforts to extend PIP during the upcoming October 3-12 special session. But the program is too important for “fixes” to be made without thorough consideration of options and their long-term impact. This must include time for appropriate public input. Legislators should therefore continue PIP now and revisit it in next year’s regular session. Something with the potential to affect our state so thoroughly - from vulnerable health care consumers to hospitals and local governments, deserves more than just a quick fix. TAKE ACTION NOW! Contact the offices of Speaker Rubio and President Pruitt at the numbers below and ask them to do the right thing: Speaker of the House Marco Rubio 305/442-6939 or 850/481-1450 speaker@myfloridahouse.gov Senate President Ken Pruitt 772/344-1140 or 850/487-5088 Contact your state senator and state representative and urge them to pressure legislative leadership to address PIP in a special session. Click here to find your legislators and their contact information. (Submitted by Andrew Leone, Florida CHAIN)
Property Tax Amendment Is Not the Solution By declaring the language ballot on the amendment establishing a “super size” homestead exemption unconstitutional, Leon Chief Circuit Judge Charles A. Francis handed consumer advocates and non-governmental organizations relying on tax funds to operate, a victory they hope will be lasting. During a special session in June, the Florida Legislature approved putting a property tax amendment on the January 29, 2008 primary election ballot that would change the state constitution. Voters would have been asked to replace “Save Our Homes” and the $25,000 homestead exemption with a new super-homestead exemption. What the amendment language did not properly explain, according to Judge Francis’ ruling, is that the constitutional amendment would eventually turn into a property tax increase, not a tax cut. “Having read, reread, examined and studied the ballot summary under review, the court cannot find that the language is clear, concise, unambiguous and fair," the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports Francis wrote in his order. "The language at issue is misleading and confusing, and does not provide fair notice to the voter, educated or otherwise, of the purpose and effect." According to an independent analysis, three out of every four This amendment would also have forced huge cuts to necessary services. School funding would have been cut by $7 billion. Local governments would have been forced to cut health care, aid to children and seniors, even police and fire fighters. The proposed property tax amendment shows Tallahassee’s difficulty in putting in place real solutions that Floridians can count on. It remains to be seen whether the legislature will rewrite the amendment language in the upcoming special session and should that be the case, whether amendment supporters will be able to hold on to the 2/3 majority needed to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. (Contributors: Lisa Tilson, SEIU; Andrew Leone, Florida CHAIN)
The 2006 census reports 20% of Floridians have no health insurance. Only Texas and New Mexico fare worse. Florida drops one more rung when those over 65 are not counted, behind only Texas. The bright spot that Florida median incomes actually rose 3.7 %, more than double the national rate, highlights the widening disconnect between income and affordability of health care coverage. In addition, the percentage of Florida children without health insurance has climbed from 14.4 percent to 18.9 percent during the past two years, making it one of 15 states in which the percentage of uninsured kids has gone up during both 2005 and 2006. Reporting on the findings, the St. Petersburg Times also notes geographical and generational disparities of interest: older, wealthier people are clustered in few areas around the state and have coverage: “On the other hand, the service and retail economy that supports them creates a low-wage job force,” said Jean Rags, director of health and social services for (Hernando) county. And waiters and lawn crews often have children to support. "Between 2001 an 2005, our Medicaid population grew more than twice as fast as the total population," Rags said. "They come here thinking this is a cheap way of life. They are the working poor." Race is also a noticeable factor in the disparity of health care coverage. According to the report, the increase in numbers of uninsured in The press release below from the Governor’s office, dated August 28, provides details on the newly established Children’s Cabinet. The first meeting will be on October 1 at 10:00 am, in the Leon County Courthouse County Commission Chambers. For more information, email Jennifer.stan@myflorida.com
Governor Charlie Crist today announced appointments to the Children and Youth Cabinet and designated Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp to serve as chairman. Bill sponsors Senator Nan Rich (D-Sunrise) and Representative Loranne Ausley (D-Tallahassee) joined Governor Crist and Lt. Governor Kottkamp for the announcement. “I am grateful to the outstanding public servants appointed today for taking the time to serve Governor Crist signed House Bill 509 earlier this year, creating the Children and Youth Cabinet as a council within the Executive Office of the Governor. The cabinet is charged with developing a strategic plan to promote collaboration, creativity, increased efficiency, information sharing, and improved service delivery between and within state agencies and organizations. Members will meet six times a year in different regions of the state in an open, public forum. The Governor and the Florida Legislature will receive an annual report detailing the cabinet’s progress. “Children are our highest priority and we will work to ensure that important programs are planned and delivered as comprehensively and effectively as possible,” said Lt. Governor Kottkamp. “By streamlining the distribution of critical services we can keep our children’s best interests paramount.” The Children and Youth Cabinet consists of 15 members. Appointments to the Children and Youth Cabinet announced today are as follows: Ex officio members include the following: Prescription Access Litigation is involved in a class action lawsuit against First Databank, Inc. and McKesson Corporation. The lawsuit alleges the First Databank, a publisher of drug prices, and McKesson a drug wholesaler, conspired to tack on an extra 5% to the Average Wholesale Prices used to determine how much consumers and health plans pay for drugs. Consumers who don't have health insurance pay the highest prices for prescription drugs and can afford it the least. The scheme alleged in this lawsuit thus particularly harmed uninsured consumers. It's believed that they paid $800 million more for drugs from 2001 to 2004 as a result. We're looking for uninsured consumers who paid out-of-pocket for any brand-name prescription drug from 2001 to 2004 who might be interested in joining this class action lawsuit. We need your help! And we need it right away - the Court just announced that uninsured consumers must be added by September 30th. Please help us reach out to your members - through emails, flyers, announcements at meetings, phone calls, door knocking, and any other activities that your organization is doing in the next week. This is one of PAL's most important cases - it has the potential to fundamentally change the way drugs are priced in the We've prepared a flyer for you to distribute about this case. Feel free to reproduce it, use it on your website, excerpt it in emails, use it for outreach scripts, and the like. In addition to thinking of ways to reach out to consumers at large, please also think about your personal contacts - do you have friends, family members, neighbors, Board members, etc. who are uninsured? If so, please let them know and pass the flyer on to them. (Submitted by Mark Snyder, Community Catalyst) The Healthy Florida Alliance (HFA) has been following the federal debate on SCHIP reauthorization closely. The Senate version of the bill, which is the one that relies solely on a 61 cent federal tobacco tax hike for funding, will be the one both chambers will vote on over the next few days. Considering the threats of a presidential veto and the disappointment by many House Democrats who don’t believe the Senate measure goes far enough in covering as many children as possible, there is a real possibility that legislators will settle on extending the current version of SCHIP one more year. Under those circumstances, HFA efforts to raise the state tobacco tax by $1/pack of cigarettes to fund children’s health care, the expansion of Medicaid and the Medically Needy programs and an increased Medicaid physician reimbursements rate, will continue unabated. (submitted by Andrew Leone, Florida CHAIN)
To learn more about the Healthy Florida Alliance, visit Judge Rules Re-bid for Eight thousand Floridians living with HIV/AIDS who are cared for under In May, a proposed change in vendors sparked statewide protests by The Administrative Law Judge who heard the appeal ruled that the contract to a privately owned company to whom the Request For Proposals (RFP) for a Statewide HIV/AIDS Disease Management Program was awarded should be re-bid. In his 39-page Recommended Order, the Judge concluded that the private vendor’s proposal should be rejected because the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) did not have sufficient information to determine whether the private vendor was a responsible vendor. “My faith in the system has been restored and the process works,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “As in the past, we are proud to continue to commit the resources of AIDS Healthcare Foundation to advocating on behalf of, and serving Floridians with HIV and AIDS, and to educating all Floridians about this disease,” Weinstein continued. Full text of the Administrative Law Judge Claude B. Arrington’s Recommended Order may be accessed at: http://www.doah.state.fl.us/internet/search/docket.cfm?CaseNo=07-002650 (Submitted by Michael Kahane, Bureau Chief, Southern Region, AIDS Healthcare Foundation)
The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council is taking a stand against any funding reductions and service cuts to the Home and Community Based Medicaid Waiver. You can help get this message to our state legislators. TAKE ACTION! SIGN ON TO THE ON-LINE PETITION TO PROTECT INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES FROM FURTHER REDUCTIONS This petition urgently requests the Florida Legislature to protect individuals with developmental disabilities and their families receiving DD waiver services from any further funding reductions. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS AND SIGN ON TO THE ON-LINE PETITION This petition with all the sign-ons and stories will be provided to key Florida Legislators. Your e-mail addresses on the on-line petition will be added to our list serve for legislative alerts and other information on activities in the developmental disabilities community. THANK YOU FOR GETTING INVOLVED IN THIS CRITICAL EFFORT! (distributed by Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.)
Lack of Fairness in Working Conditions Behind Death of Former NSU Worker The recently released census report lists Talking about this problem and citing statistics do not begin to put a face on the issue. In October 2006, 350 groundskeepers, janitors, bus drivers, and maintenance workers employed by UNICCO, a subcontractor at Nova Southeastern University, voted to form a union with the SEIU. Most of these workers are minorities, including African-American, Latino and Haitian born. Some of these workers earned $7 an hour and none of them received health benefits. The university’s response was to let the contract with UNICCO lapse, rehire only a handful of the striking workers, and wash its hands of the rest. What happened to the displaced workers? The letter below reports on the death of one of them:
Dear friends and supporters of Nova workers: I am sorry to share some terrible news with you regarding one of the brave women who had been fighting to win justice for Elirose’s story is sadly not uncommon—she was plagued with high blood pressure, heart troubles, and diabetes but was unable to afford preventive or other treatment. Paid poverty-level wages without health insurance, Elirose had to live without even basic medical care—but her tragic death should never have occurred. The mother of four, Elirose came to the To improve their lives, Elirose and her co-workers fought for months to form a union at Nova and win higher pay and access to quality, affordable health care. Although their employer recognized the union, Nova’s administration responded to workers efforts by terminating the cleaning contract and leaving more than 100 janitors who had supported forming a union without jobs and forcing the workers and their families ever deeper into poverty. After losing her job at Nova and unable to find work in South Florida, Elirose left for a job picking beans on a farm in Virginia, and it is there that she lost her life.
Elirose’s story is a heartbreaking example of the consequences of Now more than ever, displaced Nova janitors need your support. Please stand with them as they carry on their fight for justice and a chance at a better future. Leaders within Please feel free to honor her memory by sharing this tragedy with all appropriate parties. If you’d like to help the 30 Nova janitors who remain displaced—as Elirose was—please let me know by calling 786-210-9030 or emailing me at kbird@seiu11.org. In Solidarity, Kathy Bird, Community and Interfaith Outreach Coordinator
SEIU Local 11
“In this country the disparity between working people and the rich is growing every day. If some of the millions of dollars spent on ‘golden parachutes’ for corporate CEO’s were used fairly, people who work could have health insurance and instances like Elirose’s wouldn’t occur,” he said. The cleanliness and polished veneer one experiences visiting NSU don’t happen by themselves. Clean bathrooms and classrooms and manicured lawns don’t materialize on their own. Hard working, underpaid, uninsured and seldom seen workers are responsible. How fair is that? Elirose Pierre-Louise will be remembered at a wake in Little Haiti on Friday. Funeral services will be held on Saturday.
Magdaleno Rose-Avila of Interfaith Workers Justice speaks to the St. George Catholic Church congregation
 Hispanic Health Initiatives Forums Encourage Health Care Access Action Hispanic Health Initiatives’ slogan is “Abriendo Caminos Hacia Su Buena Salud”, Opening Doors Towards Your Good Health. Doors can be opened, but then one must walk through them. HHI, based in As part of its efforts, HHI, with the support of Florida CHAIN, has begun a series of town hall meetings aimed at educating consumers on issues related to health care access, specifically the availability and importance of programs like KidCare and the changes being brought on by The first two of these meetings, in The timeliness of the town hall series was reiterated by Josephine Mercado, HHI Executive Director, who spoke of the importance of being informed and of participating in the policy making process, particularly for a community that tops the list in “With the SCHIP (State Health Insurance Program) debate going on in The meetings have also been an opportunity for Florida CHAIN and HHI, both members of the Healthy Florida Alliance, to raise awareness on the campaign to raise the tobacco tax to help fund health care access. The next town hall meeting on the series will be held on Thursday, October 4, in Deltona, (submitted by Andrew Leone, Florida CHAIN)
State Events & Notices
Florida Children and Youth Cabinet meeting Oct 1 10:00am Leon County Courthouse, 5th floor The first and organizational Florida Children and Youth Cabinet meeting will take place at the Leon Chambers. The Cabinet has been appointed to work to ensure program implementation services for children are planned, managed and delivered to improve self-sufficiency, safety, economic stability, health and quality of life. To get on the notice list, or for information about speaking, contact jennifer.stan@myflorida.com
13th Annual Children's Week (2008) March 29-April 6 Notices
Oct 18-19 for Individuals with Disabilities, their Family Members and Support Coordinators. For information, contact 850/386-2022 or diamondw@wilres.com.
Stand-Pinellas Accessing Resources (SPARC) 2007 Conference Sept 29 8:00am This statewide educational conference's goal is to provide parents, teachers, therapists and other professionals with resources that will help their children make achievements in all aspects of life. While we focus on children with special needs, we believe these resources are just as valuable to any child. The outcome of this conference is to educate and inform parents of services and options that are available to their children, both in the public sector and private sector. They would Include education, recreation, physical, mental, transportation, and much more. Contact 727/784-8493 or e-mail SPARC2007@yahoo.com Supported Employment and Benefits Management Training Dec 6-7 for Individuals with Disabilities, their Family Members and Support Coordinators. For information, contact 850/386-2022 or diamondw@wilres.com.
Events
Jessie Trice Gala Features Donna Shalala Oct 3 6:00 pm Hotel Sofitel
The Beautiful Gate Health Festival Oct 6 10:00 am – 2:00 pm The
October 12 9:30 am-4:00 pm The Cancer Committee of the Jackson Health System and the Univ of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center is hosting this full day educational Town Hall Meeting on focusing on risk factors, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survival and new discoveries. Presenters will include Surgeons from the Division of Gynecology Surgery, a Radiation Oncologist, a Geneticist, and other health care professionals. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Reservations can be made by contacting APazos@um-jmh.org or DEvans@um-jmh.org, or by phone at 305/585-6038 (ext. 2). This meeting is free and open to the general public and all medical staff.
“Let’s TalK 2007” Conference Oct 13 10:00am — 2:00pm For Teens, Parents, Families & Friends! A day of Inspiration, Education & Information along with FREE FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT, PRIZES & FUN. Workshops: Learn from local experts about Preventative Health & Nutrition; Fitness; Stopping the Violence; Healthy Relationships and more. Poetry. Door Prizes. For more information call or email 561/394-3540 ext. 204; RSiegel@LoveCarefully.org. Promoting Oral Health for Registration deadline: Oct 8
Health Foundation of South Florida and Broward Regional Health Planning Council are hosting a community dialogue for public and non-profit health and human services organizations serving
REMOVING THE BARRIERS: Training for Trainers to remove health care barriers for women who partner with women Oct 19 9 am–1pm SunServe, This training is designed to educate and bring awareness to health care providers about the health care needs of women who partner with women, to improve practitioners’ skills and create systemic change to allow women who partner with women to truly feel comfortable in a health care setting. The training gives tools to dismantle the barriers within practices and/or institutions. RTB certified trainers help providers work to increase their comfort level discussing and develop a common language around sexuality, and create an environment where all their patients, regardless of sexual orientation or behavior, feel comfortable and safe to share information. The training can also be done through a free home study course. For $15, the Oct 19 on site training will provide 4 contact hours for physicians, nurses, social workers as well as psychologists, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists. RTB provides 2 contact hours for physicians, nurses, social workers and other medical professionals taking home study. Contact RTBtraining@aol.com Nov 15-16 for Individuals with Disabilities, their Family Members and Support Coordinators. For information, contact 850/386-2022 or diamondw@wilres.com.
Health Foundation of Dec 6 Conrad Hotel, This event will honor recipients of the Foundation’s annual Concern Awards. Email sgantman@hfsf.org or call 305/374-9199.
Notices Health Foundation of South Florida Concern Awards Nomination deadline: Oct 9 Health Foundation of South Florida is seeking candidates for the annual Concern Awards, and is inviting local community organizations and individuals to nominate everyday people who are making a healthy difference in the lives of others by answering unmet needs. Two winners will each receive a $25,000 grant while four runners-up will each be given a $10,000 grant for the health-related nonprofit organizations of their choice in Broward, Miami-Dade and
Financial Aid Directory, Community Cancer Council Information is still being collected for a financial aid directory for cancer patients. If you have such a program, send information to ldasilva@jupitermed.com: Name of the agency providing the service, the address, phone number, website, the name of the program and the type of assistance provided (and not provided). This directory will be provided to all Community Cancer Council members, as well as others.
African American Prostate Cancer Survivors Needed for Conference If you know of any African American prostate cancer survivors in
Prescription Discount Cards Offered through Publix Pharmacies A national health care discount network has introduced a prescription drug discount card for all Florida residents, offered through Publix pharmacies. United Networks of America (UNA) offers 25-45 percent discounts. The card is available at all Publix pharmacies — the supermarket has signed on as preferred provider — or on the Internet at floridarxcard.com.The card is not an insurance plan; there are no monthly premiums. People without health insurance, seniors who have fallen in the Medicare "find this helpful." Publix has also begun providing some free medications but discontinued a policy that had allowed customers to obtain many other medications for $4 a prescription.
Local Youth Leadership Initiative Human Services Coalition (HSC) is partnering with the national nonprofit AmeriCorps program Public Allies to develop young diverse leaders in
Sept 30 - Oct 2 The SYMRS is an annual conference engaging academic professionals on social, cultural, and political topics as they relate to the meeting's theme. The theme for 2007 is At The Crossroads: The Racial Implications of America's Health Care Crisis. The event's success will be judged on our ability to increase understanding on the racial dynamics in health care and our ability to mobilize people make an impact on the crisis. This gathering will provide an opportunity for all members of the community to voice their perspectives on the racial implications of health disparities in
7th Annual Diversity Challenge at Boston College: Race and Culture Intersections in Scientific Research and Mental Health Service Delivery for Children, Adolescents, and Families
Transformation & Recovery in Latino Behavioral Health Oct 1-4 Los Angeles Airport Marriott, 5855 W Century Blvd
Community Benefit 101: The Nuts and Bolts of Planning and Reporting Community Benefit Oct 3-4 Whether you are new to community benefit or want to bring colleagues from finance, planning or other departments up to speed, sign up for the Catholic Health Association's "Community Benefit 101." This program will cover: the CHA accounting and reporting framework which is included as part of the new IRS 990 H, why community benefit is so important today (including recent federal and state government initiatives), what counts as community benefit, how to plan and evaluate effectiveness of community benefit programs and how to tell the community benefit story. Organizational teams are encouraged to attend. Oct 22-23 Conference Objectives: Show national & state policy makers the power of community collaboratives to be part of healthcare reform solutions; Learn to Play the 3-Tier Chess Game - to get the community “voice” in national, state and local health policy decision-making; Learn the Eight Critical Activities to build an integrated & sustainable delivery system in your community; Learn how to produce Outstanding Outcomes in your community; Network with peers from across the country and share successes and challenges; Engage with national experts about health policy proposals that will emerge during the upcoming political elections; Dialogue with Washington D.C. experts and Congressional staff about how Congress plans to develop a national policy agenda on health in 2008 in support of community health collaboratives.
SOPHE 58th Annual Meeting - Partnerships to Achieve Health Equity
2007 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Exposition Nov 3-7
Creating a Culture of Wellness Nov 27-29 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will host this 2007 National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit. This groundbreaking event will unite health professionals, business entrepreneurs, and government leaders at all levels who are dedicated to health promotion, chronic disease prevention, health preparedness, birth defects, disabilities, genomics, and wellness.
Dec 10-12 The challenge of the un- and underinsured in
Health Action 2008 Families
ACHI’s 2008 Spring Training for Health Champions Conference Dates: March 5-7, 2008 Topic Tracks: Minimizing Chronic Disease: Strategies for Social Determinants; Maximizing Coverage: Proven Programs and Innovative Proposals; Harnessing Data: Health Assessments to Health Outcomes; Delivering Community Benefit: Management Tools and Community Strategies (co-sponsored by Catholic Health Association and VHA, Inc.); Breaking Silos: Public Health and Health System Partnerships March 19-21 This event is for people committed to eliminating the gap between what is and what can be in health care for all children. The Forum will feature breakout sessions and in-depth workshops, in four tracks, focused on NICHQ's Improvement Agenda: Assessing, Preventing and Treating Childhood Obesity; Providing Seamless, Evidence-based, Family-Centered Care for Children with Chronic Conditions; Purging Harm from Children’s Health Care; Profound Knowledge: Methods and Tools for Improvement and Innovation. Improvement processes/programs in all of these areas should address disparities and include parents/families.
Active Living Research Conference Seeks Abstracts The theme of this year's conference is "Connecting Active Living Research to Policy Solutions." Abstracts on all topics related to active living policies and environments are welcome. In addition to policy-relevant research, Active Living Research welcomes abstracts about children and adolescents at greatest risk for obesity—African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian-American and Pacific Islander children and adolescents living in low-income communities.
With mounting evidence that poor adherence to medication regimens has become America's other drug problem, the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) -- the non-profit coalition of more than 100 organizations working to improve communication on the appropriate use of medicines -- today released a 10-step action plan to reduce the adverse health and economic consequences associated with this growing public health threat. Hearing Aid Awareness Week: September 30 - October 6 October "Talk About Prescriptions" Month: October National Council on Patient Information and Education (301) 656-8565 ncpie@ncpie.info www.talkaboutrx.org Healthy Lung Month: October Let's Talk Month: October National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: October National Child Health Day: October NDSD Mental Health Screening TM: October 11 National Mammography Day: October 19
Diabetic Eye Disease Month: November Lung Cancer Awareness Month: November National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month: November National Family Caregivers Month: November National Healthy Skin Month: November National Hospice Palliative Care Month: November Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month: November Prematurity Awareness Month: November Prematurity Awareness Day: November 13 Great American Smokeout: November 15 Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Awareness Week: November 18-24 World AIDS Day: December 1
New listings, in order of submission deadlines
$3.8 Million to help keep mentally ill out of Florida jails Applications available: Aug 21
Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research; PA-07-439 Application period: Sept 1 - Dec 1 The National Institutes of Health and the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities announce the availability of educational loan repayment under the Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research, which provides for the repayment of educational loan debt of up to $35,000 annually for qualified health professionals conducting minority health or other health disparities research for domestic non-profit or government entities.
Advancing technology to improve healthcare sevices: Verizon Foundation Applications accepted: Jan 1 through Nov 30
Health Foundation of South Florida Concern Awards Nomination deadline: Oct 9 Health Foundation of South Florida is seeking candidates for the annual Concern Awards, and is inviting local community organizations and individuals to nominate everyday people who are making a healthy difference in the lives of others by answering unmet needs. Two winners will each receive a $25,000 grant while four runners-up will each be given a $10,000 grant for the health-related nonprofit organizations of their choice in Broward, Miami-Dade and
Health Foundation of South Florida New Priority Focus Areas Preliminary proposals deadline: Oct 19 Invited full proposals deadline: Dec 7 All proposals must be in one of the following categories: Project Planning, Health Services,
Deadline for brief nominations: Oct 19
RWJF Calls for Health Scholar Fellows The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is accepting applications for the 2008-2010 Scholars in Health Policy Research Program. This two-year fellowship enables outstanding new PhDs in economics, political science, and sociology to advance their involvement in health policy research. Up to twelve individuals are selected to spend two years at one of three universities – Harvard University, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Michigan. Fellows have access to the full range of university resources and receive stipends of $83,000 the first year and $86,000 the second year.
Substance Abuse Policy Research Program Call for Proposals Released
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Deadlines: Dec 15, June 15 AFSP will now accept and review applications for all categories of one- or two-year research grants and fellowships two times a year. The grant amounts for Standard Research Grants are now: max. $60,000 to $75,000; Young Investigator Grants max. $70,000 to $85,000); Pilot Grants max. $20,000 to $30,000). Distinguished Investigator Grants and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships remain at $100,000. AFSP research grants support studies that aim to increase understanding of the causes of suicide and factors related to suicide risk, or to test treatments and other interventions designed to prevent suicide. Investigators from all academic disciplines are eligible to apply, and both basic science and applied research projects will be considered.
Yerby Postdoctoral Fellowship Program: Harvard School of Public Health The Fellowship Program is geared toward expanding the diversity of those entering academic public health. The program creates a bridge between academic training in health-related disciplines and entry-level faculty positions at institutions throughout the
Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Fellowship in Minority Health Policy Deadline: Jan 2 This fellowship is designed to prepare physicians, particularly minority physicians, for leadership roles in formulating and implementing public health policy and practice on a national, state, and/or local level. It is expected that the Fellowship will support the development of a cadre of leaders in minority health, well-trained academically and professionally in public health, health policy, health management, and clinical medicine, as well as committed to pursuing careers in public service. Five one-year, degree-granting fellowships will be awarded per year. Fellows will complete academic work leading to a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree at the Harvard School of Public Health, and, through additional program activities, gain experience in and understanding of major health issues facing minority, disadvantaged, and underserved populations.
2008 Health Policy Fellowships – NCHS/CDC Deadline: Jan 7 The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention's Application deadline: Jan 15 This Families USA fellowship aims to advance social justice through health care advocacy by focusing particularly on the unique challenges facing communities of color. Its goal is to expand the pool of talented social justice advocates from underrepresented economic, racial and ethnic minority groups. The ideal candidate must demonstrate an interest in health care policy and racial/ethnic health disparities. Additionally, they are looking for an individual who displays the potential to contribute to social justice work after their year of hands-on experience as a fellow. Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice Application deadline: Jan 15 These fellows work in Families USA’s health policy department and assist efforts to improve access to health coverage for all Americans, especially for low-income and other vulnerable communities. Specifically, they will conduct research on a range of health care policy issues, and write and contribute to publications that are relevant to current health policy debates. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to health care justice work following their year as a fellow. Additionally, in order to encourage the development of future leaders, Villers Fellows must commit to mentoring at least one person over the course of their careers.
New Funding Opportunities to Accelerate Breast Cancer Research
Continuing listings, in order of submission deadlines
Application Deadline: Oct 1
Deadline: Oct 12 This Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program is designed to build the nation's capacity for research, leadership, and policy change to address the broad range of factors that affect health. Its goalis to improve health by training scholars to rigorously investigate the connections among genetic, behavioral, environmental, economic, and social determinants of health; and to develop, evaluate, and disseminate knowledge and interventions based on integration of these determinants. Scholars must have completed their doctoral training by the time of entry into the program and be citizens or permanent residents of the
Rural Health Network Development Program Deadline: Oct 18 To support the development of rural health networks, whose purpose is to increase access to care by overcoming the fragmentation and vulnerability of providers in rural areas. Grant funds are used to support activities that strengthen capabilities of these networks.
American Psychiatric Foundation Seeks Applications for Advancing Minority Mental Health Awards Deadline: Nov 1 The American Psychiatric Foundation, the philanthropic and educational arm of the American Psychiatric Association, seeks to advance the understanding that mental illnesses are real and can be effectively treated. The APF Awards for Advancing Minority Mental Health recognize psychiatrists, other health professionals, mental health programs, and other organizations that have undertaken innovative and supportive efforts to: raise awareness of mental illness in underserved minority communities, the need for early recognition, the availability of treatment and how to access it, and the cultural barriers to treatment; increase access to quality mental health services for underserved minorities; and improve the quality of care for underserved minorities, particularly those in the public health system or with severe mental illness. Four awards of $5,000 each are given each year.
Allegany Community Outreach Grants
Tobacco Policy Change: A Collaborative for Healthier Communities and States Application deadline for implementation grants: March 14 Tobacco Policy Change: A Collaborative for Healthier Communities and States, a national initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, provides resources for local, regional, and state-based organizations and tribal groups to advocate for effective policies that decrease tobacco use and exposure. This initiative is issuing a special solicitation that will build on previous success in attracting new partners whose constituencies are most directly affected by tobacco use and exposure. Grantees are expected to apply their advocacy skills and experience to advance tobacco and other public health policies in their communities. Organizations from Florida are able to apply.
Medical Care Enhancement Funded by United Health Foundation
The purpose of the United Health Foundation is to improve health outcomes for all Americans. Through the Foundation's responsive grantmaking, support is provided to nonprofit organizations that serve people and communities in the Health Promotion among Racial and Ethnic Minority Males Closing Date for Applications: Multiple Dates http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-07-421.html
Health Research with Diverse Populations (R01) Closing: Multiple Receipt Dates The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to invite grant applications for biological, behavioral, social, addictive, and mental health research related to the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and other diverse populations.
United Healthcare Children's Foundation Helps Underinsured Children
The Foundation offers support for children nationwide with assistance grants for medical services not fully covered by health insurance. Parents and caretakers can apply for up to $5,000.00 for health care services that will help improve their children's health and quality of life. Eligible children must be 16 or younger. Families must meet economic guidelines, live in the U.S. and be covered by a commercial health insurance plan. Examples of the types of medical services covered by include speech therapy; physical therapy and psychotherapy; medical equipment such as wheelchairs, braces, hearing aids and eye-glasses, and orthodontic and dental treatments. The Foundation has helped more than 375 families and provided nearly $1 million in financial assistance Donors Forum of South Florida on-line database
Directory Of Health Policy Fellowships This Kaiser directory contains new listings for undergraduates, graduate students and professionals searching for summer, school-year, or post-doctoral positions.
 Florida CHAIN Website Resources Technology and Audio Visual Materials New: Health Insurance, Health Care Costs Health Insurance, Health Costs, Health Care Reform
Florida CHAIN has updated its website to include more comprehensive and organized information on Medicaid Reform. Click here to view our fact sheet, PowerPoint, and Medicaid Roundtable video clips. Other available resources include
Newly posted resources are at the top of the list.
National Health Law Program (NHeLP) Resources Language access continues to be a significant barrier to health care for individuals with limited English proficiency. Over 23 million individuals—almost 9 percent of the population—speak English less than “very well” and likely need assistance communicating in the health care arena. In an attempt to provide tools for health care providers and others, NHeLP has released a series of reports outlining promising practices for providing language services in health care settings. In mid-April, the National Health Law Program and the
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance
Refugee Health Information Network RHIN is a national collaborative partnership, managed by refugee health professionals, whose objective is to provide quality multilingual, health information resources for those providing care to resettled refugees and asylees. RHIN places its greatest emphasis on identifying, collecting, and making quality available materials that have been produced in refugee languages. Sources of these materials include federal, state and local public health agencies; national organizations; health care agencies; community-based organizations; academic institutions and international organizations. RHIN also strives to identify news and events, as well as other information resources useful to health providers serving refugees. This project is led by Community Catalyst in partnership with the Institute on Medicine as a Profession. Funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Project seeks to eliminate conflicts of interest created by industry marketing by promoting policy change among academic medical centers, professional medical societies and public and private payers. In addition the Project will advance state and national level policy solutions. The Project will sponsor a wide range of activities to achieve its goals, including research and policy analysis; national and community-based forums; outreach to the media; and meetings with key decision-makers, including deans of medical schools, health care administrators, business leaders, policy makers and consumers. These include the Prescription Project Weekly Reader, a readable, relevant way to keep members and friends of the Project informed about what is happening at the intersection of medical conflict-of-interest issues and prescription drugs. A Healthier US Starts Here: CMS Prevention and Wellness Initiative This spring and summer, as part of the "A Healthier US Starts Here" initiative the US Department of Health and Human Services and CMS will join with local officials and partners, to raise awareness of the importance of preventing chronic disease and illness, promote Medicare preventive benefits and provide information about how beneficiaries can take action to maintain and improve their health.
New Coalition, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, Launched Any serious policy proposal that aims to improve health care in
IPUT, Informed Parents United Together: Advocating for Universal Education and More! This nonprofit agency works at an individual local network level to educate parents
is a prescription savings program sponsored by 10 pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer. It provides savings on a wide range of prescription products at the pharmacy counter to eligible patients without prescription coverage. For more information, call 1-800-444-4106
Medicare Rights Center (MRC) has an Rx Hotline for Nonprofit Professionals as one component of its comprehensive independent source of health care information and assistance for older adults and people with disabilities. It helps with understanding or explaining the Medicare prescription drug benefit to clients. Call RxHelp, a national hotline dedicated for nonprofit professionals serving the Medicare population, operated from 10 am to 6 pm EDT. Dial 877/RXHELP-0 (877/794-3570).Other services include: a telephone hotline; a database of case advice; education and training; public policy work; electronic newsletters; and communications with local and national media outlets. To help you understand your Medicare health plan choices, the Medicare Rights Center offers Medicare Interactive (MI), a web-based Medicare counseling tool.
Training Alliance for Communities of Color
The nonprofit ABC is dedicated to ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries with limited incomes know about and make the best use of all available resources for accessing prescription drugs and reducing their costs. ABC is working through local community coalitions to inform beneficiaries and their families, as well as the professionals who serve them, about Medicare Part-D. Extra Help is provided online or in person; find out if you or someone qualifies by going to BenefitsCheckUpRx?. Publications include: Applying for the Low-Income Subsidy: A Tool Kit for Advocates; and Pathways to Success: Meeting the Challenge of Enrolling Medicare Beneficiaries with Limited Incomes
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.
Newly posted resources are at the top of the list.
Cover the Uninsured Storybook - The Success of SCHIP: How the State Children's Health Insurance Program Helps America's Working Families This is a 15-page, downloadable booklet that shares the touching stories of 23 families that have benefited from coverage provided through SCHIP. Download it today to share with opinion leaders in your community. Order Free Materials: FREE English and Spanish promotional materials featuring the 1(877) KIDS-NOW hotline, which parents can call to find out if their uninsured kids are eligible for SCHIP or Medicaid, are available to augment your outreach efforts. Order fans, bookmarks, posters and more to distribute in your community while supplies last.
ACHI's Community Health Assessment Toolkit Built with funding from the American Hospital Association and expert guidance from a 35-member ACHI working group, this will be online in November 2007. The Toolkit, a member service of the Association for Community Health Improvement, available to members of the American Hospital Association and the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, is a hands-on guide for both novice and experienced practitioners seeking to design, conduct and use assessments to improve the health of their communities.
Toolkit: Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans The toolkit contains links to resources on general information about Medicare private fee-for-service plans, advantages and incentives of using the plans and the difficulties that beneficiaries have faced with the plans, including enrollment fraud. The toolkit also includes a list of experts and Web sites for further information on the plans. (7/12/07, Alliance for Health Reform)
Medicare Advantage Tutorial on the basics of Medicare Advantage and types of MA plans, as well as trends in MA enrollment, characteristics of beneficiaries and the impact of MA plans on traditional Medicare. And an updated Medicare Health and Prescription Drug Plan Tracker with MA plan enrollment data for June, containing local, regional and national data on MA plans and stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans. (7/17/07, Kaiser Family Foundation)
This toolkit was created to help advocates and leaders address race and power structures within their work to help create equitable opportunities for all. (Voices for America's Children and The Annie E. Casey Foundation)
A Patient-Centered Guide to Implementing Language Access Services in Healthcare Organizations The guide was created to assist health care organizations in better serving their clients with limited English proficiency and decrease disparities in access to health care. (DHHS Ofc. of Minority Health)
Helping Pediatric Practices Implement Parental Depression Screening
The Basics of Medicare and Medicaid
Medicare Rights Center Part D appeals manual
Five Guidelines for Developing Customer-Friendly Websites better job of helping people find information on the Web about Medicaid, SCHIP and other government services by producing a customer-friendly site.
Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities: A Quality Improvement Initiative in Medicaid Managed Care ToolkitCenter for Health Care Strategies
New/Updated Resources Medicare Drug Plan Resources Updated fact sheet providing state-specific data about Medicare drug plan options for 2007, including stand-alone drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans, and information on premiums, gap coverage, and availability to beneficiaries who qualify for full low-income assistance. Updated Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit fact sheet, with a revised estimate that 4 million people will be affected by the coverage gap in 2006, as well as current enrollment and low-income subsidy participation and updated Medicare per capita drug spending. Updated Talking About Medicare online consumer guide, reflecting 2007 benefit changes, to help people with Medicare and their families understand options and make decisions based on their personal situations; includes information about financial assistance for those with limited incomes, supplemental insurance options, and Medicare Advantage.
Fact Sheets and Primer on the Uninsured The Uninsured and Their Access to Care Covering the Uninsured: Growing Need, Strained Resources Massachusetts’ New Law to Cover the Uninsured Women's Health Insurance Coverage
Families The Medicaid Matters web site is a resource for people working across the country to protect Medicaid, the health insurance that 50 million rely on. It stores a ready-to-use toolkit of messages, materials and dissemination ideas. Users are able to download, at no cost, tested messages emphasizing the importance of Medicaid and the threat now facing the program. Messages are enhanced by high quality, full color photography. One set of materials is designed to be ready to print. Once downloaded, they can be forwarded to any print house or copy shop without any further formatting. The second set of materials is designed so that components of the product can be adapted to suit the needs of that organization or constituency that wishes to use them.
Audio Conferences and Webcasts Dated events listed chronologically; standing webcasts listed last
Dept of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health hosted this Aug 23, 2007 summit to address health disparities among women of color living in the
Vulnerable Populations and Health: How Can We Improve Results? This Sept 11, 2007 event sponsored by the journal Health Affairs sought to answer these questions and others: How can the
Videos and webcasts on demand from the Association for Community Health Improvement (ACHI) new Online Store The store contains more than a dozen recorded sessions, including keynote presentations from the 2007 annual conference. In most cases, both the audio recording and the presentation slides are available. Most one hour sessions are $49.99. ACHI members receive a 50% discount on this price. Coverage to Supplement Your Medicare Need Coverage to Fill the Gaps in Medicare? Check out
ABC Series Looks at Uninsured Kids ABC World News has a new series of stories on the crisis of the nine million children in
Web Sites, Web Features & Databases
Newest postings are listed at the top of State and National Web Resources sections below
State Web Resources
A low literacy brochure describing services offered at
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
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.
Summary of health-related bills passed by the 2007 Florida Legislature
Florida Health News, free online non-profit news service
Florida Health Insurance Coverage of Children 0-18 (2004-2005)
Statehealthfacts.org Updates Data on Medicaid & SCHIP Coverage for Children
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
State of Florida Health Care Consumer Websites
Medicaid Applications Online 24/7 and in Neighborhoods
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
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
National Web Resources
The Context of Health: What Are We Really Doing To Change It? Healthy People 2010 recognizes that communities, States, and national organizations will need to take a multidisciplinary approach to achieving health equity—an approach that involves improving health, education, housing, labor, justice, transportation, agriculture, and the environment. [95-slide ppt]
Using this tool, Medicaid benefits can be compared across the 50 states, the Using this tool, Medicaid benefits can be compared across the 50 states, the Families Many states are taking steps — expanding public programs, launching new state programs, and reforming private insurance — to make it possible for more people to get coverage. This new
Health08.Org, A Hub for Information about Health Care and The Presidential Campaign With health care emerging as one of the hot topics in the 2008 presidential election, this new ad-free Kaiser Family Foundation Web site will provide analysis of health policy issues, the results of regular public opinion surveys, and news and video coverage from the campaign trail. It will feature original content produced by Kaiser as well as health-related resources from various campaigns, other organizations, and news outlets. The site will offer summaries of candidates' health reform proposals, basic facts and information about the health system, the results of Kaiser tracking surveys examining the public's views on health issues and their perceptions of the candidates' views on health care, syntheses of health news coverage, podcasts and video from the campaign trail, and interviews with candidates and other key players in the health reform debate
Think Cultural Health is a new web page that provides a wealth of resources and information on the issues of cultural competence in health care and health care disparities. (DHHS Office of Minority Health)
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's new disparities Web page includes publications and information listed according to racial/ ethnic group, as well as by topic area.
New Web Tool Provides Samples of Report Cards on Health Care Quality With rising interest in information about the quality of care delivered by health care providers, HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has developed a new Web tool demonstrating a variety of approaches for health quality report cards. The new Health Care Report Card Compendium is a searchable directory of over 200 samples of report cards produced by a variety of organizations. The samples show formats and approaches for providing comparative information on the quality of health plans, hospitals, medical groups, individual physicians, nursing homes, and other providers of care. National Cancer Institute Spanish Web Site The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has launched a new Web site, cancer.gov en español tailored to the needs of the U.S. Hispanic/Latino community. The Web site is completely in Spanish and is one of the latest tools developed by the NCI in its efforts to address cancer health disparities. It is intended to meet the needs of Hispanic/Latino cancer patients, their families and health care providers, who are either Hispanic/Latino or serve such patients.
Consumer Health Information for You and Your Family
The Applied Research Center (ARC) and COLORLINES Magazine have made various resources from their conference available on the ARC Web site, the ARC blog, and on the Facing Race wiki Kaiser Family Foundation issued a new data update that shows the percentage of whites, African Americans, and Hispanics in all 50 states and the District of Columbia that are uninsured, enrolled in Medicaid, and living in poverty. The data also provide a quick glance at disparities in rates of infant mortality, diabetes-related mortality, and AIDS cases between these racial and ethnic groups. Faith Based Efforts and Resources Families site with links to various to encourage faith leaders to become involved in health care advocacy.
Factline: Tracking Health in Underserved Communities
New Database for Medical Language Access
Fact Sheets on Medicare, Long-Term Care Spending; Medicaid; Long-Term Spending Data
2007 Federal Poverty Guidelines Now Available
Women's Health Insurance Coverage Fact Sheet
Metropolitan Quality of Life Data
New Online Medical Dictionary Reference Tool MediLexicon International Limited, corporate owners of Medical News Today, was pleased to announce on Nov. 11 the launch of a new medical dictionary tool. This dictionary search is a joint collaboration between MediLexicon and Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, who have provided the data.
Online Interactive Medicare Advantage Comparison Tools
Online Parent SCHIP Information
Comprehensive source of Hispanic data Rural Communities Statistics and Information
American Community Census Data Online State Level Data on Health Coverage & the Uninsured
The Johns Hopkins INFO Project's OneSource Database This provides one-stop access to over 360,000 resources and six separate databases with a single mouse click or search term. OneSource users can quickly search for reports, articles, documents, posters and pamphlets, photos, web sites, Q&As and news articles through a single interface. An enhanced search and browse capability makes finding global family planning, reproductive health and population information faster and more simple than ever. Enter your terms in the search box. Select the resource type you want to look for, or search all six databases at once, and click Search. Health Care Coverage in America: Understanding the Issues and Proposed Solutions includes a corresponding PowerPoint presentation. (Cover the Uninsured)
Immigrant Health Policy Reference Library Compare your state's Medicaid program and the population it serves to other states and the nation by visiting Kaiser's new interactive online State Medicaid Fact Sheets tool.
Interactive Tools on Medicaid The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured presents the State Medicaid Fact Sheets and the Medicaid Benefits Online Database, two interactive tools featuring the latest key data, information and services provided for each state’s Medicaid program. Both tools allow for easy access to the data which can then be printed, saved and emailed.
Top experts from around the country share research and practice knowledge related to federal and state SCHIP policy during this event, hosted by the Promising Practices Network and Kansas Action for Children.
PERx: Prescribing Evidence-Based Therapies The film, featuring expert commentary from renowned medical opinion leaders, also has an interactive website (www.perxinfo.org) PERx illustrates how pharmaceutical industry influence affects the prescribing behaviors of clinicians, emphasize the ethical implications of these practices and offers strategies to enhance evidence-based practice. The program was funded through a multi-state settlement resolving allegations of violations to state consumer protection laws.
Covering Kids & Families Video
Written for parents, caregivers and health professionals, readers will learn how to: Stop arguments over self-care issues; Handle refusal to take medication and do medical treatments; Avoid power struggles and other common parenting traps; Understand and respond to ill children's special emotional needs; Facilitate children's concern for their illness without frightening them; Promote good healthcare without nagging, lecturing, ranting or raving; Enable children to make wise decisions about their bodies; and Communicate with children about their health issues in ways they'll understand. Feel free to link to the website which has several articles, pages of Q&A, author’s power point presentation and will soon include pod casts and video clips.
Healthy Childcare’s Oct-Nov issue of is a special one devoted to the dental health needs of young children. Included are articles on preventing and treating dental injuries, the use of fluorides and sealants, foods for healthy teeth, and preparing children for visits to the dentist. This issue will be mailed in early October. Deadline for ordering is Sept. 10, 2007. Healthy People 2010, Midcourse Review Presents an assessment of the Nation's progress toward increasing the quality and years of health life and eliminating health disparities for all Americans. Identifies a set of 10-year health objectives to achieve during the first decade of the 21st century. [US Government Bookstore] Inclusion: The Politics of Difference in Medical Research While the prominence of inclusive research practices has offered hope to traditionally underserved groups, this book argues forcefully that it has drawn attention away from the tremendous inequalities in health that are rooted not in biology but in society. There is, for instance, a direct relationship between social class and health status, and a focus on bodily differences can obscure the importance of this factor. Only when connected to a broad-based effort to address health disparities, can a medical policy of inclusion achieve its intended effects.
States in Action: A Bimonthly Look at Innovations in Health Policy This Commonwealth Fund bimonthly newsletter describes innovative state health programs from across the country. It is intended to help policymakers, administrators, and researchers as they work to stretch health care dollars and meet the needs of their residents.
During the past two decades, the number of "poor" suburbs--those whose per capita income is less than three-quarters of the metropolitan area's--has spiraled upward...Few of the suburban poor have health insurance. There are fewer doctors and health clinics in suburbia that accept Medicaid patients and fewer social services. (9/2/07, The Nation)
Congressional Action is Needed to Prevent the Administration from Eviscerating Efforts to Enroll Uninsured Low-Income Children through the Schools
SCHIP Reauthorization: How Will Low-Income Kids Benefit under House and Senate Bills? Critics of children's health insurance bills passed by the House and Senate (HR 3162, HR 976) say the proposals direct too much federal money toward funding coverage of middle-class children, but in fact most kids covered by the proposals would come from low-income households, according to a new analysis. The proportion of children below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) covered by the bills is 70% or higher. The share of uninsured children below 200 percent of the FPL who would gain coverage is estimated to be even higher (78 to 85 percent). (9/17/07, Urban Institute)
A new, detailed analysis of the latest US Census Bureau data on health insurance coverage from the Foundation's Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured looks behind the 2.2 million increase in the number of uninsured, examining changes by age and income. Reversing years of steady declines, the number of uninsured children has grown by one million over the last two years. And, as debate continues on reauthorization of SCHIP, the analysis shows that 48 percent of the increase in uninsured children from 2005 to 2006 was among families with incomes between 200% and 399% of the federal poverty level (roughly $40,000 to $80,000 for a family of four in 2006). Among kids, the share with employer-sponsored insurance declined by 1.2 percentage points, but there was no change in the share with Medicaid or SCHIP coverage to offset the employer decline since most children in this income group are not eligible for public coverage under current rules. (9/6/07, Kaiser Family Foundation)
Opinion Poll: Nine in 10 Voters Want SCHIP Reauthorized A new poll released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that Americans overwhelmingly support the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which provides states with federal funds to design health insurance programs for vulnerable children. (8/23/07, RWJF)
Prescription Spending Caps Cause Some Seniors to Quit Taking Medicines for Chronic Illnesses According to a recent study released by the RAND Corporation, older Americans who reach their coverage limits in their prescription drug plans are more likely to discontinue their drug regimens; drug termination rates ranged from 15 percent for anti-cholesterol medication to 28 percent for cardiac drugs. A significant number of seniors do not resume their prescription medications even when drug benefits resume at the start of a new health plan year. (9/11/07, RAND Corporation)
Informed Choice: The Case for Standardizing and Simplifying Medicare Private Health Plans This report argues that Congress should take action to standardize the benefits of Medicare private health plans, as it did with Medigap supplemental insurance plans in 1990. People in private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans can experience unpredictable out-of-pocket costs for medical services with little to no financial protection from the individual plans or the federal government. (9/13/07,
Medicare Private Health Plans vs. Medicare Savings Programs
Audit Cites Overpaid Medicare Insurers Private insurance companies participating in Medicare have been allowed to keep tens of millions of dollars that should have gone to consumers, and the Bush administration did not properly audit the companies or try to recover money paid in error, Congressional investigators (Government Accountability Office, in 9/10/07 New York Times)
Older Americans bear a greater burden of increasing health care costs than the rest of the population, due to greater cost-sharing requirements and rising premiums for Medigap insurance that supplements Medicare coverage, according to a recent report. According to the study, older Americans spent twice the amount of other Americans on out-of-pocket health expenditures. On average, Americans under 65 spent $1,232 per year on health care costs, while individuals over 65 spent $2,487 yearly. In addition to the amount of money spent on health care, the portion of income spent on health expenses increased as respondents aged. Individuals under 65 spent 2 percent of their incomes on health care costs, while older individuals spent six times as much, or an average of 12 percent of their income on health expenses. (9/7/07, Kaiser Family Foundation) Report: Equal Pay for Equal Work? Not for Medicaid Doctors Medicaid payments to primary care physicians vary widely among states, while Medicare physician payments are more similar across the country. (Sept 2007, Public Citizen)
Survey Says Doctors Will Trim Staff If Medicare Payments Are Cut Reductions in Medicare physician payment rates would not only restrict beneficiaries' access to physician services but will also cause staffing reductions in doctors' offices, according to a new survey from the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). Unless Congress acts, Medicare payments to physicians will be cut by about 10 percent January 1. More than 41 percent of respondents said they may have to limit the number of Medicare patients they see if Medicare reimbursements are reduced and more than 19 percent said they would not accept new Medicare patients. In addition, 57 percent of physicians who responded to the survey they would have to reduce staff health care benefits coverage to remain financially viable and 44 percent would cut administrative staffing levels. A third of respondents said they would cut clinical staffing levels and 9 percent would cut the number of physicians in their practice. (Sept 2007, MGMA)
From Policy to Action: Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities This report concludes that the need for strategies for addressing racial and ethnic disparities in care is evident, and much remains to be done to provide equal opportunities for quality health care for all. Continued progress requires engagement of multiple stakeholders. To be effective, interventions must be well-designed, culturally competent, creative and collaborative, as well as reliant on easily available reliable data.
On average, 12% of active patients of internists are of Limited English Proficiency. The majority of physicians agree it is difficult to provide understanding of basic information in the time allotted, when limited language services are unavailable. Practices typically do not track patients’ primary languages. The physicians did not see a need for tools or training, but rather state they would be helped by a clearinghouse of translated documents and patient education materials, and reimbursement for added costs of clinical time and language services. (2007,
Rewarding Excellence and Efficiency in Medicare Payments Medicare could become an innovative leader in using financial incentives to reward health care providers for providing excellent and efficient care throughout a patient's illness. This article examines the variations in cost and quality in the provision of episodes of care and describes how a pay-for-performance payment system could be designed to narrow those variations and serve as a transition to a new Medicare payment policy that would align physicians' incentives with improvements in both quality and efficiency. In particular, Medicare could stimulate greater efficiency by developing new payment methods that are neither pure fee-for-service nor pure capitation, beginning with a pay-for-performance payment system that rewards quality and efficiency and moving to a blended fee-for-service and case-rate system. (Sept 2007, Milbank Quarterly)
New Survey Data Finds Medicare Part D Working For America's Seniors A newly released, in-depth 2006 survey of 16,000 seniors strongly suggests that Medicare Part D is working to expand coverage to those previously without drug coverage - especially seniors with chronic conditions taking multiple medications. Among the survey's key findings of Medicare Part D seniors: Medicare Part D has significantly reduced the number of seniors without drug coverage; Medicare Part D beneficiaries have complex medical conditions requiring numerous medications; Challenges remain with low-income and hard-to-reach seniors. (Aug 2007, Health Affairs –survey by Kaiser Family Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund, and Tufts University School of Medicine)
In the escalating battle over the domestic appropriations bills for fiscal year 2008, the President and senior Administration officials have charged that congressional Democrats plan an irresponsible increase in domestic discretionary spending over the next five years. Yet this claim — which the President repeated in his press conference today — is false. Most of the difference between the President's budget and Congress' spending plan simply reflects Congress' decision to maintain current funding (after accounting for inflation) for various domestic programs that the President seeks to cut. (9/24/07, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
New Listings: Health Insurance, Health Costs
Why Not the Best? Results from a National Scorecard on U.S. Health System Performance This new National Scorecard on U.S. Health System Performance assesses how well the
Study Finds 1 of 3 Nonelderly Americans UninsuredAnalysis of Census Bureau data finds that more than one out of three people under age 65—approximately 89.6 million Americans—were uninsured at some point during 2006–2007. Most of the uninsured lacked coverage for long periods of time, the study found. Nearly two-thirds were uninsured for six months or more and over half were uninsured for nine months or longer. Four out of five of the uninsured were from working families, with 70.6 percent employed full time and 8.7 percent employed part time. Of the total 89.6 million uninsured, 64.2 million were between 18 and 64 and more than a third were ages 25 to 44, the age group that makes up the largest percentage of the uninsured. (Sept 2007, Families USA)
Americans under the age of 65 depend on employers for their health insurance coverage more than any other source...But there are key weaknesses in employer-provided coverage. These weaknesses, exacerbated by rising health care costs, have fueled the relentless rise in the number of people without comprehensive health insurance. (9/17/07, Commonwealth Fund)
Health Insurance Premiums Rise 6.1 Percent in 2007 Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose an average of 6.1 percent in 2007, less than the 7.7 percent increase reported last year but still higher than the increase in workers’ wages (3.7 percent) or the overall inflation rate (2.6 percent), according to the 2007 Employer Health Benefits Survey. (9/11/07, Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust)
Fewer Firms Offer Health Coverage Efforts at health reform haven’t stalled the decline in job-based health coverage. Approximately, 60% of private sector employers provided health benefits to their workers in March 2007, down from 62% in 2006, reports the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. (8/28/07, EmployeeBenefit News) Health insurance costs are expected to grow by nearly 9% on average in 2008, according to a new Mercer survey of 1,557 employers. (9/6/07, EmployeeBenefit News)
What Happened to the Insurance Coverage of Children and Adults in 2006? A new, detailed analysis of the latest US Census Bureau data on health insurance coverage looks behind the 2.2 million increase in the number of uninsured, examining changes by age and income. Reversing years of steady declines, the number of uninsured children has grown by one million over the last two years. And, as debate continues on reauthorization of SCHIP, the analysis shows that 48 percent of the increase in uninsured children from 2005 to 2006 was among families with incomes between 200% and 399% of the federal poverty level (roughly $40,000 to $80,000 for a family of four in 2006). Among kids, the share with employer-sponsored insurance declined by 1.2 percentage points, but there was no change in the share with Medicaid or SCHIP coverage to offset the employer decline since most children in this income group are not eligible for public coverage under current rules. (9/6/07, Kaiser Family Foundation)
States Differ Widely in Spending on Health Care State Health System Performance and State Health Reform Generic Drugs Rein in Rising Rx Costs
Spillovers and Vulnerability: The Case of Community Uninsurance
New Listings: Health Equity Issues
Those Who Stay In School, Stay Healthier
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006 This current issue demonstrates an increase in the number of uninsured for a second year in a row. The rate increase was most notable in the African American and Hispanic American populations. There was also an increase in the number of uninsured children under 18 years of age. (Aug 2007, Study Reveals Disparities in Use of Healthcare Benefits by Race, Class Survival Differences by Race Most Apparent in Advanced Stages of Breast Cancer Racial differences in breast cancer survival increase according to stage of disease. A retrospective analysis of survival data demonstrates that within each stage, African American women had larger tumors and were more likely to have disease that had spread to nearby lymph nodes. After controlling for those clinical factors the racial disparities in survival persisted. (8/13/07, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Cancer News Alert) Separate and Unequal: Racial Segregation and Disparities in Quality Across U.S. Nursing Homes In metropolitan areas across the Should Health Studies Measure Wealth?
Access Denied A Look at America's Medically Disenfranchised Access Granted The Primary Care Payoff (2007, National Association of Community Health Centers 2007)
Health Promotion and Protection Important for Low-Wage, Immigrant Workers The non-traditional workforce, which includes immigrant, transient and low-wage workers, often is overlooked when employers establish health protection and promotion programs. By ignoring these workers, employers can increase the disparity between them and those in stable, better-paying jobs. This is why it is so important to incorporate innovative programs and projects for the non-traditional workforce, a population that has been hard to reach. (9/17/07, Occupationalhazards.com)
Eye injuries are among the most common injuries affecting citrus workers, but only a few wear protective glasses. Researchers at the With more ill and injured people who need emergency care unable to speak English, hospitals, health clinics and rescue squads around the country increasingly are using special picture boards to bridge the communication gap. (9/2/07, Associated Press) Study...found that in 1999-2002 about 20 percent of American men who had diabetes did not know they had the disease, in contrast to 25 years ago when about half of the men with diabetes were undiagnosed. Ethnic disparities among those with undiagnosed diabetes essentially disappeared during the same period. (8/13/07, RAND Corporation) Barriers to Serving the Vulnerable: Thoughts of a Former Public Official Why are documented long-term gains, unambiguous science, and well-reasoned public health arguments so easily ignored or downplayed when it comes to providing health care to the most vulnerable populations? The answers to these questions can be found by teasing out the relationship between the relative availability of resources, the extent to which a particular vulnerable group is thought to be "deserving" or "undeserving[.]". (Health Affairs, Iss 26, No 5, 2007) Link Between Racial Discrimination And Substance Use Studied By Mailman School Of Public Health In one of the first studies to focus on the relationship between racial discrimination and health risk behaviors, researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health with colleagues from the Universities of Minnesota, Alabama (Birmingham), and California (San Francisco), and Harvard University found African Americans experiencing racial discrimination were more likely to report current tobacco use or recent alcohol consumption and lifetime use of marijuana and cocaine. (Aug 2007, American Journal of Epidemiology) New Listings: Other Health Issues Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Election 2008 Health care is once again the second most mentioned issue, and the top domestic issue, with 27% citing it. With the primary campaign heating up, the poll also asks a more immediate question -- what does the public want the presidential candidates to talk about in the campaign right now -- with slightly different results emerging. Health rises sharply for Democrats, with the same percentage mentioning
Summary Health Statistics for US Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2006
Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2005 A child born in the
Study Claims Pollution Causes 40% of Deaths A recent Cornell research project concluded that pollution deserves a place alongside heart disease and cancer on the list of leading causes of death worldwide...“In the United States alone, 76,000 people are in the hospital each year, with 5,000 deaths, just due to pollution of air, food or water. Cancers are increasing in the Docs Often Write Off Patient Side Effect Concerns In a survey of 650 patients, taking...statins, who reported having adverse drug reactions, many said their physicians denied that the drug could be connected to their symptoms. "Physicians seem to commonly dismiss the possibility of a connection...This seems to occur even for the best-supported adverse effects of the most widely prescribed class of drugs.” (8/28/07, Reuters Health) Study: Injuries, Deaths Tied to Consumer Drugs Rise Sharply The number of serious adverse drug events more than doubled between 1998 and 2005 in the Adult obesity rates rose in 31 states last year, according to the fourth annual...report from the Trust for
Cancer Communication: Health Information National Trends Survey 2003 and 2005 The newly issued report provides a snapshot of how Americans are responding to changes in access to information and the abundance of health information. Among a growing number of Americans seeking general health information and information about cancer, the Internet remains a frequent first source, even though the public's trust in online material about health has declined, reports a government study. At the same time, consumers voiced greater confidence in information received from healthcare professionals. The data show a growing preference toward receiving health information - whether cancer-related or other health information - from a health care provider than from other sources, such as printed materials, friends and family, information specialists, and the Internet. (Aug 2007, Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health.)
Professionals Call for an End to Water Fluoridation Over 600 professionals urged Congress to stop water fluoridation until Congressional hearings are conducted, in a statement released August 9, 2007. The group of 600+ physicians, dentists, scientists, and environmentalists cite evidence that fluoridation, long promoted to fight tooth decay, is ineffective and has serious health risks. (8/10/07, Water & Wastes Digest)
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
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.
Waving Cautionary Flags: The latest briefing paper on
Florida Children’s Action Agenda 2007/2008 Available Online
Miami-Dade and Monroe County 2006 Health Profiles
Florida Health Insurance Coverage of Children 0-18 (2004-2005)
Medicaid Changes: What will they mean for Broward and Duval counties, and beyond?
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured Updates Medicaid Benefits: Online Database with 2006 Data
Using this tool, Medicaid benefits can be compared across the 50 states, the Medicaid Documentation Requirement Disproportionately Harms Non-Hispanics, New Stat Data Show: Rule Mostly Hurts U.S. Citizen Children, Not Undocumented Immigrants
Newly available data from three states -
New Charges About How House Children's Health Bill Affects Undocumented Immigrants are False
Protecting America's Future: A State-by-State Look at SCHIP and Uninsured Kids As lawmakers aim to overhaul the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), a recent analysis found that more than 6.6 million children were covered by the program at some point last year and nearly 9 million children remain uninsured. The analysis found that since Congress first authorized the program in 1997, the percentage of uninsured children in
Kids Waiting for Insurance: How Many in Your State A Special Report with updated figures. (September 2007, Families Over the last decade, the State children’s Health insurance Program (SCHIP) has expanded access to health coverage for millions of children, improved the quality and effectiveness of care, and expanded the knowledge and tools needed to measure and further improve quality. SCHIP reauthorization presents an opportunity to build on these gains. (August 2007, Commonwealth Fund)
Children's Eligibility and Coverage: Recent Trends and a Look Ahead Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality researchers used data from the 1996-2005 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to track changes in children's public insurance eligibility and coverage. They also provide estimates of the characteristics, age, race/ethnicity, health status and citizenship of children who are eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP but are not enrolled. In addition, they discuss the potential impact of changes to SCHIP income thresholds and estimate the number of children who would be affected by such changes. (8/16/07, Health Affairs) Study: Improving Retention in SCHIP and Medicaid Would Lower Number of Uninsured ChildrenRetaining children enrolled in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program would reduce, by one-third, the number of uninsured children in the Many Eligible for Child Health Plan Have No Idea Despite a decade of marketing efforts by governments and private foundations, nearly 30 percent of children who are eligible for the health insurance program (State Children's Health Insurance Program),and are not covered by private plans have yet to enroll, according to a new government study. (8/22/07, New York Times) Seniors To Congress: Raise Tobacco Taxes To Fund SCHIP States Could Use SCHIP to Cover Young Adults through Broader Medicaid Coverage States should be allowed to use the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover young, childless adults if they extend their regular Medicaid programs to cover low-to-moderate-income children, according to a health law professor at
This report says that Congress and the nation have a historic opportunity to build on SCHIP's gains. It presents a framework for promoting effective health coverage and achieving high quality in both SCHIP and Medicaid, the other major public program that covers low-income children. The strategies discussed in the report include: ensuring access to care through eligibility, enrollment, and retention policies; providing a robust benefit package; strengthening provider capacity; measuring performance, improving quality, and providing incentives for high-quality care; and promoting the use of health information technology. (8/9/07, Commonwealth Fund)
Two-thirds of children in the Report examines how poor retention in Medicaid and SCHIP contributes to the number of uninsured U.S. children. Sommers finds that the number of uninsured U.S. children would decrease by one-third if Medicaid and SCHIP retain all children who are enrolled in the programs and have no alternative coverage in a given year. (7/26/07, Health Affairs) Survey: Americans Overwhelmingly Support Tobacco Tax Increase to Expand Children’s Health Coverage: Broad Support Exists Irrespective of Party Affiliation, Gender, Race, Age, and Other Demographic Factors A recently released poll reveals that American voters strongly support a large per-pack increase in the federal cigarette tax to expand health coverage to
Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Progress Report In the first in-depth look at seniors' experiences with Medicare's prescription drug benefit, a new survey finds that the majority of seniors who lacked drug coverage in 2005—before the establishment of the benefit—obtained it in 2006. Even with Part D coverage, however, many seniors reported relatively high out-of-pocket spending in 2006. They were also more likely to skip prescribed medication. (8/21/07, Commonwealth Fund) The Reluctant Regulator: CMS's Response to Marketing Misconduct by Medicare Advantage Plans Medicare Beneficiaries Often Cannot Obtain Necessary Medications For 'Off-Label' Uses Through Prescription Drug Benefit 1.6 Million Medicare Beneficiaries Face Higher Prices or New Drug Plans An estimated 1.6 million low-income beneficiaries in the Medicare drug program will either be forced to join or be assigned new drug plans by Jan. 1, or pay more for their drug coverage. The reassignments and higher costs will occur because of premium increases and technical adjustments in the drug law (PL 108-173), the group contends. As part of the drug benefit, beneficiaries have received subsidies as high as $33 per month to help cover the cost of their monthly premiums, but because of a combination of subsidy decreases and premium increases, those subsidies will not be enough to cover premiums of existing plans. "The choice? Pay more or change plans." (8/16/07, Families On average, Medicare pays private insurance plans 12 percent more to treat beneficiaries than it costs traditional Medicare. These overpayments weaken Medicare's finances. This report explains how the CHAMP Act strengthens Medicare's finances and produces gains for Medicare beneficiaries by eliminating overpayments to private plans. (8/8/07, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
The Bush Administration intends to fix the nation's health care problem through tax policy changes and state flexibility provisions. But, this analysis finds that these deficit-neutral proposals would not meet their stated goal of providing all Americans affordable access to basic health insurance and would in fact cover very few uninsured. It explains how the Administration's plan would create inadequate tax subsidies that would not make coverage affordable for most of the uninsured, especially families, and would undercut employer-sponsored health insurance, which now covers the majority of Americans. (8/1/07, Urban Institute)
An Analysis of Leading Congressional Health Care Bills, 2005-2007: Part II, Quality and Efficiency The Health Insurance, Health Costs
Rite of Passage? Why Young Adults Become Uninsured and How New Policies Can Help Young adults (ages 19 to 29) are one of the largest segments of the Health Care Is Priority When Low-Income Workers Choose Benefits Low-income earners are interested in helping design employment benefits chosen to meet their specific needs and paying attention to their choices could improve health in this population, say authors of a new survey of Many Workers Are Underinsured and Unhappy with Health Plan Many adults are dissatisfied with their health insurance, and 24% of Americans have just bare-bones policies, meaning they are not adequately covered if faced with major medical expenses, according to new research from Consumer Reports magazine. (8/16/07, EmployeeBenefit News) Federal Help Needed In State Health Care Reform Battle While many states have introduced new and ambitious health care plans in an effort to get citizens insured, some policy experts contend that the combined strength of federal and state governments is needed in order for a reform movement to have real teeth. (8/2/07, EmployeeBenefit News) Trends in Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations among Adults and Children, 1997-2004 Community Health Centers Hold Answer to Health Care Crisis What Should A Country Spend On Health Care? Per capita health spending across countries ranges by more than 100 to 1, leading many people to ask, "What should a country spend on health care?" This paper discusses four approaches to this question and demonstrates how each approach, in effect, answers a slightly different question, all of which are important to public policy decisions regarding health care spending. (2007, Health Affairs) People in 41 Nations Are Living Longer Than Americans Americans are living longer than ever, but not as long as people in 41 other countries. For decades, the Action on the Social Determinants of Health: A Historical Perspective A renewed concern with social factors has emerged in global public health, spearheaded by the World Health Organization's Commission on Social Determinants of Health. The coming decade may see significant health gains for disadvantaged populations if policies tackle the social roots of health inequities. To improve chances of success, global action on social determinants must draw lessons from history. (July 2007, Global Public Health) Fewer Minority Men Have Undiagnosed Diabetes U.S. black and Hispanic men are now no more likely than whites to have undiagnosed diabetes, researchers say - suggesting that recent prevention and education efforts are paying off for these hard-hit groups. (8/14/07, HealthDay News) Immigrants and Health Care - At the Intersection of Two Broken Systems This perspective piece discusses costs associated with health care for uninsured immigrants, both documented and undocumented, in the Preventive Care: A National Profile on Use, Disparities, and Health Benefits This is a follow-up study to a 2006 Partnership for Prevention report which ranked 25 evidence-based clinical preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices based on service's health impact and economic value. Increasing the use of just five preventive services would save more than 100,000 lives every year in the The Psychosocial Effects on Health of Socioeconomic Inequalities Socioeconomic inequalities are thought to impair health in a way that is independent of the effect of material deprivation on health. But the mechanisms whereby inequalities have such an effect have not been thoroughly explained or explored. Two linked but distinct mechanisms have been suggested: social comparison and hierarchical conflict. June 2007, Critical Public Health) Lessons from Local Access Initiatives: Contributions and Challenges Community health initiatives—locally crafted responses to health care access problems—have been steadfast in their efforts to connect uninsured and medically indigent people to health care services and health insurance. These programs assist in outreach, coordinate and integrate care, and help clients use limited resources efficiently. This report offers five case studies of community health initiatives. All five local community initiatives seek to improve access and coverage for those most likely to be uninsured: low-income, nonelderly adults. (8/14/07, Commonwealth Fund) From Policy to Action: Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities at the Ground Level This report outlines practical strategies that states and managed care organizations are implementing to address inequalities in care. It highlights the need for standardized collection of race, ethnicity, and language data; culturally competent approaches; and the participation and commitment of multiple stakeholders. The brief draws from CHCS' national initiatives, supported by The Commonwealth Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to identify realistic solutions to reduce health care disparities and improve quality. (8/24/07, Center for Health Care Strategies) Issue Brief: Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Efforts to reduce the disturbing levels of racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care in the Key Facts: Race, Ethnicity and Medical Care, 2007 Update This updated quick reference source on health disparities presents the best available data and analysis, ncluding data on the uninsured and access to care by race/ethnicity as well as information about the isproportionate effect that specific conditions such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and asthma have on racial and thnic minority populations in the U.S. New in the 2007 Key Facts are demographic data on the racial/ethnic minority population in each state and the U.S. territories. This edition of Key Facts also includes data from the National Healthcare Disparities Report, examining changes in health care disparities over time. (Jan 2007, Kaiser Family Foundation)
Less Than Half Of Americans Are Fully Satisfied With Their Medical Care Only 48 percent of Americans age 18 and over who had gone to a doctor or medical clinic within a year of being surveyed rated their health care 9 or 10 on a scale in which 0 was the worst possible care and 10 the best, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Patients' perceptions of quality varied by race, ethnicity, and type of insurance. -- Only about a third of Asians (31 percent) and American Indians and Alaska Natives (37 percent) rated their care a 9 or 10, compared with less than half of whites (49 percent) and blacks (46 percent). Just 43 percent of Hispanics reported that they were receiving high quality health care. -- Slightly less than 60 percent of people age 65 and older who have Medicare, with or without additional private or public health insurance, rated their care the highest, compared with 46 percent of privately insured patients and 39 percent of uninsured Americans. -- Men and women rated were nearly equal in how they viewed the quality of their care, respectively, 46 percent and 49 percent saw their care as excellent. (based on data from the 2006 National Healthcare Quality Report) The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) presents the 17th annual report on the health status and service needs of The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics’ signature report is an annual indicators report that details the status of children and families in the Tracking Healthy People 2010 Revised Health, United States, 2006 This 30th report on the health status of the nation is submitted by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to the President and Congress of the United States in compliance with Section 308 of the Public Health Service Act. The 559-page report was compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics served in a review capacity. The Health, United States series presents national trends in health statistics. Each report includes an executive summary, highlights, a chartbook, trend tables, extensive appendixes, and an index. Contents include: Fertility, Natality, Life Expectancy and Mortality; Health Behaviors, Status, Risk Factors, Determinants and Measures; Health Care Access, Utilization, System Influences, Expenditures, Resources and Personnel; Health Insurance Coverage and Payors; Uninsured Population; Age, Race and Ethnicity and Poverty; Alcohol and Drug Use; Physical Activity and Limitations; Dental Care and Access; and a Special Section on Pain. (November 2006, HHS, CDC, NHCS) |
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Highlighting activities related to health care access and during Hispanic Heritage month from left to right:
