April 18, 2006 

 

STATE ACTION

   FLORIDA 2006 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

NATIONAL ACTION

STATE ACTION
     FLORIDA 2006 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

FLORIDA’S WINDFALL : Security for the State but Not for Those with Unmet Health Care Needs

 

Florida’s unprecedented $5.8 billion state surplus was boosted by another $960 million last week. This situation holds great security for the state against future economic downturns, natural disasters or public health epidemics, but little for the millions of Floridians desperately in need of basic health and human services to stay healthy and productive. In addition there will be close to $300 million in unspent Medicaid funds that should be put back into the Medicaid program and help to cover lost services for Medically Needy beneficiaries.

 

Our governor and legislators have gone on record declaring the extra revenue must be banked for bad times and proposing a $1.5 billion tax cut, with little hope for investment in health and human services for the needy. 

 

Legislators should understand that in order to provide the state with a more productive and independent populace yielding greater returns and savings in unneeded services in the future, we need to invest in the following: health care for uninsured children eligible for the state KidCare program, relief for the low-income very ill who lost Medicaid coverage after being moved into Medicare Part D, early intervention and prevention services for infants and toddlers with conditions that place them at risk for later disabilities, or in Florida’s many other human service needs.

 

Budget Surplus Dollars Needed to Help Florida’s Most Vulnerable Left without Meds in Part D Transition

 

There is more than enough revenue to bank for the state, allocate funds toward the Citizens Property Insurance deficit (the last resort insurer for storm damage) to help keep insurance premiums lower, to adequately fund KidCare to cover nearly 200,000 currently uninsured eligible children, and to dedicate state funds to care for chronically ill low-income people. Budget surplus priorities must include those moved into Medicare Part D who no longer receive state Medicaid coverage for key services and cannot afford to pay 20% of out of pocket expenses under Part D for very expensive medications.

 

Thousands of Floridians covered under the Medically Needy program (low income people with chronic illness and slightly too much income to qualify for Medicaid), and those who are dually-eligible for Medicaid and Medicare (disabled and poor elderly), have been suffering serious consequences after being moved into the Medicare Part D program. These very low income and chronically ill residents include organ transplant recipients, people in renal failure, and some cancer patients

 

What Went Wrong?

Before Medicare Part D was implemented, this special population was able to count the full cost of their drug expenses as “share of cost” in order to qualify for the state's Medicaid Medically Needy program. Now, under Part D, 80% of their drugs are still covered, but they must pay 20% out of pocket for the rest of their costly medications and other health care services no long paid for by the state Medicaid program.  Many are tragically going without health and life-sustaining prescription drugs. Without these medications, transplant recipients will reject donated organs and cancer patients could see their disease return. 

 

People negatively impacted by this Part D change have been patiently waiting and working to find relief both in Congress and the state.  Congress has been slow to move bills that would help, but several states have stepped in to provide financial help to patients.

 

Until there is a federal “fix” to resolve some of the systemic problems and conscientiously protect vulnerable beneficiaries, the Florida Legislature must take immediate action, directing funds to cover this “dual eligible” special population of very ill, very low-income residents.

 

Reps. Harrell and Bucher are looking for legislative solutions.  Rep. Harrell has a $100,000 place holder in the House budget, allowing the issue to be negotiated in the Conference Committee. Another long term solution would be to reduce the very high “share of cost” for very ill and low income people to a fair, equitable and attainable amount.

 

TAKE ACTION NOW! Call and Email:

House Speaker Alan Bense  850/488-9696

Senate President Tom Lee  850/487-5072

Rep. Aaron Bean Chair, House Health Appropriations  850/488-6920

Sen. Burt Saunders Chair, Senate HH Approp.  850/487-5124

Click here to find your own Rep. and Senator, then link to their page and contact info.

 

Message

  • Provide funding for medications and services for seriously ill and very poor Floridians caught in the Medicare Part D transition changes and need vital medications and services to survive.
  • This is a health crisis that deserves action from the Legislative Budget Commission. Funding is available from the $300 million Medicaid projected savings.

KidCare Budget Must be Restored to Insure More Eligible Children, Draw Federal Funds

 

It is well documented that providing health care coverage to children in low-income families reduces the higher costs of emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Studies have also found that children with health care coverage are healthier and more able to perform better in school.

 

However, the legislature still has not brought this year’s budgets back up to the funding level needed to cover 135,000 more uninsured eligible children nor has the legislature replaced the budget for KidCare’s successful community-based education and outreach efforts. 

 

TAKE ACTION NOW! Call and Email:

House Speaker Alan Bense  850/488-9696

Senate President Tom Lee  850/487-5072

Rep. Aaron Bean Chair, House Health Appropriations  850/488-6920

Sen. Burt Saunders Chair, Senate HH Approp.  850/487-5124

Click here to find your own Rep. and Senator, then link to their page and contact info.

 

Message

     

Reasons to fund KidCare at the full 2005-6 level:

  • Reinstate coverage for the children of legal immigrants and state employees and fund it by restoring $15 million of the money that was cut from the KidCare program.

  • Fund community education and outreach by restoring $4 - $6 million of the money that you cut from the KidCare program.

  • Maintain the 2005-06 funding level for KidCare to assure that  Congress does not reduce Florida’s future  federal funding for this popular bipartisan  program that provides the state with 70% in matching funds for low income uninsured children.

Florida’s Early Steps Program – Saving Children and Saving Future Costs

 

Florida‘s valuable early intervention program serves infants and toddlers who have a developmental delay or a condition that places them at risk for future disabilities. They receive special services and supports to help them develop to their full potential. Early Steps, an enhanced family–focused collaborative community partnership program administered by Children’s Medical Services (CMS), is known as the Part C program for children birth to 36 months of age with special needs.

 

Longitudinal studies have clearly documented the long term public costs savings of taking care of the youngest children at risk for later developmental problems. Unfortunately, Early Steps has not been adequately funded to serve all children with developmental delays or risks of developing them. The projected funding needed is estimated to be $10 million. However, the Senate budget includes only $3.5 million in Early Steps funding, and nothing is included in the House budget. 

 

TAKE ACTION NOW! Call and Email:

House Speaker Alan Bense  850/488-9696

Senate President Tom Lee  850/487-5072

Rep. Aaron Bean Chair, House Health Appropriations  850/488-6920

Sen. Burt Saunders Chair, Senate HH Approp.  850/487-5124

Click here to find your own Rep. and Senator, then link to their page and contact info.

 

Message

 

The Conference Committee must include the projected Early Steps budget of $10 million to save millions more in costly therapies and special education in the future.

 

Florida Medicaid Reform: Medicaid Vision, Hearing, Partial Dentures Move Toward Restoration

 

One bright spot in the maze of Medicaid Reform and budget negotiations has been the welcome news that the Senate Health and Human Services budget recommendation now includes restoration of adult Medicaid vision, hearing, and partial denture services.  (Currently, Medicaid recipients needing partial dentures are only covered to have all their teeth pulled and get a full set.) The House Budget includes this vision and dental coverage. Although the House shortsightedly has ignored that hearing aids are essential to basic functioning, safety and quality of life, this is a major step forward to maintaining good health for low-income adult beneficiaries. After three years of persistent legislative advocacy, at last we are prevailing. We will continue working to have all three services restored this year.

 

 Medicaid Reform Consumer Protections Needed

 

As Medicaid Reform timelines approach, there are still many concerns that advocates must question and monitor:

 

  • Choice Counseling for Consumers - On April 17, Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) announced that the contract for Medicaid Reform choice counseling services has been awarded to ACS State Healthcare, LLC. ACS will be responsible for the outreach, education and face-to-face counseling of Medicaid participants: developing counseling services, home visits and translation services; distributing enrollment materials; and managing telephone call centers. Advocates must monitor Choice Counseling to assure proper education and appropriate assistance for special populations, so each patient makes informed decisions about available health care options.
  • AHCA must implement appropriate rules to assure that managed care plans maintain the medically necessary services for beneficiaries.  Under the waiver, private plans will be allowed to modify the scope, amount, and duration of services, with NO REQUIREMENT to provide services at a level that meets the definition of medically necessary.
  • To include consumers and public involvement, AHCA should activate the federally required Medical Care Advisory Committee, MCAC, which provides the opportunity for Medicaid beneficiaries to participate in program policy development.  This advisory committee has not met since 2000. 

NATIONAL ACTION

 Citizens' Health Care Working Group Survey Now Online!
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 15!
(Click here to learn about the Citizen's/FL CHAIN May 6 Deltona Meeting, Reunión con la Comunidad de Volusia y Flagler sobre el Sistema de sistencia Médica y Salud)
For the first time, the federal government is asking all of us what we think is important for health care to work for everyone in the US. Congress has established the Citizens' Health Care Working Group to direct the dialogue, which is now underway through community meetings, virtual town hall meetings, and internet polls, blogs and forums. The Working Group will issue recommendations to Congress and the White House in 2007. If you were/are not able to attend a local Working Group gathering, here is your opportunity to participate in this important effort! 

Cover the Uninsured Week

During May 1-7, 2006 thousands of activities will take place across the United States to tell Congress that health coverage for Americans must be their top priority. Find out how you can get involved at the Week's website and on CHAIN Reaction's State and National Activities pages.

May 15 is the Medicare Part D Enrollment Deadline - TAKE ACTION!

May 15, 2006 is the last day to join a plan offering coverage for 2006, and to enroll without a penalty. Two important steps for advocates: 

  • URGE Medicare beneficiaries to seek help and make decisions on plans NOW
  • URGE the US HHS Secretary to EXTEND THE DEADLINE.

For Info and Advice on Enrolling in Part D:

 

  Medicare Rx Access Network of Florida:

      About the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
      Background
      Key Points
      Significant Dates
      Fast Facts
      Glossary of Useful Terms
  Medicare

 

Don’t let people with Medicare get frozen out of drug coverage:

WHAT'S AT STAKE:

US Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt MUST use his legal authority to allow people with Medicare to enroll in the Part D drug benefit after the May 15 deadline. Although he just announced that the administration is "well on its way" to meeting its goal of having 28 to 30 million Part D enrollees in first year of the new drug benefit, "there are two things wrong with that statement," according to the Medicare Rights Center (MRC), the largest independent source of Medicare information and assistance in the US.

There are 43 million Medicare beneficiaries. MRC asks, "what kind of administration sets a goal that leaves 13 to 15 million people with Medicare without drug coverage and does nothing to prevent them from being frozen out of Part D coverage until next year?" And, "After May 15, anyone who has not signed up for a Part D plan is barred from receiving coverage until 2007 and is hit with a lifetime late enrollment penalty."

In addition, MRC reports that 10 million of the 27 million people the administration claims have Medicare drug coverage are actually covered through a former employer. Only 7.2 million people have voluntarily signed up for drug coverage. The remainder were transferred into Part D plans from Medicaid or their Medicare Advantage HMO. 

Click here to urge Secretary Leavitt to keep Medicare Part D enrollment open past the May 15 deadline.

 

Read more in Asclepios from the Medicare Rights Center.

 

Medicare Independent Living Act of 2006 Would End Forced Isolation of Disabled

 

TAKE ACTION NOW!  Click here, then on "Stop the Forced Isolation of People with Disabilities" to urge our US Senators to cosponsor the Medicaid Independent Living Act of 2006. (through the Medicare Rights Center) 

 

WHAT'S AT STAKE:

The Medicare Rights Center reports that Medicare currently will not cover a wheelchair if it is needed solely for mobility outside the home, because of serious Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Services misreading of the Medicare statute. People with apartments too small for a power wheelchair are denied a device that could also get them down the street. Those in more spacious quarters get coverage, allowing them to scoot from room to room and to the grocery store.

 

This restriction can mean that people with disabilities are kept prisoner in their own homes, unable to participate in community life or run errands that make them self-reliant. The policy also has hidden public as well as personal costs in injuries from falls, depression from isolation, etc.

 

Despite pleas from over 100 lawmakers, CMS has refused to revisit its legal interpretation. US Senator Jeff Bingaman is introducing the Medicare Independent Living Act of 2006 to clarify that Medicare may cover medically necessary wheelchairs even if they are needed solely for normal use outside the home.

 

Click here to urge our US Senators to cosponsor the Medicare Independent Living Act of 2006. 

 

Read more in Asclepios from the Medicare Resource Center.

 

Victory for Human Needs on Federal Budget – For Now. . . .

The Coalition on Human Needs reports: Conservative leaders in the US House of Representatives failed to pass their budget resolution before leaving for their two-week April recess. After receiving phone calls and letters, moderate members of the House declined to support cuts of $9 billion out of health care, education, housing, child care, and job training to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy.  Thank you for your work in defeating these cuts!

But it's not over yet.  Many moderates will be pressured to support these cuts when they return from their recess.  This means that we need to make sure Representatives hear from us over the next two weeks while they're at home in their districts.  Look for information about how you can stay engaged in the budget debate over the next two weeks.

Many Representatives in the majority have already admitted that this budget is draconian.  It sacrifices America's most important priorities to give tax breaks to the rich.  For a review of the House budget resolution and the reasons it would hurt people in need, see the Coalition's recent Human Needs Report budget article.   

Dangerous Insurance Deregulation Bill on the Move; State Consumer Protection Laws Threatened

The mislabeled “Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act (HIMMA)” (S 1955), an under-the-radar sweeping restructure of our insurance system, has passed out of committee and is headed toward the Senate floor. The bill creates a federal ceiling that undermines undermining consumer protections in nearly every state, and establishes an alarmingly low federal benefits standard. By allowing insurers to offer “bare-bones” plans to serve healthy individuals, it invites dramatic cost increases for plans needed by those with greater healthcare needs. It would gut vital health care protections for 85 million Americans across the US.

 

Families USA has set up a new resource center for information on this bill, including a Florida Fact Sheet on this dangerous legislation.

 

TAKE ACTION NOW!

CLICK HERE to send our Senators an email through National Women’s Law Center.

CALL our US Senators on Families USA’s Toll-Free Line 1/800-828-0498.

 

 

Florida CHAIN thanks the many advocates who have taken the time to respond to our recent Get Active alerts. Your messages do make difference. Look for increased reporting on state legislation and weekly calls to action during the Florida session.

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  CHAIN Days Brings Voice of Consumers to Legislators

 

 April 18, 2006

 

It was a disparate group of consumers, advocates and organizers that arrived in Tallahassee on the evening of Monday, April 3 for the annual CHAIN Days. Most by bus from southern Florida, some by car from other parts of the state, and all with one purpose: impress upon legislators the need to safeguard and appropriately fund programs that serve the low and middle income working individuals and families of Florida, as well as the most vulnerable among us: children, elderly and disabled.

 

Particular care was given to making sure the activity was carried out in bi-lingual fashion, with consecutive interpretation being offered throughout for the benefit of the many in the group who were Spanish-speaking.  Participants included CHAIN Days veterans as well as first timers to the Capitol who, over two days, met with key legislators on both sides of the aisle working on issues ranging from KidCare and Medicaid Reform to Immigration and Affordable Housing.  

 

Wearing the distinctive yellow CHAIN t-shirts and armed with fact-sheets and a strong sense of civic duty, participants broke into smaller groups to make the most of every available opportunity to voice their concerns and offer solutions to legislators and their aides. 

 

CHAIN Days culminated in a highly visible bi-partisan press conference convened by State Senators Nan Rich and Durell Peaden. The press event focused on the need to properly fund the KidCare program, especially its outreach component, to reverse the drop in participation inconsistent with the continually high numbers of qualifying uninsured Florida children.

 

Particular thanks in helping convene CHAIN Days 2006participants go to Human Services Coalition, Hispanic Unity of Florida, Palm Beach County Community Health Alliance, Pierson Medical Center, Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition and MSKeteers, among others.

 

To view more photos of CHAIN Days 2006, click here.

 

 

 

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REAL STORIES 

April 18, 2006 

To share your own story, click here. 

 

PREFACE:

 

This project was sponsored by Florida CHAIN. The interviews were conducted by volunteer Kenan Heise, a retired newspaper reporter.

 

These interviews emphasizes the need for changes in the Medicaid program; however, it is imperative these changes be thought out and implemented strategically. Because the potential negative implications have not fully been considered, better safeguards need to be put in place to prevent a catastrophic health crisis.  If the situation becomes as bad as some foresee, the cost to the government may be much more in the end than the potential savings sought.      

Ron Zeigler, who is disabled, lives in Hollywood. Florida. He writes letters in attempt to make things better for those with disabilities.

      

       I am 40 years old and bipolar, in other words, manic-depressive.

       I cannot have a job and still keep getting the medicine from Medicaid that helps me deal with my depression.

       Even though I have a disability, I want to have the right to live and to have a normal life without being hassled about my checks. I want to do something constructive with my life and not simply be cooped up in my apartment.

       When I was in school, I got along with the teachers, but not my peers. Because I had a disability, they picked on me. The school sent me to an adolescent learning center for kids who are dysfunctional.

       In my group at the center, there were 36 of us but still we became close. Today, only six of them are still alive. The rest passed away—some from drugs, others in prison and a couple from AIDS.

       Over the years, I had a couple of jobs doing janitorial work for Burger King and McDonald’s. I had to quit when they wouldn’t let people work and collect medical disability benefits at the same time.

       When I get upset, I write letters. I have written to every president since Ronald Reagan.

       Three months ago, my friend Marvin Shapiro passed away. We both had talked just before he died about how depressed he was because he was having so much trouble getting his medicine from Medicaid. He said he was going through hell. Then he overdosed and the autopsy found street drugs in his body.

       I was really upset. I wrote Governor Jeb Bush, sent him my Prozac and told him where he could put it. I almost got in real trouble for doing that. They don’t like you writing letters like that. My case manager and my mother both pleaded with them and told them I was upset because my friend had passed away. She made me promise not to write any more negative letters.

       If Governor Bush just cared a little more, people who need help would get a little more.

       I am on Medicaid as well as Medicare Part A and Part B. Medicaid pays for my medicines under a program called “behavior Medicaid.” They are switching that over to Medicare and I will have to pay a significant part of it or rather my parents will have to and they are retired and trying to get by on Social Security. It’s gong to hurt them.

       Medicaid in Florida has already cut off hearing aids and eye care, except for the tests. Dental care is almost gone. A lot of things have been cut and by January of next year even more will be.

       If I could talk to Governor Bush, there are five things I would ask of him

1. Come and visit the homeless of Broward County, especially in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

2. Visit the poor sections of Broward County and explain to the people why he cut their benefits.

3. Come walk through the mental health hospitals and see the people who are sick there.

4. Talk to persons who have mental health problems and learn from them that they want to live a normal life and not worry about their checks being cut.

5. Let me marry my girlfriend and still keep my benefits.

 

       Bush is the governor and he’s supposed to understand.

       My girlfriend and I can’t even move in together or we would both lose benefits. The religious people are overbearing with me, saying we are living in sin.

       When I was little, I was adopted by a wonderful couple. They really tried to help me. I recently used the Internet to locate my birth mother and I found out she is bipolar too. I was born to her when she was only 14 years old. She had to give me up. We have stayed in touch. Sometimes she sends me CDs.

       I consider myself really fortunate. My adopted mother and father have always loved me and they saved me from being homeless or having to live in a group home. Because of them, I have been able to live independently for the last 15 years. They help me get my medicines but they cannot do it a whole lot because now they are both retired.

       I go to meetings with Peoples First. It is a group for those of us with disabilities. They motivate you to think positively and go out and do things.

       A friend of mine just had a heart bypass operation and my girlfriend and I visited him in the hospital. We also helped him get settled back at home. His parents said it was wonderful that we were such good friends to him.

       I watch a lot of movies on television and I write letters. I try to make them positive.

       Having disabilities is hard on people. I have another friend and he is homeless. He comes here once a week to get cleaned up and to shave.

       Things were better when Clinton was president. You could work and still collect medical disability. But, if I went back to work today, they would make me pay for my medicines.

       There is an old stigma about people with disabilities. It is that we don’t want to work and that we are not smart.

       All we want is to live normal lives.

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 RECENT HEALTH ADVOCACY ARTICLES

  April 18, 2006 

 

FLORIDA ISSUES

     KidCare 

    Other Florida Health Issues

 

NATIONAL ISSUES

    Medicare and Medicaid

            Medicare Drug Coverage, Drug Costs

            Other Medicare, Medicaid

     Health Insurance and Costs

     Other Health Issues

 

FLORIDA ISSUES

 

KidCare 

 

OPINION: Florida's windfall

Lawmakers should leave the main KidCare budget alone, increase money for marketing (a relatively small sum) and undo several rules that discourage enrollment. One big problem is the requirement that shuts children out of the program for six months if their parents voluntarily drop employer-based health insurance. It sounds like a good idea, but doesn't acknowledge that many parents saw increases of 100 percent or more in premiums for dependent coverage last year. (4/13/06, Daytona Beach News-Journal)

 

State reaps another big windfall

Florida KidCare, the health-insurance program serving 250,000 low-income children, would be reduced by as much as $205 million in the House budget -- with Republican leaders saying an enrollment drop allows the reduction.  Karen Woodall, a lobbyist for programs serving poor Floridians, said the new money only underscores the need for more KidCare outreach. She said as many as 500,000 more children may be eligible but have not enrolled in the program. (4/13/06, Orlando Sentinel)

 

Florida's revenue estimates up $1 billion: Lawmakers pit savings against insurance relief

Children's advocates have been lobbying to avoid funding cuts in the KidCare program, which provides health insurance to families who can't afford private coverage. Lawmakers are considering reducing funding because enrollment in the program has dropped. "This is penny-wise and pound-foolish not to invest back into this program that we know works," said Ormond Beach resident Linda Merrell, who lobbies for the Florida Community Health Action Information Network, a group trying to prevent the cuts. (4/13/06, Daytona Beach News-Journal)

 

Despite surplus, 14,000 kids go without

In a year of plenty, 14,000 immigrant kids and children of state workers won't get subsidized health insurance in Florida, and farmworkers like Jose Rincon can't figure out why.  Though they are sitting on a record heap of cash, state lawmakers delayed a vote Tuesday to enlarge the insurance program KidCare (4/12/06, Miami Herald)

 

Immigrants' KidCare placed in limbo

As Congress continues to clash over what rights to extend, if any, to the 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, the Florida House of Representatives quietly put the clamps on a bill Tuesday that would provide health insurance to 10,000 children of immigrants who are in the country legally.  In a year that the state is flush with cash, the legislature is in the process of cutting up to $205 million from the state's KidCare program, which provides health insurance to children whose families make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but who cannot afford private insurance.  And Tuesday, House Republicans took a step toward killing a proposal that would spend $15 million on the uninsured children of legal immigrants — those in the country with green cards or through other legal programs. (4/12/06, Palm Beach Post)

 

OPINION: Take Care Of the Youngest

There are about 500,000 children in Florida whose parents make too much to be on Medicaid but can't afford private insurance. There would be far more, were it not for programs like KidCare, where children can get coverage for doctor and dental visits for $15 to $20 a month. But even with so many children lacking insurance, the Legislature wants to cut millions of unspent dollars from it. (4/5/06, Lakeland Ledger)

 

KidCare plans blitz to reach uninsured children

There are 143,000 children without health benefits in Florida and Florida Healthy Kids aims to find them all with an aggressive media campaign it began last month. . . . the media blitz through television and radio advertisements will focus on the Panhandle, reaching out to African- Americans, parents with children between the ages of 5 and 8, parents who are self-employed and families in the Tampa Bay area.  But some say a media campaign won't be enough. (4/3/06, Tallahassee Democrat)

 

OPINION: Unconscionable cuts: State should increase enrollment, not slash funding, for needed KidCare program

Florida lawmakers are using sleight of hand again on the state's uninsured children, hoping they'll simply vanish. What else can explain their yearly attempts to gut KidCare, which provides low-fee health insurance for children of the working poor? Up to a half-million children in Florida who may qualify for KidCare have no health insurance.  . . . Yet, for the third year in a row, they want to cut KidCare's budget. (3/31/06, Florida Today)

 

 

Other Florida Health Issues 

 

Health Clinics for Poor May Lose Aid

A little-known network called the Florida Area Health Education Centers has as its main aim improving  access to health care for the disenfranchised -- the rural and urban poor, migrant workers, the homeless and at the same time introduce medical, nursing, social work and other students to the health care needs of those people on the fringes. As Florida lawmakers begin next week to negotiate how to spend the state's money, and particularly how to allocate precious health care dollars, the program could lose the $12 million it was counting on getting from Tallahassee. The House budget doesn't include money for AHEC, the Senate's proposed budget does. The program will be part of negotiations in the next couple of weeks (4/15/06, Lakeland Ledger)

 

Incoming tax estimate bumped up nearly $1 billion

State economists said Wednesday that incoming tax dollars will be nearly $1 billion higher than previously thought, giving lawmakers a bump up in the money they have at their disposal as they craft the state budget. (4/12/06, Sarasota Herald-Tribune)

 

Dangerous bacteria attacking some older patients in Florida hospitals, CDC warns

Pauline Hall of Boca Raton developed a high fever and was hospitalized to determine the cause. Doctors figured out that she had an infection caused when the family cat nipped her on the ankle, and successfully treated it with antibiotics. Hall died seven months later after a long battle with at least three bacterial infections that developed in the health-care setting. One of the serious infections was caused by bacteria called clostridium difficile, which produce toxins in the intestinal tract causing severe diarrhea. The bug predominantly attacks people 65 and older who have been treated with an antibiotic. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bacteria -- nicknamed c. diff -- has been showing up in hospitals in a more virulent strain causing serious illness and an increase in deaths. Florida is one of 16 states where hospital outbreaks have been reported. (4/6/06, South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

 

Health execs get Senate panel nod   

A Senate committee gave a vote of confidence Tuesday to Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Alan Levine, who has overseen Gov. Jeb Bush's move to revamp the state Medicaid system.   (4/5/06, Ocala Star-Banner)

 

Seniors worry as Florida tries to rein in Medicaid costs for long-term disabled

Despite his battle with prostate cancer, Howard Niloff is healthy enough at 78 to care for himself and his wife, Florence, 72, who has been slowed by Alzheimer's disease. But Niloff, a retired microbiologist and U.S. Navy veteran living in Boynton Beach, is troubled by a state plan to turn the care of tens of thousands of senior citizens like his wife over to big managed-care companies, including health maintenance organizations. Gov. Jeb Bush is seeking approval this month from federal authorities to put the private health insurers and other networks in charge of determining which "long-term care" services, like nursing home care, seniors on Medicaid can get. (4/3/06, South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

 

 

NATIONAL ISSUES

 

Medicare and Medicaid

  

Medicare Drug Coverage, Drug Costs

 

Secretary Leavitt Can And Should Eliminate The Drug Benefit Enrollment Deadline

With 14 million Americans with Medicare still without prescription drug coverage, the Medicare Rights Center is calling on Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt to extend the Medicare Part D enrollment period past the May 15 deadline until December 31, 2006. The Medicare Rights Center is the largest independent source of health care information and assistance in the United States for people with Medicare. (4/14/06, Medicare Rights Center)

 

CMS Extends Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Enrollment Deadline for Some Low-Income Beneficiaries

CMS officials have announced that the agency will allow some low-income Medicare beneficiaries additional time to enroll in the prescription drug benefit without financial penalty, the Wall Street Journal reports. Under a new policy announced this month, CMS will allow "ongoing" enrollment in the Medicare prescription drug benefit for beneficiaries who qualify for a low-income subsidy. Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for the subsidy and missed the deadline would have had to wait until January 2007 to enroll in the prescription drug benefit without the new policy. CMS estimates that 8.2 million Medicare beneficiaries qualify for the subsidy, which is available to individual beneficiaries with annual incomes of less than about $15,000 and assets of less than $11,500. However, only 4.7 million Medicare beneficiaries had applied for the subsidy as of March 31, and only about 1.6 million of those have qualified. (4/14/06, Wall Street Journal)

 

Congressional Members' Plans To Discuss Medicare Drug Benefit During Recess

Many House Democrats and Republicans will use the upcoming two-week Congressional recess to push their views on the Medicare prescription drug benefit, with a focus on the upcoming May 15 enrollment deadline. (4/11/06, Kaiser Network Daily Health Policy Report)

 

AARP: Brand-name drug prices shot past inflation in 2005

Wholesale prices for a widely used set of brand-name drugs rose 6% in 2005, far exceeding general inflation, the AARP says in a report out Monday. (4/10/06, USA Today)

 

Drug Plan's Side Effect Is Severe

With the new Medicare drug program, thousands who take pills to fight cancer have found themselves with new bills to pay for their essential medicines. (4/8/06, New York Times)

 

Bills Would Require Prompt Payment Of Pharmacists' Medicare Rx Benefit Claims 

Senate Republicans and Democrats have introduced separate bills that would require Medicare prescription drug plans to reimburse pharmacists' claims within specified timeframes. (4/7/06, CQ HealthBeat)

 

"Call Letters" Sent To Insurers Regarding Medicare Drug Benefit Offerings For Next Year

CMS has issued "call letters" to instruct insurers on how to develop 2007 beneficiary plans, saying they should present "clearly understandable" coverage options that beneficiaries can "reasonably" comprehend and use to make comparisons between plans. Plans should allow beneficiaries to choose between deductible or no deductible; coinsurance or copayments; inclusive or limited formularies; a range of premium levels, etc. (4/5/06, Kaiser Network Daily Health Policy Report)

 

Kinks in Canada Drug Pipeline 

Only two years ago, Canadian online pharmacies were an emerging David thrashing at the multinational pharmaceutical Goliath, strengthened by soaring sales in the United States that ignited a lasting debate over high medicine. (4/5/06, New York Times)

 

OPINION: Medicare Drug Challenges

The Medicare prescription drug benefit appears "to be stumbling less lately," with complaints and "callers' waiting times ... diminishing and many previously uninsured patients ... clearly saving money on drug purchases," but faces two "hurdles that may shed light" on whether the program is "on the road to recovery or perhaps irredeemably flawed," a Times editorial states. According to the editorial, the "first hurdle is already upon us with the expiration of a grace period for providing emergency medicine to millions of poor people who had been receiving their drugs through state Medicaid programs and were automatically switched to new Medicare drug plans," and an "even more important hurdle comes on May 15," which marks the enrollment deadline for the program. (4/3/06, New York Times)

 

April Fools for Medicare Part D Beneficiaries? Transitional Benefits End April 1 

Advocates are concerned that some Medicare Part D beneficiaries might not be aware that they have been receiving their medications under the 90-day transitional period and will face difficulty obtaining needed medications beginning April 1. During a conference call organized by Families USA, advocates expressed particular concern about dual eligibles, whose drug coverage was switched automatically from Medicaid to Medicare when the Medicare drug benefit began. They said that health plans have not adequately informed beneficiaries about the change in coverage. (3/30/06, Families USA)

 

 

Other Medicare, Medicaid News

 

Medicaid Rules for Immigrants May Hurt Others 

Officials fear that a new law will prevent poor people who are unable to come up with citizenship documents from receiving Medicaid benefits.  (4/15/06, New York Times)

 

US Rule Demands Proof of Citizenship for Healthcare
Almost all of the state's poorest residents will have to show proof of US citizenship to continue getting medical care by July 1, under a little-noticed federal law that could endanger coverage for many, as Massachusetts is trying to expand access to healthcare. Born out of ongoing efforts in Washington to clamp down on illegal immigration, the new federal requirement compels anyone seeking Medicaid coverage to provide...identification in order to sign up for benefits or renew them. No such proof is required now. The requirement was tucked into the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which President Bush signed into law earlier this year. (4/11/06, The Boston Globe)

 

HHS Secretary Leavitt Discusses Ways To Slow Medicaid Cost Growth in Speech

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt on Friday urged states to take advantage of certain provisions in the federal deficit reduction package to reduce Medicaid spending, saying that in some cases, benefits have driven up costs and resulted in a decrease in overall coverage, CQ HealthBeat reports. In a speech at a meeting sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures, Leavitt said Medicaid programs should focus on providing "basic care" to large numbers of people instead of "unlimited care" for the beneficiaries with the lowest incomes and suggested that "optional" populations receive fewer benefits. (4/10/06, Kaiser Daily Health Report)

 

Lawmakers Raise Concerns About Proposed Reduction In Medicare Reimbursements For Long-Term Care Hospitals 

A proposed regulation that would reduce Medicare reimbursements for long-term care hospitals would decrease their ability to "provide vitally important health care services to critical and vulnerable patients," according to a letter from a bipartisan group of lawmakers. (4/5/06, CQ HealthBeat)

 

 

Health Insurance and Costs

 

Aetna to Expand Disease Management Programs

Aetna said Wednesday it is expanding its disease management programs for members from six to 30 conditions, and will add 100 or more nurses in other states to handle the work.  The company also introduced a new overall name - Aetna Health Connections - for its medical management approaches...Aetna will expand disease management from the current six conditions - asthma, diabetes, chronic heart failure, coronary artery disease, end-stage renal disease and low back pain. (4/6/06, Hartford Courant)

 

Massachusetts Set to Offer Universal Health Insurance

Massachusetts is poised to become the first state to provide nearly universal health care coverage after the state legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill today that Gov. Mitt Romney says he will sign. The bill does what health experts say no other state has yet been able to do: provide a mechanism for all of its citizens to obtain health insurance. (4/4/06, New York Times)

 

For the Record: Being Back in E.R. May Not Mean No Insurance

People who frequent emergency rooms are widely assumed to be there because they lack insurance, the implication being that their complaints are too minor to take up the E.R.'s valuable time. A new study argues that most patients who make frequent emergency room visits are insured and have a regular source of health care. But the researchers argue that, given the variety of serious illnesses that these generally low-income patients often suffer, it is not inappropriate for them to seek emergency room treatment. (4/4/06, New York Times)

 

Many Americans Have Piecemeal Health Coverage That They Worry About Losing

Noting that "the nation's political, business and community leaders are all grappling with the escalating cost of healthcare," a special report in the Los Angeles Times featured an article on a "gnawing uneasiness" among Americans that becoming uninsured is just around the corner, even for those with good jobs.(4/3/06, Los Angeles Times)

 

Health Savings Accounts Likely to Hurt Families: President Bush's Plan to Reform Health Care Could Result in Less Care

Felix Meschke thought he had figured out the best way for his family to save on medical costs. In January, he dumped the family's old health insurance plan in favor of a low-cost, high-deductible plan and set up a tax-free Health Savings Account (HSA) for out-of-pocket medical expenses...Within weeks, Meschke's young son...was briefly hospitalized and the family was suddenly $3,700 poorer - forced to pay a $2,500 deductible plus a portion of the medical charges. Meschke estimates his old plan would have charged him a few hundred dollars at most. (Parents Action for Children)

 

 

Other Health Issues

 

House Members Leave for Recess Without Vote on Budget Bill; Chances for Agreement After Recess in Doubt 

The House on Thursday adjourned for the two-week Easter recess without a vote on a $2.8 trillion fiscal year 2007 budget resolution, "likely dooming its chances for the year," although House Republican leaders said that they would attempt to hold a vote after the recess. The House budget resolution includes $6.8 billion in spending reductions for entitlement programs. (4/7/06, Kaiser Network Daily Health Policy Report)

 

Health cuts concern Indian leaders 

Tribal leaders will have to unite across reservation and state lines to stop federal cuts to Indian health care budgets, two American Indian leaders said Wednesday at a health conference in Billings. (4/7/06, Billings Gazette)

 

Housing Conditions May Contribute To Poor Health In Immigrant Farmworker Families

Left out: immigrants' access to health care and insurance

Recent policy changes have limited immigrants' access to insurance and to health care. Fewer noncitizen immigrants and their children (even U.S.-born) have Medicaid or job-based insurance, and many more are uninsured than is the case with native citizens or children of citizens. Noncitizens and their children also have worse access to both regular ambulatory and emergency care, even when insured. Immigration status is an important component of racial and ethnic disparities in insurance coverage and access to care.

 

Illiteracy Puts Health at Risk: Poor reading skills lead to millions not getting proper care

(3/20/06, Delaware News Journal)

 

OPINION: Reductions To CDC Budget Proposed By President Bush Not "Wise," Funding cuts leave CDC too lean

There's little question that the nation's public health defenses against worldwide disease threats need to be bolstered, but that shouldn't come at the expense of the core programs administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet, that is exactly what the Bush administration has done for two years, according to a budget analysis by the Campaign for Public Health. (3/31/06, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

 

Return to Top

 HEALTH ADVOCACY RESOURCES

April 18, 2006 

 

FLORIDA CHAIN WEBSITE RESOURCES UPDATE

GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS

ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICES

MANUALS, GUIDES, AND TOOLKITS

TECHNOLOGY AND AUDIO VISUAL RESOURCES

     Audioconferences and Webcasts

    Media Programming

     Web Sites, Web Features

     Videos

PERIODICALS

REPORTS AND STUDIES

     New Listings

          Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIPS

        Health Insurance, Health Costs, Health Care Reform

        New Listings: Health Equity Issues

        New Listings: Other Health Issues

     Florida Reports

     Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIPS

    Federal Budget/Health Care

     Health Insurance, Health Costs, Health Care Reform

     Health Equity Issues

     Other Health Issues

 

 FLORIDA CHAIN WEB SITE RESOURCE UPDATE

 

Uninsured children hospitalized for injury die at a higher rate than children with coverage

This USF Health newsletter article describes Childhood Injury in Florida, 2002: A Report on Hospitalized Care & Prevention Information.

 

Provider’s Guide to Immigration Issues Regarding Florida KidCare

Florida CHAIN has posted The Refugee and Entrant Project's one page guide that answers many frequently asked questions about Florida KidCare that are specific to refugee families.  For additional support, it also provides a list of Florida KidCare hotline numbers.

 

The Florida CHAIN web site now includes resource information in Spanish. To access, click here.

GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS

 

Allegany Franciscan Ministries’ 2006 Regional Grant Programs

Since 1998, Allegany Franciscan Ministries has supported programs assisting underserved and economically poor residents in the Miami-Dade and Tampa Bay communities, and in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie Counties.

 

Miami-Dade Community:

Major Grants

Pre-application document deadline May 18

Focus:  Increasing access to health services and improving the overall health status of underserved populations in Miami-Dade County through investments in advocacy, capacity building, and educational outreach opportunities.

Three Major 2006 Miami-Dade Region grants are anticipated, with amounts from $40,000 to $75,000. 

Tau Grants

Deadline: May 4

Ten Tau 2006 Miami-Dade Region grants are anticipated, with amounts up to $2,000.  

 

Tampa Bay Community:

Major Grants

Pre-application document deadline May 12

Focus:  Increasing access to health services and expanding wellness education opportunities for underserved populations in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties through investing in community-based strategies that utilize effective partnerships. 

Five Major 2006 Tampa Bay Region grants are anticipated, with amounts from $100,000 to $200,000. 

Tau Grants

Deadline: May 12

Sixteen Tau 2006 Tampa Bay Region grants are anticipated, with amounts up to $5,000.  

 

Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie Counties:

Major Grants

Pre-application document deadline May 19

Focus:  Promoting culturally competent health care to reduce ethnic and racial disparities in economically poor and disinvested communities in Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie Counties.

Five Major 2006 Palm Beach Region grants are anticipated, with amounts from $100,000 to $250,000.

Tau Grants

Deadline: July 14

Ten Tau 2006 Palm Beach Region grants are anticipated, with amounts up to $5,000.  

Lorraine Gallagher Freimann Healthcare Initiative Grants

Allegany Franciscan Ministries and Palm Healthcare Foundation make funds available on an annual competitive basis to organizations providing services to underserved populations in Palm Beach County. They seek programs that remove barriers to healthcare access for underserved and indigent populations, focusing on language access and medical translation services and healthcare navigation for diverse communities. Look for a request for proposals by May 2006.

 

Capacity Building Scholarship

Allegany Franciscan Ministries will award, in all three regions, Capacity Building Scholarships throughout 2006 as long as funds are available.  Scholarships of up to $300 may be requested to pay registration fees for conferences, seminars and other training opportunities for the staff and volunteers of nonprofit organizations in order to increase their capacity to deliver efficient and effective services to those in need.  Organizations may submit scholarship applications at any time, preferably at least six weeks prior to the registration deadline of the conference or training program. 

The following grant opportunities are listed in chronological order of submission deadlines.

 

US Conference of Mayors and Dupont -- Lead-Safe for Kids’ Sake Grants

Deadline: April 21, 2006

Cities United for Science Progress, a partnership between The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Dupont, has announced the Lead-Safe? for Kids’ Sake grant program. Grants are given to cities that propose, develop, and implement strategies to reduce lead hazards and better prevent childhood lead poisoning. Applicants must be members of the USCM. CUSP will award $175,000 to the city with the most outstanding lead-safe strategy and $100,000 each to two finalists.

 

Broward Regional Health Planning Council Inc Hispanic Persons Living with HIV/AIDS study.

Application Deadline: April 21, 2006

The purpose of this study is to investigate access, retention, adherence and barriers to primary medical care for Hispanic persons living with HIVAIDS for those who are in and not in primary medical care. Additionally, the study should determine to what extent language, legal status/ documentation, race, transportation, and degree of acculturation impact each identified goal area.

 

CDC Price Fellowships for HIV Prevention

Application deadline: April 21, 2006

These Fellowships provide three nongovernmental organization (NGO) leaders with the opportunity to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta to learn about HIV prevention at the national level. This program provides an opportunity to facilitate exchange about important HIV/AIDS prevention issues between NGO leaders and CDC personnel, state and local health department representatives, and other US NGO leaders. During the month-long fellowship (July 31 - August 25, 2006), participants complete a project or pursue a special interest.

 

Robert Wood Johnson Speaking Together: National Language Services Network Grants 

Deadline: April 26, 2006

Speaking Together: National Language Services Network, a new Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program, will work with hospitals to improve the quality and availability of healthcare language services for patients with limited English proficiency. Up to ten sites will be selected to participate in the sixteen-month collaborative learning network. Each site will receive a grant of up to $60,000 and technical assistance and training.

 

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Call for Proposals: Childhood Obesity

Active Living Research—Round 6

Application deadline: May 10, 2006

Active Living Research is a $12.5 million national program to stimulate and support research that will identify environmental factors and policies that influence physical activity. Findings are expected to inform environmental and policy changes that will promote active living among Americans, both young and old.

 

Community Dentistry Award

Deadline: May 15, 2006

The American Dental Association's Council on Access, Prevention, and Interprofessional Relations is now accepting entries for its 2006 Community Dentistry Award. Not-for-profit programs in the United States or its territories are eligible. The Community Dentistry Award recognizes programs that focus on improving oral health at the community level. The program is designed to foster and recognize community oral health programs that include a preventive dentistry component.

 

NCQA Program to Help Bridge Health Care Disparities
Deadline: May 18
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has unveiled a two-year program that will recognize health plans that have demonstrated innovative approaches in culturally and linguistically appropriate health care service (CLAS) to reduce health care disparities, and provide demonstration grants to small physician practices to undertake new efforts to improve care for minority patients. The program, supported by a $1.5 million grant from The California Endowment, aims to identify, incentivize, and disseminate innovative practices related to culturally appropriate health care services and reducing health care disparities. 

 

Jobs to Careers: Promoting Work-Based Learning for Quality Care
Deadline: May 18
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Promoting Work-Based Learning for Quality Care will support partnerships to advance and reward the skill and career development of incumbent workers who provide care and services on the front lines of America's health and health care systems. The program seeks to develop and redesign systems that support and institutionalize learning and career advancement and test new models of work-based learning.

 

Advancing Recovery: State and Provider Partnerships for Quality Addiction Care
Deadline:  May 31
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Advancing Recovery: State and Provider Partnerships for Quality Addiction Care is an $11 million national program designed to encourage treatment providers to use evidence-based practices through innovative partnerships with single state agencies. We expect this initiative to improve clinical and administrative practices that are currently impeding the use of evidence-based practices.

 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation -- Local Initiative Funding Partners 
Deadline: July 6, 2006 (Stage I)
Local Initiative Funding Partners (LIFP) is a partnership program between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and local grantmakers to fund projects to improve the health and health care of vulnerable people in their communities. Projects must be new, innovative, collaborative and community based, and must be nominated by a local grantmaker interested in participating as a funding partner. Up to $6 million in funding is available for 14 matching grants of $200,000 to $500,000. Eligible applicants are local funding partners, including independent and private foundations, family and community foundations, and corporate and other philanthropies.

  

2006 Regional Community Health Grants Program

The Aetna Foundation will fund philanthropic initiatives focused on the following health care issues: Childhood Health, Obesity (including diabetes)and Oral Health, and Depression.

 

American Heart Association, Clinton Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to Help Schools Create a Healthier Environment for Nation's Students

Applications for the program will be available beginning July 1, 2006 

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has announced a new collaboration with schools to create environments that foster healthy lifestyles and prevent overweight and obesity among students. The Alliance works to address the issues that contribute to childhood obesity and to inspire all young Americans to develop lifelong healthy habits. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation awarded the Alliance $8 million to support the Healthy Schools Program.

 

Alzheimer’s or Related Dementia Group Respite Program Seed Grants

Deadline: July 6, 2006

The Brookdale Foundation's National Group Respite Program awards seed grants to organizations to develop and implement social model group respite programs. These day programs serve elders with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia and their family caregivers. 

 

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.

 

ORGANZATIONS AND SERVICES

 

Newly posted resources are at the top of the list.

 

Movement For Medical Privacy Grows In The USA       

As Congress moves rapidly to build a national electronic health system, a coalition of 26 organizations representing constituencies across the political and ideological spectrum will urge the U.S. House of Representatives to build a patient-centered system with patient privacy rights at the core of any national HIT legislation.  (Patient Privacy Rights Foundation)

 

Access to Benefits Coalition

The nonprofit ABC is dedicated to ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries with limited incomes know about and make the best use of all available resources for accessing prescription drugs and reducing their costs. ABC is working through local community coalitions to inform beneficiaries and their families, as well as the professionals who serve them, about Medicare Part-D. Extra Help is provided online or in person; find out if you or someone qualifies by going to BenefitsCheckUpRx?. Publications include: Applying for the Low-Income Subsidy: A Tool Kit for Advocates; and Pathways to Success: Meeting the Challenge of Enrolling Medicare Beneficiaries with Limited Incomes

 

Medicare Rights Center (MRC) is a comprehensive independent source of health care information and assistance for older adults and people with disabilities. Multiple 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. Publications include:

Questions to Ask when Considering a Medicare Health Plan;  What do I need to know about the new drug benefit if I am in a Medicare HMO or other private health plan?; Medicare: A National Treasure for 40 Years.

 

The National Hispanic Resource Help-Line 1/800-473-3003 provides support for Latinos throughout the nation who need information about educational, health and human service providers. To become part of their database, click here.

  

MANUALS, GUIDES, TOOLKITS

 

Newly posted resources are at the top of the list.

 

Resource Center for Enzi Bill, Bad for Health Care Consumers
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee has approved legislation that will override consumer protections enacted by the states to protect health insurance consumers. Families USA has set up a resource center for information on the so-called Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization Act (HIMMA), which was introduced by Senator Michael Enzi of Wyoming. This new resource center includes letters of opposition and fact sheets from insurance commissioners as well as several national organizations. 

 

Medicare Rights Center Resources to Fix Part-D

MRC promotes fixing Part-D by making it available under Original Medicare and negotiating drug prices. Here are four resources to help educate others:

Presentation (Powerpoint) on Why We Need a Drug Benefit Under Original Medicare

"Part D - No Guarantee" Confusion Chart Flier 

Why is the Privatized Part D Drug Benefit a Disaster?

The New Part D Prescription Drug Program: A Gamble for All Americans

 

Guide for Communicating with African-American Men about Prostate Cancer

Florida A&M University Center for Minority Prostate Cancer Training and Research has released a resource guide for health care providers, educators and researchers to assist in communicating with African-American men about prostate cancer screening, clinical trials and treatment. African-American men are 2.4 times more likely to die of prostate cancer when compared to White men. They also have the highest incidence of the disease compared to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. The Center has received over $1M from the U.S. Army Department of Defense to study prostate cancer disparities experienced by African-American men.

Applying for the Low-Income Subsidy: A Tool Kit for Advocates
Access to Benefits Coalition provides these Tools You Can Use to help people apply for the extra help available through the new Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage.

 

Families USA is offering a new resource, Making Public Programs Work for Communities of Color: An Action Kit for Community Leaders, from its Minority Health Initiatives Department. The kit provides community leaders with information, tools, and resources to engage in health advocacy and improve the health and well being of their communities. Emphasizing the importance of public programs in reducing racial and ethnic health disparities, the kit contains: a summary and statistics of racial and ethnic health disparities and the role public programs can play in reducing them; an overview of Medicaid (and SCHIP) and Medicare, including their relationships to communities of color; fact sheets on improving health coverage for racial and ethnic minority groups; state and local case studies on health advocacy; advocacy tools including a powerpoint presentation, and lists of organizations and publications. Contact: 202/628-3030 or rpanares@familiesusa.org.

 

2005-2006 Healthy Kids Marketing and Public Relations Tool Kit now available

Healthy Kids asks users to please forward updates on items used, including how they were used, numbers distributed and feedback on effectiveness. Call center staff need to be aware of any efforts so they know which items are out in each community and are prepared to address questions. To make changes or additions to any design or use the trademarked logos or phone numbers, prior approval is required to ensure that accurate information is distributed. Send requests to floyda@healthykids.org or fax to 850/224-0615.

 

Health Literacy Fact Sheets  

This series of nine fact sheets was created for those who are designing patient education materials for consumers with low health literacy skills. The sheets define health literacy, describe its impact on health outcomes, provide strategies to prepare appropriate educational materials to assist low-literate consumers, and provide resources for additional health literacy information and publications.

 

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.

 

Turning the Tide: Why Acting on Inequity Can Help Reduce Chronic Diseases, a tool kit now available from the Public Health Agency of Canada's Atlantic Regional Office, is designed to support the use of the document, The Tides of Change: Addressing Inequity and Chronic Disease in Atlantic Canada; A Discussion Paper. The package was produced for use by community organizations in examining their work and policies and contains a variety of hands-on resources for use in presentations and group discussions. 

 

Trends and Indicators in the Changing Health Care Marketplace is an online chartbook that presents up-to-date information on key health care marketplace trends. The chartbook highlights national health expenditures, health care spending and costs, employee and retiree health coverage, HMO enrollment, hospital data, and public views on topics such as managed care, medical errors, and quality information.

 

TECHNOLOGY AND AUDIO/VIDEO RESOURCES

 

Audio Conferences and Webcasts

 

Dated events listed chronologically; standing webcasts listed last

  

Acts of Charity: Charity Care Strategies for Hospitals in a Changing Landscape
April 20   Based on a survey and other analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, this ACHI audio conference will convey up-to-date information about the fast-moving subject of charity care in the context of community benefit.  Join it to learn about the current state of practice, and to hear and discuss recommended strategies. 

 

Best Practices: Race, Ethnicity, and Primary Language Data Collection to Improve Quality of Care for Diverse Populations – Audio Conference

April 27  2:00-3:00 pm CT (rescheduled)

Health care disparities occur within a wide range of health care settings including hospitals, emergency departments, clinics, and doctors' offices, and across a broad range of conditions. Hear Dr. Anne Beal, Program on Quality of Care for Underserved Populations and Dr. Romana Hasnain-Wynia, Health Research & Educational Trust discuss disparities in health care and best practices for collecting data on race, ethnicity, and primary language to help improve quality of care. Click here for more information.

 

Action for Healthy Kids: The Role of School Wellness in Creating High Performing Schools

April 27 3:00-4:15 pm ET

Register here for this Interactive Web Forum for School Administrators and Policy-Makers

 

Dental Care Access and Prevention Strategies

May 18  ACHI audio conference

 

Operation Access: Providing Donated Outpatient Surgery to Uninsured People

June 15  ACHI audio conference

   

ACHI Spring Training for Health Champions Conference Sessions
(March 14-16, 2006) Download and view more than 30 presentation files from the meeting.

 

Catholic Health Association/VHA Community Benefit Conference Session Presentations
This year's conference highlighted the core components of community benefit programming with a special focus on program evaluation, how to count community benefits and innovation in the field.

 

The Causes and Policy Implications of Rising Health Care Spending
Webcast of panelists at this Brookings Institution event discussing President Bush's health care policies that will expand the use of health savings accounts in an effort to place more responsibility on individuals. 

 

Media Programming

 

How Hospitals Heal Themselves
A one-hour documentary airing on public television Spring and Summer 2006

Call your local PBS station for time of broadcast

This rare good news documentary reports on a surprising solution to escalating costs, unnecessary deaths and waste in America's hospitals. Doctors and nurses tell how they did their best, working overtime, while hospital conditions worsened. They were delighted to learn a new way to improve patient care dramatically and reduce unnecessary deaths, suffering, errors, infections and costs without additional resources or government regulations.

 

"60 Minutes" Targets Hospitals' Billing of the Uninsured

"60 Minutes" segment transcript
"60 Minutes" responses to segment transcript

Connect with Kids TV Program on Obesity Prevention

Connect with Kids, with CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, and Florida’s Department of Health have developed a 30-minute television program focusing on the obesity epidemic among youth. The program, titled “The Biggest Generation” will be available for airing nationwide beginning March 15, 2006. To see when the stations have scheduled the show, click here  and then click on the upcoming programs link at the bottom of the page. If your local station is not listed and you are interested in promoting the program to your local television station, call 404/459-8081 ext 105. 

 

 

Web Sites, Web Features & Databases

 

Newest postings are listed at the top of State and National Web Resources sections below

 

State Web Resources

 

Medicaid Applications Online 24/7 and in Neighborhoods

Local partners can direct families to their area sites or online to apply for Medicaid and other benefits. The Web Application is generally preferable as the data makes it into the Florida system more quickly and there is a reduced chance of data entry errors.

 

DCF Offers Medicare Part D Powerpoints Re: Persons with Mental Illness
Florida Department of Children and Families has made available powerpoint presentations used on a December 2nd Video Teleconference sponsored by the Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and Florida National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. The first is an overview of the new Medicare Part D (pharmacy benefit), the second about Medicare pharmacy plans and the third about steps for low income Medicare beneficiaries to get extra help from Social Security in paying for pharmacy benefits. Other portals link to CMS for information about the Medicare Part D pharmacy plans, benefits and enrollment; and a Social Security website for low income persons who have Medicare ONLY and need to apply for extra help in paying for Part D pharmacy benefits. The Florida SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elderly) program is a statewide, volunteer based program that provides free information, counseling and assistance on Medicare (including Part D), Medicaid and Medicare supplemental insurance. SHINE can be accessed at 1/800-963-5337.

 

Florida Kids insurance application can be done online

Families wanting to apply for the state's health insurance program for children can now apply online. Florida Healthy Kids has redesigned its Web site at www.healthykids.org to allow people to apply electronically for the KidCare programs, which include Healthy Kids, Children's Medical Services and MediKids. (2/16/06, Daytona News-Journal) More

 

Website Offers Free 24 Hour Health Information to Floridians to address concerns and inquiries 

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) Secretary encourages health care consumers to visit www.FLHealthSource.com whenever they need information about a licensed health care professional. DOH’s Division of Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) maintains FLHealthSource.com. The site provides health care consumers with a host of information, including license status, office address, and disciplinary information for all health care professionals licensed in Florida.

The site also provides additional information for the five profiled professions –medical doctors, osteopathic physicians, chiropractic physicians, podiatric physicians and advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs).

 

Medicare/Medically Needy Poster for Clinics
Florida Transplant Survivors Coalition, Inc. offers on their website a poster suitable for posting in clinics, Pharmacies and other centers where the Medicare/ Medically Needy benefit recipient visits. Since the 20% copay in cancer and anti-rejections drugs is still not part of any state plan to aid us, all are encouraged to download this poster. 

 

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

 

Immigrant Health Policy Reference Library
This new compendium summarizes data and research on immigrants’ health coverage and access to care. The library also includes a list of organizations that conduct analysis on the impact of major health policies on immigrants and presents research on specific populations, including Latino, African and Asian immigrants.

 

Health Coverage and the Uninsured - Updated Tutorial           

Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, this tutorial has been updated and expanded to include the latest national and state-level data on insurance coverage. It also now includes current policy proposals for expanding coverage to the uninsured and criteria for evaluating the different proposals.

Medicare/Medicaid Dual Eligibles Tutorial
This new narrated slide tutorial provides an overview of dual eligibles -- beneficiaries covered by both Medicare and Medicaid. The tutorial presents a profile of dual eligibles, reviews eligibility, benefits and financing for duals, and discusses their transition into the new Medicare prescription drug coverage program.

Medicaid Fact Sheets Tool

Compare your state's Medicaid program and the population it serves to other states and the nation by visiting Kaiser's new interactive online State Medicaid Fact Sheets tool.

 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Part-D Resources

CMS fact sheet that addresses Medicare Part D and homeless clients

Recently revised Medicare Basics: A Guide for Families and Friends of People with Medicare

New Fact Sheet for Physicians on Part-D Transition Policy and Exceptions and Appeals Processes  

 

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.

 

2006 Federal Poverty Guidelines

The Southern Institute on Children and Families, National Program Office for Covering Kids & Families has made available the 2006 Federal Poverty Guidelines. Compiled from the 2006 HHS Poverty Guidelines, these guidelines provide income levels for families at 50%, 100%, 125%, 133%, 150%, 185% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.

 

Primer on Low-Income Working Families

Many low-income working families live one health crisis or job setback away from catastrophe. Some barely make ends meet despite "playing by the rules," and more than 9 million working families with children lead this precarious existence. Yet, we know little about their dynamics. This Urban Institute web feature provides a foundation for better understanding this at-risk population.

  

Healthcare Coverage Options Database: Assistance for Obtaining Health Coverage

This Web site provides information on health insurance options for low-income U.S. residents. The site includes comprehensive information on large-scale programs like Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and the federal Health Care Tax Credit Program, as well as hundreds of smaller state, federal, and private programs.

 

 

Videos

 

Public Health Foundation Media Resources

Several publications and videos related to minority health are now available through the Public Health Foundation's (PHF) online bookstore. Topics include: breastfeeding promotion in minority communities, epidemiology of diabetes, social determinants of health, neighborhoods and health disparities, as well as introductory Spanish for the healthcare worker. For a full list of resources on minority health, go to PHF's Learning Resource Center, click here. 

 

 

PERIODICALS

 

Health Benefits Newsletter

Titles include: Variety of Strategies Needed to Curb Health Costs; Lower Medical Bills Through Health Coaching; Unveiling the True Cost of Health Care - For a Price; Obesity and Diabetes Rates Soar Among Hispanics, and Employers More Aware of Behavioral Risks.

 

Kaiser Family Foundation offers a weekly Medicare Q&A column that is being distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune News. The column answers questions from readers related to the new Medicare drug benefit.

REPORTS AND STUDIES

New Listings

New Listings: Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIPS

 

New Medicare Part-D Survey Finds Many Satisfied, Difficulties for Others

A new survey of 896 seniors 65 and older commissioned by the Medicare Rx Education Network found that while some Medicare Part-D beneficiaries are encountering difficulties in signing up, most find the benefit works well and is worth the time and effort once they are enrolled. Those enrolled in stand-alone plans report more difficulties: 58% said it was not difficult to sign up for a plan; 38% said it was difficult. Among those not yet enrolled, 59% of those surveyed said that choosing a plan is difficult, and 47% of those actively looking said they did not have enough information to make up their minds. Results indicated that beneficiaries need one-on-one counseling to help them identify a plan, transportation to resources, and other assistance.

 

Snapshot: Health Care Costs 101, 2006 Edition
Now in its third edition, this presentation provides a concise, visual snapshot of national health care spending trends for use by journalists, policymakers, or anyone interested in health care cost issues. Based primarily on National Health Expenditures data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the slides show how spending is distributed by type of service and illustrate growth in spending categories such as hospital services and prescription drugs. For the first time, it also examines how contributions from households, business, and government are blended to finance both public and private health coverage. (March 2006, California HealthCare Foundation)

 

 

New Listings: Health Insurance, Health Costs, Health Care Reform

 

Massachusetts Health Reform
On April 4th, by overwhelming margins, the Massachusetts House and Senate voted to approve legislation that will extend health insurance coverage to hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents. At the same time, the legislation leaves many critical questions about the scope and cost of benefits and the obligations of individuals to purchase coverage unanswered. Already commentaries are flying— some are calling the bill a national model, others unconscionable and misguided. This Community Catalyst report looks at: What does the MA legislation really do? What are the factors that led to its passage? What are the important unknowns? What are the lessons for other states?

 

Articles Examine Community-Based Coverage Initiatives

Five articles published by Health Affairs highlight community approaches to providing care for the uninsured. (4/11/06)

 

A Brief Overview of the Major Flaws With Health Savings Accounts

This Center for Budget and Policy Priorities analysis finds that the Administration's proposals for substantial new HSA tax subsidies — and HSAs in general — suffer from several serious problems, including weakening the existing health insurance and increasing the number of uninsured; shifting risks to individuals, leaving those less healthy to face substantial costs with potential worse health outcomes; little potential to improve the health insurance system; increasing the federal budget deficit for decades to come; and providing the largest tax breaks to those who least need help paying for health coverage. (4/5/06)

 

Few U.S. Adults Are Willing to Pay Significantly Higher Premiums for Superior Care

A new Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Health-Care Poll shows that many U.S. adults believe it is fair to assess healthcare quality, but they are ambivalent and confused about whether or not payments to doctors and hospitals should be linked to quality metrics...only one in five (19%) adults think it would be fair for patients to pay more to be treated by medical groups or hospitals that have been shown to provide better care, and fewer adults (14%) say they themselves would be willing to pay a significantly higher premium for such care. (4/4/06, Harris Interactive Poll)

 

Medication Assistance Program Unveils Database of Free Clinics

Officials from the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a national clearinghouse designed to connect patients with programs that help them pay for their drugs, said at a news conference in Greensboro Wednesday that it had launched a national database of free health clinics. The clinic database is designed to help people who call the organization or visit its Web site find local doctors. (4/3/06, The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area)

 

Most ER Patients Are Insured, Study Says

The uninsured, long blamed for crowding in the emergency room, account for 15% of visits.

Challenging a common notion that uninsured patients are clogging hospital emergency rooms, a new study has found that the vast majority of adults who turn up there frequently have health insurance and regular doctors... Emergency visits increased 26% between 1993 and 2003, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  "It is the only door that is open 24 hours," said Brian Johnston, the medical director of the emergency department at White Memorial Medical Center in Boyle Heights. (3/29/06, Los Angeles Times)

 

The Long-Term Uninsured in America, 2000-2003: Estimates for the US Population under Age 65
When estimating the size of the uninsured population, it is important to consider the distinction between those uninsured for short periods of time and those who are uninsured for several years. (March 2006, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)

 

Congress's Policy Priorities: Assessing Health Care Experts' Views

Expanding coverage of the uninsured should be Congress' top health policy priority, says a majority of respondents to the Fund's latest Health Care Opinion Leaders survey. Leaders also say that a good way to expand coverage is to let individuals and small businesses buy into the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or a similar option. (3/24/06, Commonwealth Fund)  

 

How States Are Cutting Pharmacy Costs without Limiting Access

Many states believe that clinical evidence about drug effectiveness can be used to curtail pharmacy costs, while also ensuring that beneficiaries have access to their medications. A new Fund issue brief explains how six states are doing it. (3/23/06, Commonwealth Fund)  

 

 

New Listings: Health Equity Issues

 

Better Health Care Doesn't Erase Racial Gap
Efforts to improve health care quality can help reduce some - but not all - of the inequalities in medical care provided to black patients compared with whites, a new study shows. Four years after launching a program to improve the quality of diabetes care, a large Boston-based physician group found that racial disparities in cholesterol screening were reduced, but blacks remained less likely than whites to be taking statins to get their LDL ("bad") cholesterol down, or to have their blood sugar under long-term control. (4/7/06, Reuters)

 

US Ranks Poorly on Many Measures in Cross-National Patient Surveys

This report, based on two cross-national surveys, finds that the U.S. health care system scores well on effectiveness from a patient perspective but is viewed poorly on many other measures, including safety and equity. (4/4/06, Commonwealth Fund)  

 

Lower Income Linked with Poorer Care Experiences

An analysis of patient survey data by the Fund finds that U.S. adults with below-average income fare worse than those with above-average income on 21 of 30 measures of primary care access, coordination, and doctor–patient relationships. (4/4/06, Commonwealth Fund)  

 

Health Disparities and Health Equity: Concepts and Measurement

There is little consensus about the meaning of the terms "health disparities," "health inequalities," or "health equity." The definitions can have important practical consequences, determining the measurements that are monitored by governments and international agencies and the activities that will be supported by resources earmarked to address health disparities/inequalities or health equity. This paper aims to clarify the concepts of health disparities/inequalities (used interchangeably here) and health equity, focusing on the implications of different definitions for measurement and hence for accountability. (April 2006, Annual Review of Public Health)

 

New Resources on Coverage, Quality, and Efficiency

The Fund's Commission on a High Performance Health System has released a new series of briefs on key topics in health policy, such as health insurance coverage, health care costs and spending, and the drive for a higher-performing health system. (3/28/06, Commonwealth Fund)  

 

Prescription Monitoring May Increase Racial Gap in Access to Care

A program designed to reduce inappropriate benzodiazepine prescribing had the unintended consequence of increasing racial disparities in access to care, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine for March 13th. "This is the first well-controlled study to show that health policies designed to reduce drug costs and abuse can increase racial disparities in access to effective care for those with chronic illnesses, like schizophrenia," lead author Dr. Sallie-Anne Pearson, from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, said in a statement. (3/13/06, Reuters)

 

Quantitative Techniques for Health Equity Analysis: Technical Notes

Have gaps in health outcomes between the poor and better off grown? Are they larger in one country than another? Are health sector subsidies more equally distributed in some countries than others? Is health care utilization equitably distributed in the sense that people in equal need receive similar amounts of health care irrespective of their income? Are health care payments more progressive in one health care financing system than another? What are catastrophic payments? How can they be measured? How far do health care payments impoverish households?  (2006, The World Bank)  

 

Jobs Lacking Coverage Biggest Reason for Immigrants' Low Insured Rates, in Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured This research highlight examines a study "Immigrants and Employer-Provided Health Insurance," finding immigrants almost three times more likely to be uninsured than native-born U.S. citizens.  The primary reason for the difference is that more immigrants work for employers that do not offer health insurance. The research highlight includes a Q&A "Research Highlight: Jobs Lacking Coverage Biggest Reason for Immigrants' Low Insured Rates." (March 2006)

 

New Listings: Other Health Issues

 

Latest Estimates on US Obesity and Overweight

The prevalence of obesity in adults doubled and the prevalence of overweight in children and adolescents tripled in the United States between 1980 and 2002, the National Center for Health Statistics reported in an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (April 2006)

 

States in Action: A Quarterly Look at Innovations in Health Policy

A profile of Washington State's approach to drug purchasing, snapshots of coverage expansion efforts in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Maryland, and more. Plus: how the federal Deficit Reduction Act will affect Medicaid programs and beneficiaries and the nation's first-ever "individual mandate" legislation. (3/30/06, Commonwealth Fund)  

 

Creating a Culture of Patient Safety

Improvements in patient safety hinge as much on transforming the culture of health care organizations as on specific changes in health care delivery. A new Fund-supported study highlights some promising examples from the field. (3/27/06, Commonwealth Fund) 

 

Community Connections of American Hospital Association

The American Hospital Association's Community Connections initiative is working to document the ways that hospitals' work extends beyond the hospital walls.  From free clinics to job training to immunizations, hospitals are engaged in numerous activities that benefit community health and well being.  As a resource for hospital leaders, AHA is collecting and sharing examples of how hospitals are making America healthier.

 

Florida Reports 

 

Florida KidCare’s web site has these reports for download: Florida KidCare Statewide Enrollment Trend, Title XXI Enrollment and Major Program Changes.

 

Grading State Systems for Adults with Serious Mental Illness
A National Alliance on Mental Illness report grades each state's public mental health system for adults with serious mental illness, and assigns the nation an overall grade of D. The report grades states on 39 criteria in the areas of infrastructure, information access, services and recovery based on a survey of state mental health agencies last October and November. 

 

Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIPS

 

50% Medicaid Enrollment Increase Over Last Five Years

USA Today reports that Medicaid enrollment increases over the last five years were over 50%, higher than any other major government program. According to the findings, Medicaid enrollment increased 50.4% from 2000 to 2005 and spending reached $198 billion. (3/13/06, USA Today)

 

Updated Fact Sheet on Medicaid's Role for Dual Eligibles

Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured has updated a fact sheet on Medicaid's role in providing care to dual eligibles, low-income Medicare beneficiaries, and the transitioning of their prescription drug coverage from Medicaid to the new Medicare drug benefit.

 

Medicaid Provisions of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005

Kaiser Family Foundation issue brief summarizing the Medicaid policy changes of the recently signed budget reconciliation law and discussing the potential impact for states and beneficiaries.

 

Medicaid Spending and Enrollment

Updated data on Medicaid spending and enrollment from Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured based on analysis of CMS data for FY2002 are now available by state and region.  Total payments for all enrollment groups - children, adults, elderly, and individuals with disabilities - and payments per enrollee have been updated. 

 

The Transition of Dual Eligibles to Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage: State Actions During Implementation
This Kaiser Family Foundation publication is a survey of Medicaid officials assesses states' early experience in the transition of low-income seniors and people with disabilities enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare (dual eligibles) to the Medicare Part D drug benefit.  The survey covers the types of problems observed by states during the transition of dual eligibles, state actions to correct problems and ensure temporary coverage, and specific data on costs incurred by states from these temporary programs.

 

Can States Stretch the Medicaid Dollar without Passing the Buck? Lessons from Utah

With the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, states have gained increased flexibility over benefits and cost sharing for certain currently eligible Medicaid populations without having to obtain a waiver of Medicaid rules. New findings in the March/April edition of the journal Health Affairsprovide insights into the implications of limited benefits for the low-income population. (3/7/06, Kaiser Family Foundation)

Turning Medicaid Beneficiaries into Purchasers of Health Care: Critical Success Factors for Medicaid Consumer-Directed Health Purchasing This State Coverage Initiative Issue Brief finds state policymakers interested in applying the concepts of consumer-directed care to the Medicaid program. Various models are emerging. These reforms fundamentally would alter the role of the state, the state’s expectations of Medicaid beneficiaries, and the behavior of participants. Consumer-directed health purchasing programs would create new opportunities and risks for Medicaid beneficiaries.

 

Families USA Report on Medicaid Part-D

This latest report found that the vast majority of new Medicare Part D beneficiaries already had prescription drug coverage before the program started earlier this year and, in an effort to downplay this situation, the Administration has significantly lowered its own enrollment projections. You can read the full report or a press release announcing the report.

 

Taking a Checkup on the Nation's Health Care Tax Policy: A Prognosis

statement before the US Senate Committee on Finance summarizes the latest data on who has health insurance and who doesn't, outlines the various tax subsidies that exist for health insurance, examines how those subsidies affect the market for health insurance and employment, and briefly comments on some reform options. (3/8/06, Urban Institute)

 

Selected Findings on Seniors' Views of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit

This poll finds that 45% of seniors say they have enrolled or plan to enroll in a drug plan, 29% say they do not intend to enroll in a drug plan and another 23% say they are uncertain. The majority of those who do not plan to enroll say they have another program or plan that helps pay for their prescriptions.Though more seniors are enrolling in a drug plan each month, the poll also shows that seniors have become less enthusiastic about the new Medicare drug benefit over the past six months.  Seniors are now almost twice as likely to say they view the benefit unfavorably (45%) as favorably (23%). That finding reflects a shift since August, when seniors’ positive views peaked and they were as likely to view the benefit favorably (32%) as unfavorably (32%). (2/17/2006, Kaiser Family Foundation)  

 

New State-By-State Data on Medicaid and SCHIP's Success in Reducing the Coverage Gap for Children

Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families reports the surprisingly positive trends in coverage for children, largely due to Medicaid (and to a lesser extent, its smaller companion program, SCHIP), that provide affordable health insurance coverage to children in low-income families. However, there is significant variation across the states.  Tables   Methodology

 

A special report on Medicaid, by the Pew Center on the States, seeks to analyze the real-world experiences of states, highlight examples of what works and what doesn't, and inform a crucial policy debate that will affect the lives of millions of Americans. Federal policy has encouraged enrollment of Medicare beneficiaries in health plans, the majority of which are for-profit plans.  

 

In Quality of care in for-profit and not-for-profit health plans enrolling Medicare beneficiaries, researchers from Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School report that not-for-profit health plans provided significantly higher quality of care to enrollees than for-profit plans on four important clinical services; breast cancer screening, diabetic eye examination, beta-blocker medication after heart attack and follow-up after hospitalization for mental illness.

 

Mathematica gives good marks in its report to Congress on the State Children's Health Insurance Programs (SCHIPs) that offer health care coverage to children in families with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level and beyond. In almost all areas examined – outreach, enrollment and access to services – the programs are succeeding. 

 

Most studies of health coverage expansion policies focus on their potential national impact. Variations in the Impact of Health Coverage Expansion Proposals across States finds that federal strategies have greatly varied effects on different states with regard to economic characteristics, health care markets, and numbers of uninsured.

 

Two new reports provide the latest data on how much Medicaid spending is used to cover mandatory versus optional populations and services. Medicaid: An Overview of Spending on "Mandatory" vs. "Optional" Populations and Services, offers a brief summary of the data and a discussion. report, Medicaid Enrollment and Spending by "Mandatory" and "Optional" Eligibility and Benefit Categories” offers a more detailed examination.

 

Financing for the nation’s health care safety net is fragmented, and providers must knit together resources from many different funding sources to cover the costs of providing a broad range of services. Stresses to the Safety Net: The Public Hospital Perspective describes those sources of revenue, documenting that nearly 40 percent of all safety net revenues come from Medicaid.

 

Over the past few years, a number of states have implemented new or increased out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries in their Medicaid, SCHIP, or other public programs. Increasing Premiums and Cost Sharing in Medicaid and SCHIP: Recent State Experiences reviews the key findings from this activity, including the impact on enrollment in public coverage programs, on providers, and on access to care.

 

Federal Budget/Health Care

 

The House Budget Committee’s New Budget Plan: A Brief Analysis

This Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis finds the House Budget Committee's budget plan harsher than the Senate plan in several respects. The House plan would cut funding for domestic “discretionary” (or non-entitlement) programs by $8.8 billion in fiscal year 2007 and $169 billion over five years, relative to CBO's current-services baseline. The plan also would reduce entitlement programs by $5.1 billion over five years. The savings from these program reductions would not, however, be used for deficit reduction. They would instead be used to offset a portion of the cost of the budget plan’s $228 billion in tax cuts, as well as its defense spending increases. The net result would be significant further increases in the deficit. The plan would increase the deficit over the next five years by $256 billion above what deficits would be if current policy was left unchanged.

 

Administration’s Fiscal Year 2007 Budget is Likely still to Leave SCHIP Coverage for Low-Income Children in Jeopardy finds that the Administration’s budget proposal will fall short of fully funding states’ needs for SCHIP funding in 2007 — and could lead more than 200,000 children to go without SCHIP coverage next year.

 

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities recent Budget Analysis reports:

Program Cuts in the President’s Budget: Cuts Grow Deeper Over Time and Will Hit States Hard

The President's budget proposes substantial cuts in funding for domestic discretionary programs over the next five years. The budget specifies the funding level for each program in 2007, but the levels for specific programs for years after 2007 — the years in which the overall level of reductions in domestic discretionary programs would grow substantially — are hard to discern from the budget documents the Administration released publicly. This analysis uses Administration materials not widely distributed — including a key Office of Management and Budget (OMB) computer run that apparently was released inadvertently — to show the multi-year impact of the proposed cuts on a number of important domestic discretionary programs. Summary or Full Report with program cuts by state.

  

The Skewed Benefits of Tax Cuts 2007-2016: If the Tax Cuts Are Extended, Millionaires Will Receive More than $600 Billion over the Next Decade

 

Administration Defense of Health Savings Accounts Rests on Misleading Use of Statistics

 

The Cost and Coverage Impact of the President’s Health Insurance Budget Proposals finds that the Administration's proposals to expand tax breaks for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) would cause a net increase in the number of uninsured Americans.

 

Analysis of Medicaid Provisions in the Bush Administration 2007 Budget explains how most of the provisions in the budget, which include both legislative proposals and regulatory changes that the Administration is planning to make without legislative action, will shift Medicaid costs to the state.  These funding cuts are on top of the significant federal Medicaid cuts enacted as part of the budget reconciliation bill signed into law.

 

The Administration’s Medicaid Proposals Would Shift Federal Costs to States finds that more than four-fifths of the Medicaid savings proposals in the Administration’s new budget would reduce federal Medicaid expenditures by shifting costs directly to the states. This likely would lead some states to scale back their Medicaid programs significantly by restricting eligibility and reducing coverage. 

 

New Congressional Budget Office Estimates Indicate Millions of Low-Income Beneficiaries Would Be Harmed by Medicaid Provisions in Budget Bill 

Health Insurance, Health Costs, Health Care Reform, Budget

 

The Commonwealth Fund Health Care Opinion Leaders Survey: Assessing Congressional Policy Priorities

Expanding coverage to the uninsured should be Congress's top health care policy priority for the next five years, say a majority of respondents to the latest Commonwealth Fund Opinion Leaders survey--just as they said a year ago when asked about health care policy priorities. Leaders also agreed, once again, that one of the best ways to expand coverage to the uninsured is to allow individuals and small businesses to buy into the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or a similar federal group option. [Jan-Feb 2006, Harris Interactive Survey)

 

US Physician Charity Care Continues Decade-Long Decline

The proportion of US physicians providing charity care dropped 8 percentage points in the last decade, falling to 68 percent of physicians in 2004-05 from 76 percent in 1996-97, according to a national study released by the Center for Studying Health System Change. The drop in physician charity care occurred as the number of uninsured Americans grew to 45.5 million in 2004, signaling growing stress on the health care safety net. (3/23/06, Center for Health System Change)

 

Advocacy group to post hospitals' pricing policies for the uninsured

Consejo de Latinos Unidos (Council of United Latinos) announced plans to establish a Web site where it will post hospitals' pricing policies for the uninsured and monitor whether hospitals are complying with and informing uninsured patients about their discount and pricing policies. Consejo has close ties to Archie Lamb, a class-action trial lawyer who along with Richard Scruggs has sued hundreds of hospitals across the country challenging hospitals' tax-exempt status and alleging unfair billing and collection practices. Nearly all of the federal lawsuits have been dismissed or withdrawn. (3/16/06, American Hospital Association NewsNow)

 

Dimensions of the Local Health Care Environment and Use of Care by Uninsured Children in Rural and Urban Areas  Despite concerted policy efforts, a sizeable percentage of children lack health insurance coverage. This article examines the impact of the health care safety net and health care market structure on the use of health care by uninsured children [and concludes that U]ninsured children had low levels of utilization over a range of different health care provider types and settings. (3/06, Pediatrics) 

 

Health and Well-Being of Children: A Portrait of States and the Nation 2005

The National Survey of Children's Health, conducted (by the National Center for Health Statistics of the CDC) for the first time in 2003, addresses multiple state and national aspects of child health as well as aspects of the family and the neighborhood that can affect children's health. 

 

Health Care Reform: 2006 Perspectives
The Commonwealth Fund-supported research provides perspective on approaches to addressing the issues of health care costs, quality and coverage, and details promising innovations to help the U.S. move toward a truly high-performance health care system. 

 

State of the States: Finding Their Own Way on Health Coverage, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program that works with states to expand health insurance coverage, today issued its latest annual "State of the States" report, summarizing strategies states are implementing or considering to expand health coverage.

  

Rising Out-of-Pocket Spending for Medical Care: A Growing Strain on Family Budgets

Since the late 1990s, accelerated growth in health care spending has translated into increased burdens on family budgets. In 2001–02, an average of 13 million families per year had direct out-of-pocket (OOP) costs equal to or exceeding 10 percent of family income. When premium costs are added into the equation, even more families are devoting a substantial share of resources to health care expenses. From the Commonwealth Fund. 

 

Health Coverage for Aging Baby Boomers

Rising out-of-pocket health care costs and sluggish wage growth threatens workers' ability to save for retirement. This is particularly true for adults ages 50 to 64, or "baby boomers," whose per capita health care expenditures are more than twice those of younger adults. This January 2006 published analysis of The Commonwealth Fund Survey of Older Adults found: older adults have high rates of chronic health conditions; many have unstable insurance coverage; those who have low income, individual coverage, or no insurance spend a substantial share of their income on coverage and health care and have reduced access to care.

 

A recent Urban Institute report, Lowering Financial Burdens and Increasing Health Insurance Coverage for Those with High Medical Costs, reviews evidence that the health care system is doing a poor job of ensuring care for those who most need it and offers options for subsidizing health care coverage for high-cost, high-risk populations. 

 

Young adults are one of the largest and fastest-growing segments of the U.S. population without health insurance. They often lose coverage under their parents' policies at age 19 or when they graduate from high school or college. The updated Rite of Passage: Why Young Adults Become Uninsured and How New Policies Can Help suggests several policy changes that could extend coverage to uninsured young adults.

 

Health Equity Issues

 

Examining the Health Disparities Research Plan of the National Institutes of Health: Unfinished Business

The range of diseases and conditions for which there are differences spans virtually all biomedical disciplines. There are complex, interrelated social, economic, behavioral, health care and other environmental aspects - and the differences, their features, and the roles of contributing factors vary among affected populations and subpopulations.  The review committee sees the opportunity and need for NIH to focus even more on health disparities as a research entity and move knowledge and understanding forward as no other agency or setting can. (Board on Health Sciences Policy 2006 US National Academies of Sciences)

 

Latino Health Care Is Being Left Behind

The recent National Healthcare Quality Report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that overall quality of care for Americans improved at a rate of 2.8 percent. It sounds small, but that's actually quite impressive for a nationwide improvement. For Latinos, however, quality of care worsened.  (3/21/06, San Francisco Chronicle)

 

Latino Doctors Partner with HHS to Tackle Health Disparities

To tackle health disparities and soaring obesity and diabetes rates among Latinos, the National Hispanic Medical Association is partnering on an initiative with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health (OMH) to develop leadership training, education and outreach programs to improve Hispanic health. (3/20/06, Hispanic PR Wire)

 

A Randomized, Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of Community-Based Case Management in Insuring Uninsured Latino Children 

Uninsured children were assigned randomly to an intervention group with trained case managers or a control group that received traditional Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) outreach and enrollment. Case managers provided information on program eligibility, helped families complete insurance applications, acted as a family liaison with Medicaid/SCHIP, and assisted in maintaining coverage.  Intervention group children were significantly more likely to obtain health insurance and had 8 times the adjusted odds of obtaining insurance. (12/05, Pediatrics)

 

Who Is at Greatest Risk for Receiving Poor-Quality Health Care?

American adults frequently do not receive recommended health care. The extent to which the quality of health care varies among sociodemographic groups is unknown. The study used data from medical records and telephone interviews of a random sample of people living in 12 communities to assess the quality of care received by those who had made at least one visit to a health care provider during the previous two years. The differences among sociodemographic subgroups in the observed quality of health care are small in comparison with the gap for each subgroup between observed and desirable quality of health care. (3/16/06, New England Journal of Medicine)

 

New England Journal of Medicine Faces Challenge from Health Experts

Researchers, advocates and lawmakers question study that minimizes race-based health disparities (3/16/06, Applied Research Center) 

 

Health Status of Children in Immigrant Families

Children who are born in the United States to noncitizen parents, foreign-born children with noncitizen parents, and foreign-born children who are naturalized citizens are all likely to have limited access to health insurance and health care. (April 2006, American Journal of Public Health)

 

Burden of Disease Associated with Being African-American in the United States and the Contribution of Socio-Economic Status

The burden of disease associated with being African-American in the US, and the contribution of socio-economic status (SES) to that burden have not been quantified. The study found SES differences between African-Americans and whites appeared to explain all the Health Related Quality of Life disparity but only half the mortality disparity. Better understanding of the disparate effects of SES may inform interventions to address health disparities adversely affecting African-Americans. (May 2006, Social Science & Medicine)

 

Methods for Measuring Cancer Disparities: A Review Using Data Relevant to Healthy People 2010 Cancer-Related Objectives

Healthy People 2010 has two overarching goals: to increase the span of healthy life and to eliminate health disparities across the categories of gender, race or ethnicity, education or income, disability, geographic location, and sexual orientation. This report raises some conceptual issues and reviews different methodological approaches germane to measuring progress toward the goal of eliminating cancer-related health disparities.

 

Reaching an Immigrant Population

Saint Francis Medical Center listened to its Latin American immigrant community and answered with a number of innovative programs to improve communication, services and wellness. (March 2006, Hospitals & Health Care Networks)

 

Social Determinants of Health and Nursing: A Summary of the Issues
It is well-established that poorer people have substantially shorter life expectancies and This Canadian civil service study compared the health status of individuals over time with their position in a well-defined job hierarchy. Those lower in the hierarchy experienced three times the risk of death from heart disease, stroke, cancer, gastrointestinal disease, accident and suicide compared with those at the top of the hierarchy.

Stretching the Safety Net to Serve Undocumented Immigrants
A small but increasing proportion of immigrants to the United States is undocumented. This Health System Change Issue Brief found that because most undocumented immigrants lack health insurance, they primarily rely on safety net providers for care. Communities with more developed safety nets and historically large numbers of immigrants appear more adept at caring for both legal and undocumented immigrants. 

The 2005 National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR) and 2005 National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR) are now available on AHRQ's Web Site. The 2005 NHQR is a comprehensive national overview of quality of health care in the United States. The 2005 NHDR tracks disparities in both quality of and access to health care in the United States for both the general population and for congressionally designated priority populations.

Few Hospitals Use Patients' Race, Ethnicity and Language Data to Improve Quality of Care
Health care stakeholders urge all U.S. hospitals to use patient data to improve the quality and consistency of care their patients receive.  The study was conducted by the National Public Health and Hospital Institute with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.   

 

Other Health Issues

 

Reflections on a Decade of Tracking Health System Change

Lots of change; little progress on slowing cost growth or improving care quality and access

In the commentary, Ginsburg and coauthor Cara S. Lesser, HSC director of site visits, point out that in the course of all the "mergers and break-ups and alphabet soup of new types of organizations, management strategies and payment arrangements...In many respects, we're no better off than we were a decade ago." (3/15/06, Center for Studying Health System Change)

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 STATE HEALTH EVENTS AND NOTICES

April 18, 2006 

EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA

Reunión con la Comunidad de Volusia y Flagler sobre el Sistema de sistencia Médica y Salud

A Meeting of the Latino Community of Volusia and Flagler Counties to discuss the issues of Health Care and Medical Assistance

Sábado, 6 de mayo, 2006/ May 6th, 2006 10:00 am-1:00 pm 

Iglesia Our Lady of the Lakes Church, 1310 Maximilian St., Deltona
The Congressionally appointed Citizens' Health Care Working Group has been charged with listening to and learning from the American public at large about concerns with the nation’s health system. They are holding community meetings to listen to communities about their local concerns, as well as to solicit recommendations to help shape national health policy. Recommendations will be considered by Congress and the White House. Co-hosted by Florida CHAIN. For more information in English o en español, call: Nayda Cuevas, 386/848-9001, Hilda Nuñez, 386/822-9882 or Andrew Leone 954/684-9895.

 
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

 

Fifth Annual Southwest Florida Conference on Aging

Apr. 21  8:00 am - 3:30 pm  Fort Myers Holiday Inn Select at Bell Tower

Hope Hospice will host this event to provide information and discussion on topics related to aging, and presentations will be made by medical and legal professionals, educators and other experts. Registration: $65 for professionals, $30 for caregivers and students. To register or for more information, call 239/433-8069.

 

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

 

Events

 

Gubernatorial Candidate Speaker Series

Tom Gallagher - April 17 5:30-7:00 pm Hors D’oeuvres and cocktails at City Place

Jim Davis - May 15,   Rod Smith - May 22,  Charlie Crist - unconfirmed

For more information about this Black Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County, Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Greater Florida Partnership series, contact info@blackchamberpbc.com or 561/691-8592

 

Planned Parenthood Young Professionals Public Affairs Meeting

April 19  6:00-7:00pm   Boca Raton

Get educated on the issues and learn how to get involved and make your voice heard by discussing current events and strategizing action steps necessary to uphold health and reproductive rights locally, statewide and nationally. Refreshments and conversation provided. For RSVP and directions, call Amanda at 561/394-3540, ext.220

 

Spring Into Health Fair

April 22   9:00 am – 3:00 pm

The Signature Grand, 6900 State Road 84, Davie

Broward Early Learning Coalition’s event brings together reps from the health care industry, pharmaceutical companies, social service agencies, and families to become more educated about health and safety issues faced in our families and communities. Parents and children are invited to take advantage of free blood pressure, vision, developmental, hearing, diabetes and cholesterol screenings, physical exams and immunizations, and to receive health, nutrition, safety and social services information. Free Pre-K registration available. Exhibitors wanted. Flyers available in English, Creole and Spanish. Free round trip transportation to/from select locations to the event. For details or to register click here or call 954/377-2188.

 

Care Resource's 18th annual Aids Walk Miami- Run, Walk, Blade, for the cure

April 23    8:00 am registration/9:00 am Walk

Miami Beach Convention Center to the Art Deco District

This fundraising pledge event that benefits women, men, and youth affected by HIV/AIDS through Care Resource programs including Family Counseling,Youth NET, Care Management and Partners in Faith. Each participant is asked to raise a minimum $25 donation. For more information, call 305/751-WALK (9255).

 

Palm Beach Cover The Uninsured Week

April 26 - Press Conference    May 1-7 - activities 

Coalition Chair West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel will headline the press conference.  Dwight Chenette, CEO of the PBC Health Care District, will also speak.  An interfaith prayer breakfast has been confirmed.  A health and wellness fair in Delray Beach and a program with FAU medical students are planned. A business summit will be held on May 4. For event details or to get involved in planning conference calls, call Beth Lerner at 954/825-7722.

 

Southeast Florida Cancer Control Collaborative Meeting
April 27      10:00 am - 3:00 pm        

Gilda's Club of South Florida, 119 Rose Drive, Ft. Lauderdale

The purpose of the new SFCCC is to reduce the burden of cancer and cancer disparities in eight Southeast Florida counties: Broward, Indian River, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie. For more information, contact: DParker@MED.MIAMI.EDU

  

BUILDING MOVEMENT: A Forum on Approaches To Advocacy and Consumer Engagement

April 27  2:00 – 4:00 pm    

Human Services Coalition Conference Room, 260 NE 17th Terrace #200

HSC’s Advocacy Institute and Miami Can are hosting this discussion on advocacy and consumer engagement approaches among nonprofit, unions and government agencies in Miami-Dade County.  Share your ideas and learn from others in the field about how community members are informed, mobilized, and empowered to provide input into decision making for social and economic change. RSVP to 305/576-5001 ext. 13 or 305/573-6665 ext. 180

 

Cocktails and Conversation: A Monthly Social by Planned Parenthood Voice for Choice Action Fund of South Palm Beach and Broward Counties

April 27   7:00 pm    Lauderhill

Meet new friends, and learn about the Voice for Choice Action Fund and how to protect reproductive rights in your community.  This free monthly Cocktails & Conversations house party series is open to new guests.  For more information, RSVP, and directions, call 561/395-3540 ext 335 or email judith.selzer@votecarefully.org.

 
March of Dimes WalkAmerica
April 29   8:30 am    Crandon Park, Key Biscayne
Join the Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade team. Register online here.
 

Health and enrollment fair for Cover the Uninsured Week

May 1  9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Joseph Caleb Center lobby, 5400 NW 22 Ave, Miami

Sponsored by Economic Opportunity Family Health Center Inc. For more information, contact: hedwards@hcnetwork.org or 305/805-1700 ext 23.

 

Cutler Ridge Cover the Uninsured Week Health Fair

May 2  11:00am - 4:00pm

Precision Response Center, 19500 S Dixie Hwy, Cutler Ridge

Community Health of South Dade presents a health fair with free health screenings including: glucose/blood pressure, lung cancer risk, depression, breast & cervical cancer risk, substance abuse, oral health, cholesterol, vision, HIV/AIDS. For more information, call 305/242-6018.

 

St. John Bosco Clinic Third Annual Cover the Uninsured Week Health Fair

May 6     St. John Bosco Church, 1301 West Flagler Street, Miami

This non-profit parish based primary care clinic, providing free health care services to the underserved population of the Little Havana Community for 13 years, invites sponsors to join them in increasing community awareness and promoting health screening and prevention. For additional information about sponsorship and raffle donations, call: 786/666-3977.

 

Partner Organizations Wanted for Hip Hop 4 Health Fair

May 20   noon to 3:00 pm   central location in Miami-Dade County

Hip Hop 4 Health is an outreach effort to help middle school kids get health screenings and information to lead healthier lives. This year’s last health fair will feature the hip hop competition finalists from all twelve participating middle schools, plus extensive entertainment including bounce houses, rock climbing wall, DJ and food, as well as extensive health and community services. Social service and healthcare agencies are invited to participate in these fairs at no cost. Contact Hilda Mitrani at hildamitrani@comcast.net or 305/992-3475.

 

Conference on Intervention

October 2-4  The Breakers Palm Beach Hotel

Click here for more information on this and four other events scheduled for 2006.

 

The Alliance for Human Services 4th Annual Institute hosts its 4th Annual Institute
October 27   Miami Beach Convention Center

Over 400 individuals (business leaders, social service providers, not-for-profit agencies, faith-based organizations, human service consumers) will gather to discuss and receive valuable information and innovative solutions on social service issues.  The Alliance is dedicated to improving quality of life for Miami-Dade County residents through partnerships, coordination of resources, and community involvement. For more information, call 305/646-7274 or write ggrey@alliance4hs.org.

 

Notices

 

New Healthy Start Coalition Of Miami-Dade Website LAUNCHED! The website at www.hscmd.org will increase community awareness about the Healthy Start Coalition’s activities and accomplishments, and serve the women, infants and families of Miami-Dade County.

 

A Partnership to Reduce Cancer Mortality Among African Americans

100 Black Men of South Florida, Inc. and Aventura Hospital and Medical Center announced this month their partnership to address the health disparities among the African American community as it relates to cancer, heart disease and diabetes. For more information on this and other community outreach programs, please contact 305/682-7135 or Debra.Eddington@hcahealthcare.com

 

STATEWIDE

 

Cover the Uninsured Week 2006 will take place May 1-7

Visit covertheuninsuredweek.org to see Florida events.

 

2006 National STD Prevention Conference:

Beyond the Hidden Epidemic: Evolution or Revolution?
May 8-11   Jacksonville  Hyatt Regency   

Pre-registration deadline is April 17
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other groups sponsor this planned interface of science, program, and policy. Click here for more information .

 

In Our Best Interest:

Governor's Conference on Women's Health

May 18-19   Orlando, Sheraton World 

For more information on this year's state-mandated conference of the interagency Women's Health Strategy Committee, click here or write Shara_Senior@doh.state.fl.us

 

18th Annual National Conference on Social Work and HIV/AIDS

May 25-28, 2006    Miami, The InterContinental
Sponsored by Boston College Graduate College of Social Work, this year's conference theme is "HIV/AIDS at Year 25: Challenges and Opportunities for Social Work."  Over 600 AIDS-care social workers are expected and over 120 conference sessions For more information, call 617/552-4038 or write lynchv@bc.edu. Click here for the conference brochure.

2006 National Conference on Latinos and AIDS
July 24-25   Wyndham Miami Beach Resort
Sponsored by Minority Healthcare Communications, Inc., this event will update the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of health providers who care for patients with HIV/AIDS. It is also designed for healthcare media, federal and state legislators, AIDS service organization officers, social workers, pharmacists, nurses, peer counselors, church leadership and corrections healthcare personnel. It will cover the epidemiology of HIV in the US, current guidelines and new clinical modalities for HIV management, current research encompassing drug abuse and its connection to the HIV epidemic, social and psychiatric concerns of the HIV-infected patient, policy initiatives, trends and political issues. CME credits available. Click here for more information.

Florida Conference on Aging 2006

August 14 - 17    Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina.  For more information, click here. 

2006 United States Conference on AIDS
Sept. 21-25   Hollywood Westin Diplomat
National Minority AIDS Council presents the largest AIDS-related gathering in the US, for over 4,000 case managers, physicians, public health workers and advocates to build national support networks, exchange the latest information and learn cutting-edge tools to address the challenges of HIV/AIDS.
Click here for registration and more information including scholarships access.

2006 Baker Act Training The University of South Florida Department of Mental Health Law and Policy  presents a series of one-day workshops which will provide an overview for a wide variety of persons who need to be familiar with the Baker Act and its procedures. Workshops are scheduled through May, 2006 in select cities across the state. Click here to see a full listing of the events and register online.

AWARD NOMINATIONS INVITED

 

Sapphire Award to Recognize Community Health Excellence
Deadline for Nominations: May 5, 2006
The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida's Sapphire Award recognizes and promotes programs that have demonstrated impact in improving health-related outcomes of Florida's at-risk populations and communities. Three persons familiar with the organization must nominate the organization for the award. Up to three nonprofit winners will be selected annually to receive a financial award toward their defined community health objectives in an amount not to exceed $120,000 per organization. To be eligible, nominated 501 (c)(3)Florida housed and incorporated organizations must have a proven record of improving the health of their community through measurable. Nominations can be initiated by a health professional, volunteer, board member, or client; a representative of a partnering organization, such as another nonprofit organization or government agency; a representative of a foundation, corporation, or other funding institution; a program evaluator; or someone else who has direct knowledge of the organization's work and impact. Click here for information and application.

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  NATIONAL EVENTS AND NOTICES

April 18, 2006 

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

AUDIO CONFERENCES AND WEBCASTS

NOTICES

CAMPAIGNS AND INITIATIVES

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

 

Health as a Human Right: Health Education, Equality and Social Justice for All

Call for Abstract deadline: April 28

November 2-4  Boston, MA

Society for Public Health Education’s 57th Annual Meeting will examine the impact of reciprocal influences of health and human rights, including the impact public health programs and policies have on human rights and health disparities, the consequences human rights violations have on health, the importance of health in realizing human rights, and the ways in which health educators can ensure that human rights are integrated into public health strategies to eliminate disparities. Click here for more information.

 

The Second Annual Mobile Health Clinics Forum

May 6-9   San Diego, CA

Program features: Strategies for developing & sustaining a successful Mobile Health Clinic; Keynotes by mobile program founders and experts; The Illinois movement toward statewide Mobile Healthcare; Marine Mobile Health/Tele-Health Clinics; Voices from the Gulf Coast;Mobile Health Solution and more.

Click here for details. 

 

Spring 2006 National Health, Wellness & Prevention Congress

May 8-10   San Francisco
The transformation to a consumer-centric health marketplace is creating both new opportunities and new responsibilities for wellness, fitness and prevention professionals. Click here for more information. 

 

Physical Activity Program Successes: Impacting Communities, Effecting Change

May 9   Washington, DC

Through local public awareness campaigns, health promotion efforts, worksite, school site and community site programming, Americans are being reached where they live, work and play with programs and information on living healthier lives. The National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity is hosting a national conference to share successful programs and highlight inventive best practices with an eye toward replication.  Click here for more information.

 

Shaping the Future: The Roles of Public Health Institutes in Public Policy
May 10-12, 2006 -- New Orleans Omni Royal Orleans Hotel.
$200 registration fee covers all conference materials; breakfast, lunch, and reception on May 11th, and breakfast on May 12th.  Information here.

 

HIV/AIDS in the Arab-American Community: Breaking the Silence!

May 11-13    Dearborn, MI

The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) is hosting this 4th National Conference on Health Issues in the Arab-American Community. These HIV/AIDS workshops are designed to inform and educate attendees about the impact of HIV/AIDS in the Arab-American community and to suggest awareness and prevention messages to those most at risk. Details here. 

 

The National Obesity Action Forum

June 5-6  Bethesda, MD

This meeting aims to address the problem of overweight and obesity in our nation, bringing together federal, state, and local public health officials; leaders of community organizations and advocacy groups; nutrition and physical fitness experts; health care providers; school and food industry reps; and interested consumers. Click here for more information.

 

6th Annual Summer Evaluation Institute

June 12-14  Atlanta Marriott Marquis

Co-sponsored by CDC and AEA with support from the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), the Institute welcomes all CDC, state, local, and community staff who do or use program evaluation. This year's Institute features three days of intensive, small-group sessions. Go to the web site for a complete agenda, course selection, lodging information, and to register and pay on-line. For further help, contact heidi@eval.org or 888/232-2275. For questions on Institute content, write TChapel@cdc.gov.  

 AUDIO CONFERENCES AND WEBCASTS 

Acts of Charity: Charity Care Strategies for Hospitals in a Changing Landscape
April 20   Based on a survey and other analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, this ACHI audio conference will convey up-to-date information about the fast-moving subject of charity care in the context of community benefit.  Join it to learn about the current state of practice, and to hear and discuss recommended strategies. 

 

Best Practices: Race, Ethnicity, and Primary Language Data Collection to Improve Quality of Care for Diverse Populations – Audio Conference

April 27  2:00-3:00 pm Central Time (rescheduled)

Health care disparities occur within a wide range of health care settings including hospitals, emergency departments, clinics, and doctors' offices, and across a broad range of conditions. Hear Dr. Anne Beal, Program on Quality of Care for Underserved Populations and Dr. Romana Hasnain-Wynia, Health Research & Educational Trust discuss disparities in health care and best practices for collecting data on race, ethnicity, and primary language to help improve quality of care. Click here for more information.

National Leadership and Education Conference: For your patients ... For your community

June 28-29   Chicago

Cultural competency, mentoring, recruitment and retention, diversity among leadership and hospital trustees ... hospital and health system leaders grapple with these issues every day and ask how they can ensure that their health care workforce – particularly their health care managers – reflect the demographics of the communities they serve.  The theme exemplifies the mission of hospitals throughout the country  to provide culturally competent care for every patient who walks through their doors. Click here for more information.

 

Action for Healthy Kids: The Role of School Wellness in Creating High Performing Schools

April 27 3:00-4:15 pm ET

Register here for this Interactive Web Forum for School Administrators and Policy-Makers

 

Dental Care Access and Prevention Strategies

May 18  ACHI audio conference

 

Operation Access: Providing Donated Outpatient Surgery to Uninsured People

June 15  ACHI audio conference

 

NOTICES

 

Innovation in Multi-Cultural Health Care Award Application
Deadline: May 18

Awards Events: Sept. 13 in Los Angeles, Sept. 14 in DC

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) announces a call forapplications to publicly recognize health plans that have developed,designed or implemented innovative practices to improve the provision ofculturally and linguistically appropriate services and reduce health caredisparities. All health plans including managed care organizations (MCOs) and preferredprovider organizations (PPOs) are encouraged to submit applications for consideration. For more information on award and events, click here.

CAMPAIGNS AND INITIATIVES

 

National Donate Life Month: April

For materials: 301/443-7577  ask@hrsa.gov  www.organdonor.gov/donatelife.htm 

 

Alcohol Awareness Month: April

For materials: 800/789-2647  866/889-2647 TDD www.mentalhealth.org

 

National Alcohol Screening Day: April 6

For materials: 781/239-0071   info@mentalhealthscreening.org  www.NationalAlcoholScreeningDay.org 

 

National Infant Immunization Week: April 22 - 29

For materials: 800/232-4636 English/Spanish  nipinfo@cdc.gov   www.cdc.gov/nip/events/niiw/

 

National Public Health Week 2006

April 3-9, 2006. The American Public Health Association and hundreds of partner organizations will explore ways that Americans can build healthier communities and healthier kids. Communities across the country will consider how buildings, roads, sidewalks and neighborhood design are affecting the health of children. For more information, click here.

 

Second Annual Medical Fitness Week

April 24–30, 2006. The Medical Fitness Association sponsoring this international initiative to promote an increase in physical activity levels in all ages and to highlight the medical fitness difference. Medical fitness centers and communities are asked to offer programming to teach families skills to develop healthy lifestyle habits. All participating organizations are also asked to raise money through participation the Walking Challenge for local programs to fight childhood obesity. For details, click here.

National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and Walk4Life, Inc. also remind parents that children learn to get more physically active by example, with their new brochure, 101 Tips for Family Fitness Fun. For a free copy and information about bulk rate costs, email jlee-beverly@aahperd.org.  To purchase copies, call 1/800-321-0789.  Stock number is 304-10322. Spanish brochures, Consejos Divertidos para una Familia en Forma, are also available.

 

Cover the Uninsured Week 2006

May 1-7, 2006

The campaign's Web site has been updated with new information, resources and ways to get involved in the largest national campaign to help get America covered. Action steps include: Tell Congress, Spread the word by sending an email to your friends, Get involved in Cover the Uninsured Week activities. To download and order resources and materials including posters, stickers, fliers and more, for little or no cost, click here.  For large or special orders, call 202/572-2928.  

 

National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

May 3, 2006. Many materials and opportunities for community activities are available here. 

 

National Women's Health Week: May 14 - 20

For materials: 202/690-7651  4woman@ps.net  www.womenshealth.gov

Take the Woman Challenge, an 8-week challenge to increase physical activity beginning May 14, Mother's Day. Sign up here and receive a free pedometer.

  

Better Hearing and Speech Month: May 

For materials, click here. Also, get information about Medicare’s coverage of speech, language, hearing and related disorders, along with a directory of federal, state and local assistance programs to help pay for what Medicare doesn’t cover. (Note: Medicare does not cover hearing aids or the examinations for prescribing or fitting hearing aids, except for implants to treat severe hearing loss in some cases.)

 

Mental Health Month: May

For materials: 800/969-6642  www.nmha.org

 

National High Blood Pressure Education Month: May

For materials: 301/592-8573   nhlbiinfo@nhlbi.nih.gov  hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/nhbpep_kit

 

Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month: May

For materials: 888/462-DERM  mediarelations@aad.org  www.aad.org 

 

Healthy Vision Month: May

For materials:   301/496-5248 hvm@nei.nih.gov  www.healthyvision2010.org/hvm/ 

 

National Men's Health Week: June 12 - 18

For materials: 202/543-MHN-1 x101  info@menshealthweek.org  www.menshealthweek.org 

 

2006 March of Dimes WalkAmerica: June 29 - 30

For materials: 888/M-O-DIMES   800/525-WALK   walkamerica@modimes.org  www.walkamerica.org 

 

UV Safety Month: July
American Academy of Opthalmology
415/447-0213   eyemd@aao.org    www.aao.org

 

World Breastfeeding Week:  August 1-7
Materials available: World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and La Leche League International
847/519-7730 x286   MHurt@llli.org   www.lalecheleague.org

 

Children's Eye Health and Safety Month: August
Materials available: Prevent Blindness America
800/331-2020    info@preventblindness.org   www.preventblindness.org

 

Cataract Awareness Month: August
Materials available: American Academy of Ophthalmology
415/447-0213    eyemd@aao.org   www.aao.org

 

National Immunization Awareness Month: August
Materials available: National Partnership for Immunization
703/836-6110    npi@hmhb.org   www.partnersforimmunization.org

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