archive 062609

June 26, 2009
	Florida CHAIN Joins Thousands in March on the Hill to Advocate for Health Care Reform A sea of advocates descended on Washington DC this week to push Congress toward meaningful healthcare reform for ALL Americans. Leah Cook, Advocacy and Outreach Director for Florida CHAIN joined fellow Floridians and thousands of members of the Health Care for America Now (HCAN) coalition, for a rally at the capitol and visits with Florida’s Congressional delegation. (Leah Cook, Florida CHAIN) Read more

	Health Care Reform Could Help 2 Million of Florida's Uninsured Through Medicaid Expansion Supporters of the main proposals for national health care reform in Congress correctly stress how reform would improve access to affordable, quality health care for all Americans. To get necessary political support, reform needs broad-based appeal. It’s essential, however, for advocates to focus on the extent to which it will transform the lives of one particular group: uninsured, low-income Americans. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) *Read more*

	Floridians Urge Senator Nelson to Support Health Care Reform On June 23rd, healthcare advocates and concerned voters joined together to relay the message to Senator Bill Nelson that they can’t wait any longer for true health care reform. Events organized by HCAN (Health Care for America Now), Organizing for America and Healthcare Now took place across the state in the form of press conferences, rallies and “walk-ins”. (Laura Goodhue, Florida CHAIN) Read more

	Florida CHAIN WEBINAR: Understanding National Health Care Reform Thursday, July 16th 11:00 AM - Noon Registration Fee: $25 Join Florida CHAIN Health Policy Director Greg Mellowe to explore key issues including: "public option", “guaranteed issue”, “individual mandate”, “exchange and co-ops”; and how reform could expand access to coverage, be paid for, and impact Florida. *Read more*

	State Reviewers Again Find Progress Lacking in Medicaid Reform Experiment OPPAGA, the research and evaluation arm of the Florida Legislature, released a follow-up on the Medicaid Reform experiment, including: "Based on the lack of sufficient information to assess progress..., concerns raised by stakeholders and researchers, and symptoms of plan instability, ..the Medicaid Reform pilot is not ready to expand. . . ." (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) *Read more*

	Two Year Medicare Wait Despite Paralysis Brings Indigence I was paralyzed in an auto accident when I was 19, however I made a career of mentoring, advocating and counseling. Unfortunately, a few months ago, I became too ill to work and had to file for SSDI and was approved. But, much to my surprise I am not eligible for any health coverage due to the 2 year wait for Medicare. I worked and contributed to a system for 23 years and now I’ve quickly exhausted all my resources, drained my savings and ultimately lost everything. (Scott Straub, age 43) Read more

	Medicare & Disability: Congress Must Not Wait to End Wait Worked hard all your adult life. Never earned a lot, but paid your bills as and into Social Security and Medicare. But then you became permanently disabled and can no longer work. You get limited Social Security Disability Insurance checks that help make ends meet. And Medicare for your significant unmet health needs. Right? Wrong. If you're under 65, not for a couple of years. (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) *Read more*

	TAKE ACTION: Congress Must End the 2-Year Medicare Wait for Persons Under 65 With Disabilities Medicare provides health care for older Americans, and also millions under 65 with serious disabilities - who must wait two years before becoming Medicare eligible. Tell your U.S. Senator or Rep. to co-sponsor the Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009, to end the two-year wait and give people with disabilities essential health coverage. *Click here to TAKE ACTION* with the Medicare Resource Center.

	Part D Choices: Too Much of a Good Thing? Polls show that Americans value the opportunity to choose their doctors as well as their health plans. But is more choice always better? What happens when there are barriers to informed choice? Look at Medicare Part D, for example (Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN) Read more

	The Advocacy Center Needs Your Input Looking ahead to 2010, the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc. is seeking community input on goals for 2010 through an online survey, The Center is also looking for applicants for its Board of Directors. *Read more and click through to the survey.*

	TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress and President Obama to End Waitlists for Vital Services to Persons With Developmental Disabilities Approximately 4 million Americans have developmental disabilities. In almost all states, "Home and Community-based Waivers" needed for care of many high needs children as well as adults are not fully funded. This results in waitlists of five to thirty years and lack of portability of services from one state to another and one county to another - services families cannot pay for. *Read more and TAKE ACTION* with a petition through NOEWAIT.

	Florida Coalition for Open Access Update The Florida AHCA P&T Committee meets 4 times a year to decide what is on the Preferred Drug List and what requires Prior physician Authorization for Medicaid beneficiaries. Florida Coalition for Open Access provides them with information, from the view that limiting access to medications to save money is not cost effective, and can also be bad medicine. (Scott Barnett, Mental Health America of Greater Tampa Bay) *Read more* about the Coalition and the June 24 P&T Meeting

	Coordinated Efforts Bring Long Term Care Through Tough Legislative Session With extensive lobbying, communication and FHCA member grassroots efforts, the 2009 Legislative Session ended with effectively no reduction in providers’ Medicaid reimbursement rates, some reduction in regulatory burdens and no major bills passing that will negatively impact long term care. (LuMarie Polivka-West, Florida Health Care Association) Read more

	Publicize Your National Health Care Reform Events With Us, and Check Out Our New Resources With National Health Care Reform dominating our agendas, Florida CHAIN is now sending out bulletins to publicize national health care reform efforts all around Florida. So add us to your distribution list or forward the information to lisag@floridachain.org so we can help you spread the word. And check out our new Health Care Reform Sections on the Events and Resources pages. Support Florida CHAIN Florida CHAIN is a non-profit organization supported by foundations, corporations and individual donations. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of our CHAIN Reaction e-newsletter or value our work and would like to make a donation, please click here or call Lisa Grossman at 954-986-6535 for more information.



	CHAIN Reaction is a bi-weekly publication of Florida CHAIN (Community Health Action Information Network), a statewide consumer advocacy organization that works toward access to quality health care, empowering people to actively shape their world by participating in civic life and caring for each other’s well being. Florida CHAIN: 3167-B Gardens East Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 info@floridachain.org www.floridachain.org

Florida CHAIN Joins Thousands in March on the Hill to Advocate for Health Care Reform

A sea of advocates descended on Washington DC this week to push Congress toward meaningful healthcare reform for ALL Americans. Leah Cook, Advocacy and Outreach Director for Florida CHAIN joined fellow Floridians and thousands of members of the Health Care for America Now (HCAN) coalition, for a rally at the capitol and visits with Florida’s Congressional delegation.

HCAN is a group of more than 135 national and state-based groups who represent labor, community organizations, doctors, nurses, women, small business, faith-based organizations, and people of color. The group is engaged in a national campaign to secure a guarantee of quality, affordable health care for all Americans in 2009.

Doug Martin, Legislative Director for AFSCME Florida Council 79 said, “the current system is not sustainable and not working at any level and only the national government has the ability to restructure this system to provide health care for everyone The Health Care for America now coalition supports the President for a strong public plan for those who cannot obtain insurance through their employer.”

It is well known that our current health care system in America is not affordable for families, businesses, or government, and it fails to provide a guarantee of quality health care when we need it. The Florida advocates brought a message to Congress that we need a comprehensive solution in which individuals, employers and government all share responsibility for guaranteeing health care we can count on.

The Florida advocates visited with Congress to offer a bold vision for health care reform which is built on our current health care system and allows those who already have insurance and are happy with it to keep it, but also allow those who haven’t been able to access health insurance to finally afford it.

The main goal was to talk with Congressional Representatives about the dire need for healthcare reform in Florida where almost 4 million are uninsured and many more have unaffordable or limited healthcare coverage.

Leah Cook, Florida CHAIN

Health Care Reform Could Help 2 Million of Florida's Uninsured Through Medicaid Expansion

Support Real Health Care Reform for Florida's Future: Call Senator Nelson at 202-224-5274 and your Congressional representative, and tell them to support health care reform to cover Floridians.

Supporters of the main proposals for national health care reform currently under discussion in Congress correctly stress how reform would improve access to affordable, quality health care for all Americans. In order to get the necessary political support, however, health care reform needs to have broad-based appeal. It’s essential, however, for advocates to focus on the extent to which it will transform the lives of one particular group: uninsured, low-income Americans.

Almost 2 million Floridians are both very low-income and uninsured. Without real health care reform, few have any hope of obtaining meaningful, affordable coverage. Proposed legislation under review in the Senate Health Committee and bills forthcoming through the Senate Finance Committee and jointly through the 3 relevant House committees would expand Medicaid coverage for many or most of them. Those with incomes above the Medicaid eligibility line should qualify for subsidies – on a sliding scale – to make coverage affordable.

Examples of the uninsured Floridians who would be newly covered include:

A family of 4 scraping by on $30,000 a year.

(Without reform: The family can afford a total of $125 in monthly insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs. No one can get real coverage for that.)

A single mom who cleans the hotel rooms of thousands of Florida visitors each year.

(Without reform: Working parents who earn more than a few hundred dollars a month aren’t eligible for Medicaid.)

A 58-year old flower shop assistant whose employer can’t afford coverage for her 3 employees.

(Without reform: Small businesses can seldom offer affordable coverage. One out of 5 all Floridians between the ages of 50 and 64 are uninsured.)

A 44-year old landscaper who worked 20 years tailoring lawns before becoming disabled last year.

(Without reform: Workers who become disabled must wait 2 years before becoming eligible for Medicare.)

A family reeling from the impact of a recent medical emergency.

(Without reform: Countless families are drowning in medical debt, with many headed towards bankruptcy. Short-term Medicaid might help, but only after the family has exhausted all resources.)

The short deadline established by the President and Congress for passing reform legislation will likely be pushed back as debate swirls around how much it would cost and how to pay for it. Questions about whether there can be real reform without a “public coverage option” to compete with private plans and “keep insurance companies honest” has also intensified. The outcome of these debates will determine what reform looks like, but it’s all for naught if it doesn’t provide real coverage for uninsured Floridians.

Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN

Floridians Urge Senator Nelson to Support Health Care Reform

On June 23^rd, healthcare advocates and concerned voters joined together to relay the message to Senator Bill Nelson that they can’t wait any longer for true health care reform. Events organized by HCAN (Health Care for America Now), Organizing for America and Healthcare Now took place across the state in the form of press conferences, rallies and “walk-ins”.

Florida CHAIN’s Executive Director, Laura Goodhue, met with Senator Nelson’s staff to urge the Senator to actively support proposals that would provide health care coverage to uninsured Floridians and reform the system so that working families aren’t squeezed any further.

While there are many different facets of current proposals, Florida CHAIN urged the Senator to support an expanded Medicaid program that would provide coverage to 2 million of Florida’s uninsured families. Under this proposal, a family of 4 earning $30,000 a year would be eligible for Medicaid (150% of FPL). They also discussed making coverage meaningful and affordable for working families, ensuring that families get and keep meaningful coverage and providing a higher quality of care for everyone.

At the Senator’s West Palm Beach office, a steady stream of constituents met with staff to tell their health care stories while members of the HCAN coalition held signs and distributed flyers. Similar collaborative groups visited the Senator’s other Florida regional offices.

Laura Goodhue, Florida CHAIN

Photo captions:

Top: FL CHAIN Executive Director Laura Goodhue and family meet with Michelle McGovern, Regional Director for Senator Bill Nelson.

Bottom: Health Care advocates and voters rally outside of Senator Bill Nelson’s West Palm Beach office.

WEBINAR:
Understanding National
Health Care Reform

Thursday, July 16th
11:00 AM - Noon
Registration Fee: $25

Presented by Florida CHAIN Health Policy Director Greg Mellowe

What are the key issues being debated in Washington?

Just what are "public option", “guaranteed issue”, “individual mandate”, “exchange and co-ops”?

How will reform expand access to coverage?

How will reform be paid for?

How will reform impact Florida?

It is a monumental time in our nation's history. Conceivably, our country can change its entire health care infrastructure within the next four months! With discussions and decisions about national health care reform moving so rapidly, it's easy to be confused about all that's going on. But it's also more important than ever to be knowledgable.

Your legislators need to hear from you. Your neighbors need to learn from you. Your friends need to join you. Be a part of one of the most important decisions affecting this generation and generations to come.

In order to participate in this webinar, you will need internet access and a telephone.

Look for an email announcing online registration shortly. For more information, write lisag@floridachain.org.

State Reviewers Again Find Progress Lacking in Medicaid Reform Experiment

OPPAGA, the research and evaluation arm of the Florida Legislature, last week released a follow-up report to its earlier series examining the progress of the Medicaid Reform experiment. Key findings from the report, Medicaid Reform: Legislature Should Delay Expansion Until More Information Is Available to Evaluate Success, include the following:

AHCA can't show whether or not the Reform Pilot has saved money over regular Medicaid, and in fact hasn't even developed a method it can use to figure that out.

When comparing the level of consumer satisfaction (first year of Reform vs. pre-Reform), University of Florida researchers found few significant differences. The one key difference reported throughout the Pilot, however, was a drop in recipients' overall satisfaction with their health care. However, UF did not survey consumers about the extent to which their access to necessary care and prescription drugs has changed.

AHCA has published health plan performance ratings, but they "have limited value for assessing actual plan performance, because they compare plans to an average that has nothing to do with good performance."

AHCA can't compare the quality and quantity of health care in Reform vs. traditional Medicaid or assess whether recipients' health care needs have been met. That's because the encounter data needed for that purpose won't be in place before January 2010. (NOTE: That's a very optimistic estimate, particularly considering AHCA isn't even asking plans to resume submission of encounter data until July.)

The flexibility given to plans in Reform was supposed to increase consumer choice and plan competition. "However, plans' benefits vary only minimally and some...plans have decreased or eliminated extra services since the first year of Reform... [and] although the number of plans initially increased under Medicaid Reform, in the last few months, some plans have stopped enrolling...and others have reorganized, potentially causing disruption in continuity of care." (NOTE: In its response to this report, AHCA referred to this upheaval as a "normal business process".)

OPPAGA concludes:

"Based on the lack of sufficient information to assess progress..., concerns raised by stakeholders and researchers, and symptoms of plan instability, ..the Medicaid Reform pilot is not ready to expand to other areas of Florida."

"Before the Legislature authorizes AHCA to expand Medicaid Reform to other areas in the state, AHCA should provide decision-makers sufficient data to demonstrate that [Reform] has improved the delivery of health care services...Delaying expansion at this time also would give AHCA additional time to continue addressing areas needing improvement that OPPAGA identified in earlier Medicaid Reform reports.

Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN

Below are links to the most recent newspaper articles covering the OPPAGA report:

Miami Herald

Sun Sentinel

Two Year Medicare Wait Despite Paralysis Brings Indigence

I was paralyzed in an auto accident when I was 19. It was a great challenge, however I realized there was a bigger purpose for me. I had been given this obstacle for a reason and decided to make a career out of mentoring others. Over the years I have been an advocate (even traveling to Washington), mentor and worked as a Counselor. I have made a career of giving back since my accident.

Unfortunately, a few months ago, I became too ill to work. I have always worked and want nothing more than to continue doing so. Because of my symptoms, I was forced to file for SSDI. After the wait period, I was approved and started receiving my payments. Much to my surprise, I was not eligible for any health coverage. Last time I checked, there was no cure for paralysis, yet I have to prove I am disabled. Therefore, I am subject to the 2 year wait for Medicare. I am too sick to work and denied any access to health coverage.

Even though I worked helping others find resources, I found myself completely helpless. I do not qualify for any assistance and can’t afford health care. I have been to the ER for treatment twice since last March. I still suffer from the same symptoms and cannot get a doctor to see me. At my age, as a paraplegic, an infection could be fatal.

I have been discarded as a human because of my insurance status or lack thereof. I worked and contributed to a system for 23 years and now I am left with nothing and no health care options for 2 years. I’ve exhausted all of my resources, drained my savings and ultimately lost everything. All of this in a matter of a few months.

How can this injustice continue? Forced to become an indigent and sacrifice everything I worked so hard for. If I could obtain proper treatment and regain my health, I would immediately seek employment.

I did not ask to be in this situation and I certainly did nothing wrong. This is a broken system and we need to fix it. One health incident could cause you to lose everything in the blink of an eye. Don’t let this be you! As Americans, we need to unite and let our voices be heard!

Scott Straub, 43 years old

Florida CHAIN Seeks Stories

Florida CHAIN welcomes contributions from health care consumers who are interested in sharing their experiences with readers of CHAIN Reaction. If you have a story to share, please contact lisam@floridachain.org

June 26, 2009

Medicare & Disability: Congress Must Not Wait to End Wait

Suppose this is your story: You’ve worked hard all of your adult life. You never earned a huge income, but you paid your bills as well as paid into Social Security and Medicare. But then you became permanently disabled and can no longer work. You then begin to receive limited but lifesaving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments. The checks help make ends meet, but you have significant unmet health needs. At least you have Medicare to provide access to the health care you desperately need. Right? Wrong.

Disabled workers receiving SSDI do qualify for coverage for Medicare, but only after an incredibly difficult 24-month waiting period (excluding the 5 month wait just to become eligible after becoming disabled).

Although some have access to private coverage through a spouse or their former employer (e.g., COBRA), more than one quarter of these 1.8 million Americans (including perhaps 110,000 Floridians) have no coverage at all throughout the two years. Consequences include delayed care, more severe health problems and/or massive medical debt. Most tragic of all, one in eight SSDI recipients dies during their waiting period.

Although Medicaid is supposed to be safety net coverage for the poorest, that safety net is especially threadbare in Florida. Disabled persons who lack enough work history to qualify for any (or only very limited) Social Security Disability payments receive bare-bones payments through the Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) program. Although SSI recipients automatically qualify for Medicaid in Florida, most disabled workers collect more than that minimal SSI amount and so usually can’t get Medicaid, period. So ironically, the steadier one’s work history, the less likely it is that he or she will have access to safety net coverage during the waiting period.

Proposals to eliminate the waiting period have been offered in Congress for years. Most importantly, however, dealing with the waiting period has been recognized as an essential component of health care reform. For instance, the bipartisan policy options released by the Senate Finance Committee suggest several possible ways to eliminate or at least reduce the waiting period.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, eliminating the waiting period altogether would cost $113 billion over 10 years. Reducing it to 12 months would cost $65 billion, while eliminating it those with no access to private coverage would cost $56 billion (only 4-6% of the total cost of health reform).

Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN

Sources: Center for Medicare Rights, Commonwealth Fund, Mathematica Center for Studying Disability Policy, U.S. Senate Finance Committee, Congressional Budget Office

Part D Choices: Too Much of a Good Thing?

Polls show that Americans value the opportunity to choose their doctors as well as their health plans. But if choice is a good thing, is more choice always better? In addition, what happens when there are barriers to informed choice?

Free-market advocates argue that more choices mean fiercer competition. The fiercer the competition, the easier it is for consumers to find the best option and “vote with their feet”. Or so the theory goes.

This “just get out of the way” philosophy held sway when Congress passed the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, and so the number of plan choices from which seniors must select is potentially unlimited.

In a UCLA study recently published in the journal Health Services Research, aptly titled How much choice is too much?, the authors examined the relationship between the number of Part D prescription drug plan options and the plan selection process.

Study participants (only half were seniors) were asked to select the drug plan with the lowest annual cost from among either 3, 10 or 20 options. That calculation should include consideration of monthly premiums, deductibles and copayments. (NOTE: Medicare recipients in Florida had to choose from among as many as 54 drug plans last year.)

In short, the more plans to choose from, the lower the likelihood that participants could identify the best choice. Furthermore, seniors were not only just 41% as likely as their younger counterparts to correctly choose the lowest-cost plan, they were also more likely to be confident that they chose correctly.

The study’s authors concluded that offering too many options resulted in “information overload”, potentially costing seniors hundreds of extra dollars a year By contrast, reasonably limiting choice to fewer, higher-quality options in order to make the choice process manageable is an appropriate and likely even a necessary consumer protection.

The issue is by no means limited to Medicare. In particular, barriers to choice (technology, literacy, disability, language, etc.) are, generally speaking, even more formidable for Medicaid recipients. We’ve pointed out earlier that the choice process in Florida’s Medicaid Reform experiment, which involves more types of benefits as well as more decision-making factors, can be so complex that one would need a computer algorithm to assure a good choice.

Now, as Congress tackles health care reform, if we are able to seize the opportunity to increase coverage for low-income Floridians through an expansion of Medicaid, we can hopefully avoid being forced to swallow unmanageable choice as a concession.

Greg Mellowe, Florida CHAIN

The Advocacy Center Needs Your Input

Looking ahead to 2010, the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc. seeks community input and support.

The Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc. is Florida's official protection and advocacy agency and client assistance program with funding, responsibility, and authority, under eight federal programs, to protect the rights of Floridians with disabilities.

The Advocacy Center is a not-for-profit corporation, governed by a Board of Directors, with offices in Tallahassee, Tampa and Hollywood.

Our mission is to advance the quality of life, dignity, equality, self-determination, and freedom of choice of persons with disabilities through collaboration, education, advocacy, as well as legal and legislative strategies.

We are seeking public input on goals for 2010, and applicants for our Board of Directors.

There are many ways to submit your input on goals for 2010:

Take our on-line survey
Toll free call to 800-342-0823, Ext. 500 to record your ideas or ask for help with the survey.
TDD calls to 800-346-4127 to record your ideas or ask for help with the survey.
E-mail your comments to survey@advocacycenter.org
To ask for help with the survey, contact us by phone, TDD, e-mail or fax.

2728 Centerview Drive, Suite 102
Tallahassee, FL 32301
850-488-9071
Toll Free: (800) 342-0823
Fax: (850) 488-8640
TDD: (800) 346-4127

If you are interested in applying to join our Board of Directors (BOD), information and application are available here.

The Advocacy Center's BOD is a governing board. The primary responsibilities of the BOD are setting annual priorities and spending levels, and hiring and evaluating the Advocacy Center's Executive Director. Inquiries are welcome.

TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress and President Obama to End Waitlists for Vital Services to Persons With Developmental Disabilities

Approximately 4 million Americans have developmental disabilities. Some children with high needs, and others at age 21 move into the special needs and adult services category and should receive services through "Home and Community-based Waivers." In almost all states waivers are not fully funded. This results in waitlists and lack of portability of services from one state to another and one county to another.

The waitlist time periods can be anywhere from five to thirty years long (or more), depending upon the state and the type of service needed, such as job services, a community-based program, intensive medical needs, or a secure home in which to live.

Hundreds of thousands of individuals are on waitlists for Waiver services. Few families can afford to pay out-of-pocket for these services (an average of $35,000 - $75,000) per year for host or group home placements because parents have had to leave careers to care for their children and pay for large medical bills.

National Organization to End the Waitlist (NOEWAIT) has some important ways for you to help:

Click here to sign a petition to get the attention and action by Congress and the President to resolve this problem. The message is simple but critical:

Health Care Reform Must Eliminate Waitlists and Allow for Continuation/ Portability of Services Across State Lines

Congress also needs to hear your stories right now about having to quit jobs to care for a loved one, taking on a second job to pay for a care provider, being unable to move to a different state because of loss of services, or having to move a loved one into an institution, and similar stories. Bills are pending that will help us, such as the C.L.A.S.S. Act and the Community Choice Act. Your stories will help to pass these bills. Timing is critical. Click here to submit your story now for the congressional story bank

Send this message to any listservs in which you participate and to all of your friends, professional acquaintances and others. There are 4 million folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The goal is 500,000 petition signers.

Florida Coalition for Open Access Update

The Florida AHCA Pharmaceuticals and Therapeutics Committee (“P&T Committee”) meets regularly four times a year to review classes of drugs to decide what is on the Preferred Drug List and what requires Prior Authorization before a physician can prescribe them for beneficiaries of Medicaid.

The Florida Coalition for Open Access provides information to members of the committee to assist in their considerations. The view that is taken is that limiting access to medications simply to save some money is not cost effective to the system. Of course, it is also bad medicine when the results are that patients do not get the available care they need.

Recent developments were reported to the P&T Committee at its June 24^th2009 meeting in Tampa.

First, the American Psychiatric Association issued “Medicaid Prescription Drug Policies and Medication Access and Continuity: Findings from Ten States”. This report, which includes findings in Florida, confirms comments in our 2008 White Paper. There is danger in restricting, solely for cost savings, access to medications, including requiring Prior Authorization.

Second, a recent unreported Federal Appeals Court ruling said doctors do not have final authority to determine what are medically necessary treatments to be paid for by Medicaid. The case is back in the original Federal District Court in Georgia to determine the final divisions of authority.

However, the amicus brief filed by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration is quite disturbing. It says, in part, talking about physician authority over patient care,

Treating physicians . . . . . cannot be trusted with this sort of discretion. When left to their own devises, they advocate for their patients and deem all manner of unproven, dangerous, ineffective, cosmetic, unnecessary, bizarre, and controversial treatments as ‘medically necessary.’ AMICUS CURAI BRIEF SUPPORTING REVERSAL FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION, page 2, October 15, 2008.

This Government attitude against doctors is dangerous to patients and the public purse. Recommendations by the P&T Committee (made up of citizen gubernatorial appointees) about what stays on the preferred drug list is the strongest way to protect patients under current law. Restrictions related to proper patient care are one thing; causing suffering to our most vulnerable to save pennies is quite another.

The Florida Coalition for Open Access will continue to provide 3^rd party peer reviewed research on why cost savings restrictions on proper access to medications are dangerous for patients and costly to taxpayers.

For more information, contact Scott Barnett at execdirector@mhagreatertampabay.org.

Coalition Steering Committee

The following is a list of the Coalition Partners in the Florida Coalition for Open Access

Mental Health America of Greater Tampa Bay, Inc.	FloridaCHAIN
NAMI Florida	Florida Psychiatry Society
Florida Council for Community Mental Health	Florida Partners in Crisis
Mental Health America Florida Public Policy Council	Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association
Florida Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corporation	Florida Peer Network

Our goal is to improve the health care system for all Floridians now.

Florida Coalition for Open Access

coordinated by

Mental Health America of Greater Tampa Bay

c/o USF Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine

12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 102

Tampa, FL 33612-4742

Voice: 813.972.2618

Email: execdirector@mhagreatertampabay.org

www.mhagreatertampabay.org

Coordinated Efforts Bring Long Term Care Through Tough Legislative Session

The Florida Health Care Association is the state’s first and largest advocacy organization for long term care providers and the frail elders they serve. Founded in 1954, the Florida Health Care Association has a history of working to protect our state’s frail elders to ensure the resources are available so they receive the quality care they expect and deserve. As such, the end result the Association seeks in all legislative efforts is to improve the quality of care and quality of life for the residents of Florida's nursing homes.

The 2009 Legislative Session held opportunities for FHCA members to join together to support a number of legislative priorities with an impact on long term care in Florida. This year, FHCA focused on three main legislative priorities:

Ensuring adequate reimbursement for our state’s nursing home residents who rely on Medicaid to cover the cost of their care;
Working with the state to eliminate duplicative regulations and requirements that allow caregivers to spend more time with residents; and
Ensuring fairness in the court system for nursing homes so resources can stay directed towards providing quality care.

Throughout the 2009 Legislative Session, FHCA’s staff and lobby team worked continuously on the Association’s priorities, meeting with lawmakers, engaging the media and keeping members up-to-date on what was happening in Tallahassee.

Members played a significant role. Hundreds of nursing home owners, administrators, caregivers and family members took part in Lobby Wednesday activities, and week after week their presence was not lost on lawmakers. A strong grassroots campaign ensued, with members sending thousands of e-mails and print letters to legislators and opinion leaders with the message to oppose nursing home funding cuts and preserve quality care for residents.

This year, FHCA also launched several interactive communications tools, including the Capitol Connection blog and weekly, online video updates direct from the Capitol.

FHCA also conducted extensive media outreach. Op-eds, press releases and guest editorial columns were sent to statewide news outlets. Additionally, FHCA hosted a successful press conference to urge legislators to oppose funding cuts, which featured FHCA Chair Deborah Franklin, Senator Nan Rich, Representative Mark Pafford, as well as representatives from AARP, SEIU, Florida Catholic Conference, Florida Association of Homes & Services for the Aging and Florida Chain.

Outcome

The 2009 Legislative Session ended with effectively no reduction in providers’ Medicaid reimbursement rates, some reduction in regulatory burdens and no major bills passing that will negatively impact long term care.

FHCA is thankful to all who made a difference during the 2009 legislative session to preserve quality care for our state's frail elders. The collective efforts of FHCA members, staff and lobby team resulted in this year's successful outcomes, at a time when many other areas saw significant funding cuts. FHCA continues to encourage all members to become involved in the legislative process, which helps make an impact on the success of the Association’s annual legislative agenda.

LuMarie Polivka-West, Florida Health Care Association

July 7, 2009

Please confirm date, time and location for events, as they are subject to change after being listed here.

NEW: Health Care Reform Events

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HEALTH CARE REFORM EVENTS & NOTICES

NORTH FLORIDA

Health Care Organizing Event

July 7 6:30-8:30 pm Shands Learning Resource Center, 655 West Eighth St., Jacksonville
Senator Anthony C. “Tony” Hill, Sr., Shands Jacksonville Medical Center staff, and SEIU will discuss Healthcare Reform. President Barack Obama has stated “Let there be no doubt, healthcare cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another year. Join an evening of discussing a topic that is so important to many of us. Sky rocking healthcare has frozen wages, crippled state budgets and is preventing the economic recovery that our country truly needs.

Beaches Library Phone Bank

Fridays, July 10, 17, 24, 31; Aug 7, 14 4:00 pm Beaches Library, 600 3^rd St, Neptune Beach

It’s time to spread the truth about health care refrm to Jacksonville’s beaches. Be the change Jacksonville needs by getting out the TRUTH about the President's position on health care. 904-861-7104

Pledge Drive at BFAST Triathlon

July 11 8:00 am BFAST Triathlon, Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra Beach

Show America that Jacksonville Beach & Ponte Vedra Beach understands the importance of a change in the way we do health care. Pledge to support the President's Plan for health care reform.

Pledge Drive at Jordan Park

July 11 6:00-8:00 pm Jordan Park, 1671 Francis Blvd, Atlantic Beach

Lets show America that Atlantic Beach understands the importance of a change in the way we do health care.

La Hermosa Third Annual Health Fair of Jacksonville

July 18 10:00 am-2:00 pm La Hermosa Community Center, 6007 Seaboard Ave, Jacksonville

Star Light Health Fair -La Hermosa Community Service Center of Jacksonville will host their 3rd Annual Health Fair. Free blood tests for cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, and vision will be available also. OFA will have a booth and volunteers are needed to gather declaration signatures to help promote the President's agenda on Healthcare Reform and recruit more volunteers for future events. Please RSVP.

OFA/WDEC Health Care Information Fair

July 18 10:00 am-2:00 pm WDEC Headquarters, 27-D Azalea Plaza, Crawfordville

Need health screening for diabetes, blood pressure, oral cancer, vision screening, nutritional counseling, and help finding a local provider for VA medical services, KidCare, WellCare Insurance, Florida Healthy Kids Dental Insurance? Sign up for this spectacular event. Learn about the many types of health care assistance available locally. Get information and forms about plans for every income level. Computer access in an Air Conditioned site, with experts available to help people sign up instantly for programs. The blood mobile will be on hand along with physicians, dentists, eye doctors, dental hygienists, a nutritionist and other health professionals.

WorkSource “Learn, Return & Earn" Pledge Event

July 23 8:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 4:00 pm Prime Osbourne Convention Center, 1000 Water St, Jacksonville

There will be a booth setup in the covention center to collect pledges and volunteers. Approximately 3,000 attendees are expected at this event throughout the day. Volunteers are needed to help gather signatures for President Obama's agenda on health care reform. Please RSVP and select a shift: 904-485-2325 or cadavyofa@gmail.com

OFA Pledge and Canvass Event

Movies in the Park @ A. Phillip Randolph Park

July 24 5:00-7:00 pm , movie starts at 7:00 A. Phillip Randolph Heritage Park, 1096 A. Philip Randolph Blvd, Jacksonville
Pledges will be collected to support President Obama's health care principles. Come watch a family movie after the event under the stars at A. Phillip Randolph Heritage Park. Picnic baskets, blankets, and lawn chairs are welcomed. RSVP to volunteer: 904-485-2325 or cadavyofa@gmail.com

OFA Pledge and Canvassing Event

Movies in the Park @ Memorial Park

July 31 5:00-7:00 pm , movie starts at 7:00 Memorial Park, 1620 Riverside Ave, Jacksonville
Volunteers needed to collect pledges of support for President Obama's health care principles and desire for reform. Come and enjoy a family movie after the event under the stars in Memorial Park. Picnic baskets, blankets, and lawn chairs are welcomed. Movie - Gremlins
1620 Riverside Ave. RSVP to volunteer: 904-485-2325 or cadavyofa@gmail.com

CENTRAL FLORIDA

Health Care Pledge Drive

July 11 10:00 am-12:00 noon

Lake Eola Park, Orlando, 195 N Rosalind Ave

Statewide pledge drive on July 11th to collect pledges in support of President Obama's Health Care Reform. For more information, e-mail bwatsonOFA@gmail.com

Health Care Pledge Drive

July 11 10:00 am-12:00 noon Winter Garden Village, 3251 Daniels Road

State wide pledge drive on July 11th to collect pledges in support of President Obama's Health Care Reform. For more information, e-mail bwatsonOFA@gmail.com

Obama's Health Care Day of Prevention

July 25 10:00 am-2:00 pm

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union - Local 606, Office Bldg,

820 Virginia Dr. Orlando
Big Red Bus - Blood Drive and Mini Health Care Fair

AARP Florida Health Action Now Community Forum

July 30 9:30-11:00 am Leesburg Venetian Gardens, 201 E Dixie Ave

AARP hosts a free community discussion for the public on health care reform. Reservations not needed. 866-595-7678

EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA

Health Care Pledge Drive

July 11 10:00-11:00 am TBD, Melbourne

State wide pledge drive to collect pledges in support of President Obama's Health Care Reform. Get your friends together and have a fun day gathering pledges at your local club, baseball game, coffee shop, etc. More details to come but mark your calendars!

Health Care Pledge Drive

July 11 10:00-11:00 am TBD, Vero Beach

YES WE CAN Statewide Canvass

July 18 12:00 noon Brevard County, Cocoa

Canvasses will be held all across Brevard County. More details to come soon.

YES WE CAN Statewide Canvass

July 18 10:00 PM - July 19 10:00 PM TBD, Vero Beach

In communities all across America there will be canvasses to collect pledges in support of President Obama's health care reform bill. Put on your walking shoes and grab a friend and come help make health care reform a reality. 772-696-2981

AARP Speaker on Health Care Reform

July 24 6:00-8:00 pm Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, 1590 27th Ave.

AARP speaker to church fellowship

WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA

AARP Florida Health Action Now Tele-Townhall

July 9 10:30-11:30 am 866-595-7678, St. Petersburg

The public is invited to learn more about AARP Florida's work toward health care reform. No charge. RSVP to mcyr@aarp.org click here. 727-592-8008

Health Care Reform Pledge Drive

July 11 12:00 noon-1:00 pm Private Home, Tampa

Help President Obama pass health care reform with a public option! Please attend this brief meeting as we organize for our nationwide pledge drive on Saturday July 18th. We need your help to meet our statewide goal of 28,000 pledges! Thank you for helping Organizing For America send Congress a message before the vote on July 31st! Snacks will be served!

813-846-1184

July Health Care Meeting

July 18 2:00-4:00 pm Safety Harbor Library, 101 2nd St N

Discussion of current events regarding the health care bill.

AARP Florida Health Action Now Tele-Townhall

Aug 4 1:30-2:30 pm 866-595-7678, St. Petersburg

The public is invited to learn more about AARP Florida's work toward health care reform. No charge. RSVP to mcyr@aarp.org click here.

AARP Florida Health Action Now Community Forum

Aug 21 9:30-10:30 am CARES Rao Musunuru, M.D. Enrichment Center, 12417 Clock Tower Parkway, Hudson

AARP hosts a free community discussion for the public on health care reform. RSVP not needed. 866-595-7678

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

Health Care Phone Bank

July 7 6:00-8:00 pm Randy Fleischer Law Ofc, 8258 SR 84, Ft Lauderdale

We will be calling people in Broward to discuss health care reform, recruit new volunteers and gain pledges of public support for the President's health care principles. 954-821-7592

"Public Option Now!" Health Care Rally

July 9 4:00-5:00 pm Sen. Bill Nelson’s Coral Gables office , 2925 Salzedo St

The health care fight is really heating up in the Senate, and some Democrats are trying to bargain away the heart of President Obama's health care plan—a strong public health insurance option. Time to escalate our campaign for real health care reform. Come and send a strong message: Health care reform must include a strong public health insurance option. Click here to RSVP

Canvass for Healthcare Reform this Saturday on Lincoln Road

July 11 11:00 am-1:00 pm, 1:00-3:00 pm Meridian & Lincoln Roads, Miami Beach

Help talk to people about the importance of Health Care Reform, collect support pledges, and show our Representatives on Capitol Hill we mean business! Please specify which shift you can make (or both, if you can). Click above to RSVP.

Canvass for Healthcare Reform this Saturday at Midtown Miami

July 11 11:00 am-1:00 pm, 1:00-3:00 pm Mid-Town Miami, 36th Street & N. Miami Ave.

Healthcare Reform Meeting

July 15 6:00-8:00 pm Private Residence, Subdivision of Village Walk, WPB

Discuss single payor plan versus President's plan. Provide updates. Determine where our support lies and plan how to show that support. 561-439-4522

Hands Across America for Public Health Insurance

Aug 23 3:00-4:00 pm TBD, Boca Raton

People across the country holding hands at the same time in support of quality, affordable health care - in support of President Obama's desire to make sure the plan has a public option so that costs are driven down for all.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

OFA/Yes, We Can - Help! Collier County
Tuesdays 9:00 am Naples
Volunteers' weekly support of President Obama's Health Care Reform for the USA

NATIONAL HEALTH CARE REFORM EVENTS & NOTICES

OTHER STATE EVENTS & NOTICES

NORTH FLORIDA

Notices

CENTRAL FLORIDA

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

Beyond October Campaign Against Cancer

Sept 9 6:00-10:00 pm Rosen Center, Orlando

The Beyond October Campaign, a health and education initiative to fight for a cure and reduce the number of new cancer cases with prevention forums, education, and early diagnosis of cancer. In 2008 the State of Florida had 102,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed. Out of compassion for the plight of women diagnosed with cancer and as a preventive measure, together with community leaders, we are carrying this cancer awareness message to the communities in Central Florida to raise the public’s awareness about the severity of breast and ovarian cancer. Call 407-430-6753.

EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA

WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA

Events

2009 Florida Conference on Aging

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

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

Notices

Pinellas residents can get free discount drug cards, which may not be used in conjunction with any health insurance plan, including Medicare and Medicaid, but will help those seeking discounts on drugs.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

Events

“Armed for Fall” Health Fair

Aug 1 9:00 am–2:00 pm 18501 NW 7^th Ave, Miami Gardens

Sponsored by Holy Family Episcopal Church (Community Service Ministry). Immunizations for children and adults, teen health, screenings, English, Spanish, Creole. For more information including service provider information, please contact 954-720-0412 or 954-732-1251.

2^nd Annual Back to School Community Health Fair

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

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

Notices

Cancer Survivor Smokers or Recent Quitters Wanted for Survey

The Tobacco, Obesity, and Oncology Laboratory at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and UM’s Psychology Department is conducting a qualitative study of cigarette smoking among cancer survivors who are either (1) current smokers or (2) recently quit. The study involves attending a one-session focus group and completing a brief survey. Participants will receive $40 for attending the focus group. 1-877-850-8665 or 305-243-2907

FLORIDA AUDIO CONFERENCES AND WEBCAST

STATEWIDE NOTICES AND CAMPAIGNS

Florida Department of Health Recognizes June as Men’s Health Month

This year’s theme is “Awareness. Prevention. Education. Family.” This initiative is sponsored by the Men’s Health Network, based in Washington, D.C., to encourage men and boys to seek regular check-ups, medical advice, and early treatment. Despite advances in health care, men still die on average between five to six years earlier than women. This difference is even more pronounced for African American men whose life expectancy was just 69.5 years as of 2004. The heightened risk of morbidity, injury and premature deaths among men is often referred to as “The Silent Health Crisis” for men (Dr. David Gremillion, Men’s Health Network).

NATIONAL EVENTS & NOTICES

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

2009 National Medical Association Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly

July 25-29 Las Vegas

For the past 113 years, the National Medical Association (NMA) has conducted its Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly, the nation’s foremost conference devoted to medical science and African American health. The 2009 NMA Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with 5,000 African American physicians, academicians and scientists as well as other allied health professionals.

2009 Disparities Conference: Health Equity Through the Cancer Lens
July 28-29 Las Vegas
American Cancer Society annual event: “We know of programs and policies that have led to improved cancer outcomes and health equity. Now we must act. We know what to do: Intervene, Advocate and Communicate.” If you have the responsibility for developing or implementing programs to improve health outcomes among the underserved, a health professional involved in providing patient care, or a leader responsible for crafting health messaging for the public, patients, providers and/or policy-makers, this conference will directly benefit your work and you will leave with specific next steps to use.

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

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

Overcoming Disparities: Building Successful Diabetes and Obesity Programs
Forum: Nov 18-19 Arlington, VA
Each year, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) convenes its Annual Disparities Partnership Forum. The overall goal of the partnership forum is to explore collaborative methods for decreasing type 2 diabetes and obesity in high-risk populations. To request a submission template and call form, please contact Monique Lindsy at mlindsy@diabetes.org.

AUDIO AND WEB EVENTS

ACHI Webinars (Now Upgraded from Phone Conferencing):

Return on Community Investment (ROCI): A Model and its Application to a Healthcare Access Program
July 23 2:00-3:00 pm ET

This webinar will introduce a return on community investment (ROCI) model created by Ascension Health to help demonstrate the value of health access programs operated in conjunction with collaborative local healthcare access organizations. The model’s development will be discussed in detail, including the research methods, stakeholder identification, benefit calculations, and final presentation of the analysis. To bring it home, presenters will also share a specific case example of the ROCI methodology in action, presented by Detroit-based St. John Health, a member of Ascension Health. Registration fee $40 members, $80 non-members

Recipe for Developing and Sustaining a Successful Community Benefit Framework
Aug 20 2:00-3:00 pm ET

This webinar will highlight the journeys of two hospitals – Lowell General in Massachusetts and Middlesex in Connecticut – to strengthen their community benefit programs by instituting programmatic, governance, executive, managerial, and community communications practices in keeping with an overall strategy. The presenters will share their “key ingredients” for successfully making community benefit an organizational priority, including board-approved policies and new staff capacity, plans to both get the entire organization involved in community benefit, and to bring together key community partners that share common goals for health and wellness. Registration fee $40 members, $80 non-members

One Community’s Practical Guide to Conducting Successful Community Assessments that Lead to Powerful Outcomes
Sept 17 2:00-3:00 pm ET

This session will present key elements of Healthy Hall’s organization, execution, and use of an assessment for health and broader community improvement. Healthy Hall is an organization of community volunteers and leaders that has guided three community assessment projects in Hall County, Georgia over the past ten years. The presentation will include assessment methodologies, the respective expertise and roles of community partners and of a hired consultant, specific findings that underline the need to focus on disparities reductions, and methods for communicating results in a fashion digestible and usable by the community at large. Registration fee $40 members, $80 non-members

Community Benefit Scorecard: Bridging Community and Health System Goals
Oct 15 2:00-3:00 pm ET

A community benefit scorecard elevates the work of community benefit departments by clearly stating the focus, intent, and accountability of key initiatives. This session will describe the process for selecting elements of the scorecard, including linkages between community collaboratives, health system strategic planning, and operational goals. Registration fee $40 members, $80 non-members

NOTICES

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

CAMPAIGNS & INITIATIVES

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

June 26, 2009

New listings, in order of submission deadlines

RWJF New Connections Senior Consultants Call for Proposals
Application Deadline: July 1
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) New Connections: Increasing Diversity of RWJF Programming is designed to expand the diversity of perspectives that informs RWJF programming, introduce new researchers and scholars to the Foundation, and help meet staff needs for data analysis that measures progress towards program objectives. An applicant must have at least 10 years of evaluation experience related to relevant health and health care fields; be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories at the time of application; be from a group that has been historically underrepresented in RWJF research activities, and more.

Tom's of Maine's '50 States for Good' Initiative

Deadline: Aug 30
Five awards of $20,000 each will be given to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations working to make lasting, positive changes in their communities. Help your favorite nonprofit get $20,000 in sponsorship funding. Tom’s is looking for applications for community involvement projects. A review panel will narrow down applications to 50 finalists, which will be posted on Tom’s web site for voting to select the 5 projects to be awarded funding.

The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida

Deadline: Sept 11

The focus for the Grants Winter Cyle is on community health clinics and outreach programs. Grants will be awarded to diverse, philanthropic solutions that improve program capacity and reduce barriers to access, nurture community health leadership to reinforce local solutions, foster innovation and sustain quality and leverage financial, human and other resources to maximize measurable impact.

Unitarian Universalist Association: Fund for a Just Society
Deadline: Sept 15

The Fund for a Just Society provides grants to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and Canada that address issues of social and economic justice. The Fund supports organizations that use community organizing to bring about systemic change leading to a more just society and mobilize with those who have been disenfranchised and excluded from resources, power, and the right to self-determination. Consideration is given to projects that are less likely to receive conventional funding because of the innovative or challenging nature of the work or the economic and social status of the constituency. The maximum grant amount is $15,000; however, most grants range between $6,000 and $8,000. Requests are reviewed two times per year.

Dade Community Foundation

Deadline: Nov 15

Grants will be awarded in broad fields of education, health, human services, arts and culture, environment, economic and community development. Priority will be given to programs or projects that use community relationships as a key strategy for enhancing their reach, effectiveness, and results; build relationships, particularly among diverse ethnic and racial groups; reach and engage those whose needs are not being met adequately by existing community resources; pursue strategies that address new and emerging needs or approach existing ones more effectively; strengthen organizational capacity to improve results for communities and individuals they serve; build on strengths and assets of people and communities and engage them in problem solving; focus on the root causes of a problem; and leverage additional private or public resources, both financial and volunteer. For more information, contact 305-371-2711.

Fundraising Training Events

Meet the Funders-Martin County

July 10 9:00-11:00 am Peter & Julie Cummings Branch, Martin County Library, Palm City
Sponsored by the Treasure Coast Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, and hosted by the Library Foundation of Martin County. Register today, space is limited. To register, please email prowan@cfpbmc.org.

Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties

Letters of Inquiry Deadline: July 15

The Community Foundation will soon announce new grant guidelines in response to the current economic climate. The guidelines will be explained through a series of webinars. To register please go to and click on the "Upcoming" tab and "Register" for the session of your choice. A recording will be available on the Foundation’s website shortly after June 17.

Fundraising Library Orientations

July 16 10:00 am-noon Funding Resource Center Library at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, 700 South Dixie Highway, Suite 200 in West Palm Beach

August 20 10:00 am-noon Funding Resource Center Library at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, 700 South Dixie Highway, Suite 200 in West Palm Beach

September 17 10:00 am-noon Funding Resource Center Library at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, 700 South Dixie Highway, Suite 200 in West Palm Beach

Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties offers free resources for organizations seeking grant funding? The Funding Resource Center is a Cooperating Collection of the Foundation Center, Inc., a nationwide network of libraries, community foundations and other nonprofit agencies. The best way to learn about the Center and what it offers is attending a library orientation with Daryl Houston, Program Officer. Spaces fill up quickly so email prowan@cfpbmc.org or call 561-659-6800 to reserve your spot. Registration is strongly recommended since walk-ins cannot be assured of seating (dates are subject to change). To learn more about the library and the resources available please click here.

Continuing listings, in order of submission deadlines

Seed Grants for Dementia Day Programs
Deadline: July 1

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

HHS Funding Available to Strengthen Non-Profits, Faith-Based Groups
Deadline: July 7
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the availability of grants worth $50 million from the Strengthening Communities Fund, a new fund created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The fund will strengthen nonprofit and faith-based organizations that aid families and communities struggling in the economic downturn.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Awards

Deadline: July 7 (Stage 1 Brief Proposals)

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

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

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

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

Deadlines: July 27

The Public Welfare Foundation supports efforts to ensure fundamental rights and opportunities for people in need. The Foundation looks for carefully defined points where funds can make a difference in bringing about systemic changes that can improve the lives of countless people. 2009 funding priorities include a Health Reform program that fosters the development of strong systems of advocacy with expertise in health policy, organizing community and interfaith groups, and building coalitions

Health Services Research Impact Award
Deadline: July 29
Has your research made an impact? AcademyHealth has issued a call for nominations for the fifth annual Health Services Research Impact Award which recognizes outstanding research that has been successfully translated into health policy, management, or clinical practice and, as a result, had a positive impact on health and health care. The lead researcher of the winning impact will receive $2,000, and the research will be disseminated widely as part of AcademyHealth's ongoing efforts to promote the field of health services research.

Active Living Research: Investigating Policies and Environments to Support Active Communities
Deadline: July 29
Active Living Research is a national program of RWJF that supports research to identify promising policy and environmental strategies for increasing physical activity, decreasing sedentary behaviors and preventing obesity among children and adolescents. We place special emphasis on strategies with the potential to reach racial/ethnic populations and children living in lower-income communities who are at highest risk for obesity. Grants funded under this call for proposals (CFP) are expected to advance RWJF’s efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015.

American Academy of Pediatrics: Community Access to Child Health Program Planning Funds
Deadline: July 31

The Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Program, a national program of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), is designed to improve access to health care by supporting pediatricians and communities that are involved in community-based efforts for children. The CATCH Planning Funds program provides grants from $2,500 to $12,000 for pediatricians in the U.S. and its territories to develop community-based initiatives that increase children's access to medical homes or to specific health services not otherwise available. Planning project activities must lead to sustainable, community-based child health initiatives that increase access to care, especially for underserved children, and address health disparities among children. (Grants are also available for pediatric residents, but limited to a maximum of $3,000.)

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

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

RWJF Health & Society Scholars
Deadline: Oct 2

The Scholars program provides two years of support to postdoctoral scholars at all stages of their careers to build the United States' capacity for research and leadership to address the multiple determinants of population health and contribute to policy change. The program is based on the principle that progress in the field of population health depends upon multidisciplinary collaboration and exchange. Up to eighteen scholars will be selected to train at one of six nationally prominent universities. Scholars receive annual stipends of nearly $100,000.

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

The Humana Foundation
Proposals accepted: Nov 1-June 15

The Humana Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in communities where the company has facilities in states including Florida. The Foundation is committed to serving the needs of children, families, and seniors in their quest to build healthier lives and communities. Special consideration is given to proposals that focus on the following areas: health and fitness efforts that lead to better lifestyles; literacy activities that lead to improved health experiences; and the development of technology, tools, and resources that lead to healthy communities.

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

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

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

Innovating Worthy Projects Foundation
Requests are accepted from Jan 1 through Aug 31
The Innovating Worthy Projects Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations throughout the United States that are dedicated to providing direct care or services for children with special needs, acute illnesses, or chronic disabilities. Preference is given to small organizations that might not otherwise be helped. Grants support new ideas and approaches to providing services as well as equipment purchases.

Advancing technology to improve healthcare sevices: Verizon Foundation

Applications accepted: Jan 1 through Nov 30
The mission of the Verizon Foundation is to improve education, literacy, family safety, and healthcare by addressing Verizon's commitment to deliver technology that touches life. The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that benefit communities in the locations the company serves within the United States. One of the Foundation’s priority categories is Education and Literacy, with emphasis on innovative, technology-based approaches to literacy and K-12 education. In addition, through the Safety and Health category, the Foundation supports initiatives that contribute to the safety and well-being of families, with emphasis on domestic violence prevention and technology for healthcare and healthcare accessibility.

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

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

Planning Grant for Oral Health Promotion across the Life Span (R21)
Closing date for applications: May 7, 2010, Multiple deadlines
This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is intended to encourage and support meritorious oral health promotion research directed at improving oral health and preventing diseases and/or their sequelae across the lifespan.

Community Participation Research Targeting the Medically Underserved (R01)
Expiration Date: May 15, 2010
The ultimate goal of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) with a special review issued by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is to solicit Research Project Grant (R01) applications that propose research on health promotion, disease prevention, and health disparities that is jointly conducted by communities and researchers and targets medically underserved areas (MUAs) and medically underserved populations (MUPs) as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Community Participation Research Targeting the Medically Underserved (R21)
Expiration Date: May 15, 2010
The ultimate goal of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is to solicit Exploratory/Developmental (R21) grant applications that propose research on health promotion, disease prevention, and health disparities that is jointly conducted by communities and researchers and targets medically underserved areas (MUAs) and medically underserved populations (MUPs) as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

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

Community Participation in Research (R01)
Expiration Date: May 8, 2011
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) solicits R01 grant applications that propose intervention research on health promotion, disease prevention, and health disparities that communities and researchers jointly conduct.

The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination/Bias on Health Care Delivery (R01)

The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination/Bias on Health Care Delivery (R21)

The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination/Bias on Health Care Delivery (R03)

Expiration Date: May 8, 2011

Grant applications are encouraged from institutions/ organizations that propose to: (1) improve the measurement of racial /ethnic discrimination in health care delivery systems through improved instrumentation, data collection, and statistical/analytical techniques; (2) to enhance understanding of the influence of racial/ethnic discrimination in health care delivery and its association with disparities in disease incidence, treatment, and outcomes among disadvantaged racial/ethnic minority groups; and (3) to reduce the prevalence of racial/ethnic health disparities through the development of interventions to reduce the influence of racial/ethnic discrimination on health care delivery systems in the United States.

Exploratory/Developmental Grants Program for Basic Cancer Research in Cancer Health Disparities
Deadline: Nov 23, 2011
Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) and the Division of Cancer Biology (DCB), at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), invite grant applications from investigators interested in conducting basic research studies into the causes and mechanisms of cancer health disparities.

Translational Research for the Prevention and Control of Diabetes and Obesity
Deadline: March 1, 2012
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) encourage NIH Research Demonstration and Dissemination Project grant (R18) applications from institutions/ organizations to test the effectiveness of interventions for the prevention and control of diabetes and obesity that have a high potential to be adopted, and sustained in applied health care settings.

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

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

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

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

Ben & Jerry’s Foundation
Ongoing deadline for Letters of Interest
The Ben & Jerry's Foundation offers competitive grants to not-for-profit, grassroots organizations throughout the United States which facilitate progressive social change by addressing the underlying conditions of societal and environmental problems. Grant applicants need to demonstrate that their projects will lead to societal, institutional and/or environmental change; address the root causes of social or environmental problems; and lead to new ways of thinking and acting. Awards are granted ranging from $1,001 - $15,000.

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

The Nathan Cummings Foundation is rooted in the Jewish tradition and committed to democratic values and social justice, including fairness, diversity, and community. The Foundation seeks to build a socially and economically just society that values nature and protects the ecological balance for future generations, promotes humane health care, and fosters arts and culture that enrich communities. An additional goal is to strengthen the capacity of the Jewish community to work for social and economic justice, both in the United States and Israel. Funding priority is given to projects that have an impact at the state, multi-state, or national level.

Kresge Foundation Grantmaking Programs in Health and Environment

Deadline: Open

Both the Health and Environment Programs address health and environment-related social issues, particularly those affecting minority, low-income, and other underserved communities.

United Health Foundation - Health Services Programs Supported Nationwide
Deadline: Open

United Health Foundation works to improve health outcomes for all Americans. Support is provided to nonprofit organizations that serve the health needs of people and communities throughout the US. The Foundation's priorities are: to enhance the quality of health and medical care services by providing reliable, scientifically-based information to support decisions made by health professionals, communities, and individuals; and to expand access to medical care and health-related services for individuals and families who live in challenging circumstances. Grants generally range from $1,000 to $50,000.

Educational Foundation of America

Rolling Acceptance
The mission of the Educational Foundation of America is to improve individual lives and surroundings through education and awareness, in hopes of bettering humanity and the world we inhabit. The Foundation provides grants to progressive nonprofit organizations throughout the United States that offer specific programs with broad impact. The Foundation’s areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the environment, reproductive freedom, theatre, education, medicine, drug policy reform, democracy, peace and national security issues, and human services. Online letters of inquiry are accepted at any time through the website listed above.

Johnson Foundation: Wingspread Conferences
Letters of inquiry accepted at any time.
The mission of the Johnson Foundation is to cultivate ideas that sustain community – people living in harmony with one another and their environment. The Foundation pursues this mission through Wingspread Conferences, small meetings of thoughtful inquiry convened in an atmosphere of candor and purpose. The Foundation co-sponsors conferences with nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, or government agencies that work in the following areas: education, media, family, democracy and community, and sustainable development and the environment. The conferences are held at Wingspread, the Foundation's headquarters and educational conference center located near Racine, WI.

Fulbright Scholar Award

Multiple deadlines
Applications continue to be accepted for some Fulbright Scholar awards for lecturing, research or combined lecturing/research awards in public health during the 2008-2009 academic year. Faculty and professionals in public health may apply for awards specifically in their field, as well as one of the many "All Discipline" awards open to any field.

Ladder to Leadership: Developing the Next Generation of Community Health Leaders
Application deadline: Varies
Ladder to Leadership: Developing the Next Generation of Community Health Leaders is a collaborative initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Center for Creative Leadership. The initiative aims to enhance the leadership capacity of community-based nonprofit health organizations serving vulnerable populations. It will develop critical leadership competencies for 270 early- to mid-career professionals through an innovative, sixteen-month leadership development curriculum

Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation Community Improvement Programs
Applications accepted throughout the year.

Provides support to nonprofit organizations that improve communities and positively impact lives. The grantmaking emphasis is on programs that help children and families, animals, or the environment. Average grant $2,500.

Donors Forum of South Florida on-line database
The new online searchable Donors Forum of South Florida database has up-to-date information about funders in South Florida. This resource— which is also available in hard copy — presents continuously updated information about the giving interests and procedures of funders with a track record of investing in the South Florida area and working collaboratively with others. To order, email leot@donorsforumsf.org or call 305/371-7944.

Directory Of Health Policy Fellowships

This Kaiser directory contains new listings for undergraduates, graduate students and professionals searching for summer, school-year, or post-doctoral positions.

June 26, 2009

NEW SECTION: HEALTH CARE REFORM RESOURCES
Florida Health Care Reform Resources

National Health Care Reform Resources

Organizations and Services

New: Florida

New: National

Continued Listings: Florida

Manuals, Guides and Toolkits

New: Florida

New: National

Continued Listings: Florida

Technology and Audio Visual Materials

Media Programming

Web Sites, Web Features

New: Florida

New: National

Continued Listings: Florida

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

Periodicals and Books

Reports and Studies

NEW SECTION: New Health Care Reform Reports

New: Florida Reports

New: National

NEW SECTION: Continued Listings: Health Care Reform Reports

Continued Listings: Florida Reports

NEW: HEALTH CARE REFORM RESOURCES

Florida Health Care Reform Resources

Florida SEIU Health Care Reform Database

Florida SEIU invites organizations and individuals to enter their information in a Community Partners database for health care reform efforts.

National Health Care Reform Resources

Universal Coverage and Access: Critical to Achieving Health Equity

Congressional briefing powerpoint presentation by Ron Pollack. (5/27/09, Families USA)

RAND COMPARE

Rand Corporation’s COMPARE Initiative provides information and tools to help policymakers, the media, and other interested parties understand, design and evaluate health policies. Site includes policy options and analysis, and “HOT” legislation page.

Access Denied video

Accidents Happen video

Children’s Defense Fund encourages all to view and share these videos depicting the importance of health coverage for all children.

I'm fighting for health care reform because... (finish the sentence)
Health care reform isn’t about numbers and statistics – it’s about real problems that people face each day. Sharing your experience can help make complex policy issues understandable for leaders in Washington. Every single one of us -- especially in this tumbling economy -- has either been personally affected by the health care crisis or has a loved one, coworker, friend, or neighbor who has suffered. Families USA wants to hear your story. Sharing is simple -- we've created an easy-to-use tool, so all you have to do is finish the sentence below. Once you’ve given your reason, check back often. Your comments may appear on our site, and we may contact you to ask if we can share your story with members of Congress.

RWJF Health Care Consumer Confidence Index

The inaugural report (June 2009) of the new monthly RWJF Index has been released online. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation launched a new research tool: the RWJF Health Care Consumer Confidence Index (RWJF Index). The first of its kind, the RWJF Index will provide a monthly snapshot of Americans’ attitudes about health care. Analysis of the data is being provided by the University of Minnesota’s State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC). The RWJF Index has begun during this critical moment in the health reform debate to serve as a valuable measurement in the months to come, helping with understanding of how changes in the health care system affect the average health care consumer. These monthly data points can be used to make the case for health reform and position the issue in a broader context.

Health Affairs and RWJF Health Policy Briefs

Health Affairs and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are pleased to announce a new series of Health Policy Briefs aimed at providing clear, accessible overviews of timely and important health policy topics. The first brief explores the current debate over cutting payments to Medicare Advantage plans - the privately run health plans that now serve almost a quarter of Medicare enrollees. Health Policy Briefs will be available at no cost on the Health Affairs Web site, and you may sign up to be alerted to new briefs by email or RSS feed. The briefs will also be available via a direct website link.

Community Catalyst Timeline for State Advocacy Work
Community Catalyst is looking ahead to some of the major opportunities for state advocacy on national health reform in the coming months. The timeline some of the major Congressional activities in the health reform debate and suggested ways for state advocates to be involved and engaged. During these months and beyond, Community Catalyst will continue to provide our partners with alerts, updates, message points, and analyses.

The Healthcare Equality Project
The Healthcare Equality Project (HEP) is a national partnership between community-based and nationwide organizations, faith networks, labor groups, and advocates working together to achieve comprehensive health care reform and health care equality. Its goal is to ensure that health care reform efforts go beyond simply expanding coverage and become an engine for reducing disparities that plague women and racial, ethnic, and other minorities. Its mission is to ensure that the health care reform that is enacted works for everyone. HEP has four specific goals that are designed to build a grassroots and advocacy campaign around health care reform: 1) to develop a public education and advocacy campaign to build awareness of health care disparities among racial and ethnic minorities across the nation; 2) to work with key congressional members to achieve necessary health care reform; 3) to develop and promote policies that address health care disparities; and 4) to strengthen the national network of health care equality advocates, including national organizations, faith-based groups, and student groups.

RWJF Daily News Digest on Health Reform!

Having the right information at the right time is an essential step in changing health care policy and practice for the better. To further this goal, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has launched its first ever Daily News Digest. This new service, focused on health reform, is a comprehensive daily look at what’s happening in the mainstream media, policy press and the blogosphere. Sign up to have this useful resource delivered to your inbox.

Webcast: Health Insurance Exchanges: See How They Run

looks at insurance exchanges and examines the following questions: What is meant by a health insurance exchange, and how might it work? Who would be allowed to seek coverage through the exchange? What rules would govern the conduct of plans offering coverage? What’s in it for the consumer?

Senate Finance Committee Hosts Three Roundtables to Discuss Key Elements of Health Care Reform: Delivery System, Coverage, and Financing

Between April and May, Senate Finance Committee (SFC) Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) hosted a series of three roundtable discussions on health care reform. The roundtable topics covered the health care delivery system, coverage, and financing. These roundtables were intended to encourage discussion between SFC members and health care policy and industry experts. They were also intended to inform the development of a comprehensive health care reform bill later this summer. Soon after each roundtable, the SFC released a policy paper detailing options for addressing each issue. The three roundtables were open to the public, and webcasts and the three policy papers are available on the Finance Committee Web site at www.finance.senate.gov.

ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICES

New: Florida Organizations and Services

New: National

Continued Listings: Florida

Health Insurance Resource Center has been providing consumers with health insurance information and navigation advice since 1984. They include special resources for Florida at http://www.healthinsurance.org/florida

Insurance claim denied? Here's where to get help
Florida Office of Insurance Regulation: Investigates complaints against insurers, including denials of claims. Online: floir.com Phone: 1-877-693-5236
Subscriber Assistance Program: Reviews disputes between individuals and their managed-care plans. Online: fdhc.state.fl.us/MCHQ/Consumer/SPSAP/ Phone: 1-888-419-3456
Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, SHINE: Helps consumers navigate the Medicare appeals process. Online: floridashine.org Phone: 1-800-963-5337
Medicare Rights Center: National group helps Medicare clients understand their rights and benefits. Online: medicarerights.org Phone: 1-800-333-4114
Florida Legal Services: Free help for low-income adults denied prescription-drug coverage from Medicaid or Medicare Part D. Online: floridalegal.org Phone: 1-800-436-6001

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

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

(Florida) Hispanic Health Initiatives
In Florida, almost half of the 3 million uninsured adults are Hispanic. Central Florida has continued to see the rates of the uninsured increase and the availability of culturally competent services decrease. One agency, Hispanic Health Initiatives, Inc (HHI), is the only health services facility in Central Florida created to specifically address the needs of the Hispanic community. Since its inception in June of 2000, this volunteer-driven, community-based organization has worked to connect medically underserved families with free or low-cost health care services. Read more.

The Florida Discount Drug Card
is designed to lower the cost of prescriptions for Florida residents who are 60 and older and without prescription drug coverage or who fall into the Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage gap; OR under age 60, without prescription drug coverage, and with an annual family income of less than 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. Qualifying incomes include those below: $30,636 (individual); $41,076 (family of two); $61,956 (family of four). It can give eligible participants a discount on virtually all drugs and be used at all participating pharmacies.

Florida Relay Service 711

The Florida Relay Service is the communications link for people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf/Blind, or Speech Impaired. Through the Florida Relay Service, people who use specialized telephone equipment can communicate with people who use standard telephone equipment. To call Florida Relay, dial 7-1-1, or use the appropriate toll free numbers: 800-955-8771 (TTY); 800-955-8770 (Voice); 800-955-1339 (ASCII); 877-955-8260 (VCO-Direct); 877-955-5334 (STS); 877-955-8773 (Spanish); 877-955-8707 (French Creole) In emergencies, Relay users should call 9-1-1 directly or the emergency services center in their community. Note: 711 can't be accessed from many buildings with a switchboard system because the PBX system won't recognize it, and consumers need to dial 1-800-955-8771 from them. Florida Relay customer service is available 24 hours a day 365 days a year: 1-800-676-3777 (English); 1-800-676-4290 (Spanish)

Southeast Florida Cancer Control Collaborative (SFCCC)

SFCCC works to reduce the cancer burden and cancer disparities in Southeast Florida, including Broward, Indian River, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties. The SFCCC includes representatives from more than 60 public and private organizations, agencies and health care providers, as well as cancer survivor and advocacy groups. SFCCC aims to increase awareness about cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment among populations at high risk. The Collaborative meets quarterly at various locations in the region.

MANUALS, GUIDES, TOOLKITS

New: Florida

New: National

Continued Listings: Florida

TECHNOLOGY AND AUDIO/VIDEO RESOURCES

Media Programming

Web Sites, Web Features & Databases

New: Florida Listings

Tobacco-Free Business Florida

Tobacco-Free Florida has created a new satellite website for businesses. The site has posters that can be downloaded to display at workplaces, as well as a pledge to be tobacco free. If the business takes the pledge, they are automatically entered to win a $500 giftcard for an employee lunch! The phone number for the state's toll free tobacco cessation quitline, Florida Quit-for-Life Line, is 1- 877-U-CAN-NOW.

New: National

Continued Listings: Florida

Updated Hospital & Health Plan Data on Florida Health Finder

The Agency for Health Care Administration announced the release of updated health plan quality and hospital inpatient data on Florida Health FinderConsumers can access and compare the most recent quality of care and patient satisfaction measures for Florida HMOs and PPOs. In addition, the website now contains hospital inpatient data for July 2007 through July 2008. The most current Hospital Financial Data Book is also available, showing an analysis of hospital financial results for fiscal years ending in 2007.

Kids Count

Annie E. Casey Foundation recently updated its online database, , which contains state-, city-, and now community-level data for more than 100 measures of child well-being. This database can generate custom reports for specific geographic areas and compare them based on a particular topic (for example, poverty, education, and health/health insurance).

Florida Census Data
Here is a very helpful link to a map of Florida that has each county hyperlinked to its US Census data, including: racial/ethnic populations, education level, income, federal dollars they receive, etc.

Updates to www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov Website

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

statehealthfacts.org

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

SHADAC Launches Redesigned State Health Access Assistance Web Site
The new RWJF Web site gives users easy access to research and resources related to issues of health insurance coverage, data collection methods and state health policy.

Florida Medicaid Reform Evaluation Project

The website provides information on the evaluation and access to key publications, talks, and presentations produced by the MRE team. The University of Florida (is conducting a five-year evaluation of the state’s Medicaid Reform Demonstration Project under a contract with AHCA, Florida’s state agency for health policy and planning. The evaluation will be conducted over the period of Florida’s Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver (July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2010), as approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by the Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy at UF. The overall objective is to assess whether Florida's Medicaid Reform accomplishes its stated objectives of delivering quality healthcare services while achieving better health outcomes and enrollee satisfaction at a more predictable lower cost. For further information, contact (352) 273-6073 or mre@phhp.ufl.edu

Florida's Community and Migrant Health Centers Brochure UPDATED 9/07

A low literacy brochure describing services offered at Florida's CHCs with a map of all CHC locations and phone numbers. English Brochure Spanish Brochure Haitian Creole Brochure

First Steps: A Guide for Parents of Young Children with Developmental Disabilities

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council’s most popular publication ever has been revised and updated with critical info for any parent or family member of a young child with a developmental disability. The publication is a reliable source of info for parents at the beginning of a new journey. They will learn a new vocabulary, discover advocacy skills they never knew they had, and meet new people who will become important in their life as friends, teachers, doctors, therapists and caregivers. This is a valuable tool to help guide parents in the initial steps of their journey as well as a resource they can visit again and again as they, their child and their families grow through the coming years together. The publication is available in both English and Spanish, as well as in a full color version and a black and white version – both are in Acrobat Reader format (PDF) and available in two sections – Chapters 1 to 5 and Chapters 6 to 10 – for your convenience downloading the publications.

Florida Health News, free online non-profit news service
The Florida Health Policy Center has announced the launch of an independent, free, non-profit news service: Florida Health News Inc. FHN will post health-related stories reported around the state, highlight the Florida impact of national stories, and track state health legislation. The news service also will feature original coverage of major health policy developments and a free Monday-through-Friday news service. You can visit the site and subscribe to the e-mail news service by clicking on the link: www.FloridaHealthNews.org. To send your comments, story tips and news of conferences and other events, or get more information, contact pat.curtis@floridahealthnews.org or 850/556-1668.

Florida Health Insurance Coverage of Children 0-18 (2004-2005)
Kaiser Family Foundation has released information about this on-line resource.

Florida Association of Community Health Centers (FACHC)

The following resources have recently been added to the FACHC web site:

Short Assessment of Health Literacy for Spanish-speaking Adults (SAHLSA-50) A new health literacy test than can be used to screen for low health literacy among Spanish speakers.

Health Coverage and Access to Care for Hispanics in "New Growth Communities" and "Major Hispanic Centers" A 2006 Report from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

Spanish Language Mental Health Manual for Health Promoters Developed by the California- Mexico Bi-National Health Initiative.

Florida Health Care Website for Consumers
A new Web site for Florida health-care consumers officially launches today, courtesy of the Florida Hospital Association. The site offers links to information on doctors, hospitals and health-care plans as well as checklists to help consumers ask the right questions. It is intended largely as a portal to other, established sites. There are links to sites for Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, among others.

State of Florida Health Care Consumer Websites
The recently expanded FloridaCompareCare.gov aims to improve care and reduce costs by giving citizens the tools to compare outcomes and prices between health care providers and medical services. Through this website one can see data on certain conditions and procedures related to quality of care, pricing and performance at the state’s hospitals and ambulatory (outpatient) surgery centers. In 2005, Florida became the first state to publicly report infection and mortality rates in each hospital. In July 2006, Florida became the first state to publicly report separate pediatric quality of care data. In addition, adult data can now be broken out specific to ages 65 and over. Additional new breakdowns include types of facilities.

FloridaHealthStat.com provides health care information to assist consumers, health care professionals, and researchers in making well-informed health care decisions and in researching the status of health care in Florida. MyFloridaRx.com provides consumers with the retail prices of the most commonly used prescribed drugs by pharmacy across Florida. For questions or comments regarding any of Florida’s consumer websites, contact 850/922-7036.

Medicaid Applications Online 24/7 and in Neighborhoods
Local partners can direct families to their area sites or online to apply for Medicaid and other benefits. The Web Application is generally preferable as the data makes it into the Florida system more quickly and there is a reduced chance of data entry errors.

Florida KidCare Applications can be completed online

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

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) Secretary encourages health care consumers to visit www.FLHealthSource.com whenever they need information about a licensed health care professional. DOH’s Division of Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) maintains FLHealthSource.com. The site provides health care consumers with a host of information, including license status, office address, and disciplinary information for all health care professionals licensed in Florida. The site also provides additional information for the five profiled professions –medical doctors, osteopathic physicians, chiropractic physicians, podiatric physicians and advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs).

Florida Progressive Information Network (FLPIN)

offers a nonpartisan communication system designed to link progressive organizers with progressive activists. Individuals may sign up free of charge to receive alerts on a variety of progressive issues from other organizations participating in the Network. In order to make FLPIN work, it must be used on a regular basis. The more information put in, the more valuable it is as a tool. Link FLPIN to organization websites. A training manual is at www.flpin.net/alert.pdf. For more information or assistance, contact jen@floridahumanist.org

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

Getting Healthy: Looking beyond Health Care
Panelists recently examined factors not related to health—such as education, income level, and other social determinants —that contribute to the overall health and well-being of Americans. View a webcast of the briefing from Alliance for Health Reform and RWJF.

Breaking the Cycle: Investigating the Intersection of Educational Inequities and Health Disparities
Panelists at the 15th Annual Summer Public Health Research Institute and Video Conference on Minority Health discussed topics ranging from the intersection between high school drop-out rates and health disparities, to policies that could improve the health and education of American Indians. View a webcast of this conference from the University of North Carolina, along with information about the presenters and the speakers’ slides.

Putting Women’s Health Care Disparities on the Map: Examining Racial and Ethnic Disparities at the State Level
View a webcast from KFF presenting the findings of a new study that looks at disparities between women of color and white women in the United States. The study examines disparities based on 25 indicators—such as insurance coverage and health screenings and factors that influence health and access to care, such as education and income. View the video, Women At Risk: A View from the Safety Net. Get interactive state-level data on the 25 indicators—such as health, access to care, and social factors—that influence health outcomes for women.

PERIODICALS AND BOOKS

Adolescent and Family Health E-newsletter Returns

The Institute for Youth Development announces the return of Adolescent and Family Health.

REPORTS AND STUDIES

New Listings

New Health Care Reform Reports

Health Disparities: A Case for Closing the Gap
The United States spends more than any other nation in the world on health care. Despite consistent increases in spending, disparities among demographic groups persist. Low-income Americans and racial and ethnic minorities experience disproportionately higher rates of disease, fewer treatment options, and reduced access to care. With unemployment on the rise, the disparities already apparent among these groups will continue to increase. This new report demonstrates the need for reform that reduces costs to make health care affordable; protects a patient's choice of doctors, hospitals, and insurance plans; invests in prevention and wellness; and assures quality, affordable health care for all Americans. (June 2009, US DHHS)

Reducing Medicaid and Medicare Drug Costs Could Help Pay For Health Reform

By lowering the costs that Medicaid and Medicare pay for prescription drugs, Congress could generate substantial savings to help pay for comprehensive health reform that achieves universal coverage. (6/11/09, CBPP)

Maintaining Current Value of Itemized Deductions For High - Income Taxpayers Could Help Pay For Health Care Reform

If Congress rejects the President’s proposal to help pay for health care reform by limiting the value of itemized deductions for high-income filers, it should at least prevent those subsidies from expanding in 2011, as they would under current law. Simply keeping the value of itemized deductions for filers in the top two brackets at their current levels would raise $68 billion over ten years according to the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. (6/10/09, CBPP)

Some Media Reports Mischaracterize CBO Estimate of Senate “HELP” Health Reform Bill; Final “HELP” Bill Likely To Cover Many More People Than Partial Draft CBO Analyzed

The news media are widely reporting that, according to a partial and preliminary Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis, health reform legislation that the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) is developing would cut the number of uninsured by only 16 million people while costing $1 trillion over ten years. That conclusion, however, is incorrect. The CBO analysis covers only a part of the HELP plan (the parts for which the Committee gave CBO detailed specifications) and does not include major elements of the plan that would further substantially reduce the number of uninsured. (6/16/09, CBPP)

Crossing Our Lines: Working Together to Reform the U.S. Health System

This report aims to provide quality, affordable health coverage for all Americans and includes recommendations to improve quality and control costs. Authors Howard Baker, Tom Daschle and Bob Dole address key issues, including the need for strong insurance reforms that require guaranteed issue; the elimination of medical underwriting for pre-existing conditions and rating limitations; new state and regional coverage options through exchanges; reforms that constrain cost growth; and financial assistance through Medicaid and tax credits. The two-year consensus-building process has been supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (6/17/09, The Leaders' Project on the State of American Health Care)

New Polls Find Support For Health Reform, Fear Of Costs
A series of new polls show support for major health care reform, but trepidation about certain policy proposals, and anxiety about quickly growing health care costs, the possibility of losing coverage, and the federal budget deficit in general. (6/19/09; AP, WSJ, NYT, SF Chronicle in MedNews Today)

Insurers Support Coverage Mandate Because It's Good for Business
Having previously fought the health care reform efforts of President Bill Clinton, the health insurance industry is now supporting a major overhaul of the system, particularly a requirement that everyone purchase coverage, mostly because it "faces a bleak future" if such a mandate is not adopted. (6/7/09, LA Times)

Employer Requirement Under Consideration For Senate Finance Committee Health Bill Could Discourage Hiring of Low-Income, Minority, Disabled Workers

"While an employer responsibility requirement is an essential component of health care reform, a proposal that the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee are considering for the forthcoming health legislation is flawed and would have serious unintended consequences, particularly for low-income and minority workers and workers with disabilities." (6/24/09, CBPP)

The Last Piece of the Puzzle: Providing High-Quality, Affordable Health Coverage to All Children through National Health Reform
This report provides a blueprint of how to fill in the health coverage gaps for children and build a family-friendly health care system that addresses children's unique needs. (May 2009, Georgetown University Center for Children and Families)

Explaining Health Care Reform: What are Health Insurance Exchanges?
Various health reform proposals being discussed suggest developing an 'exchange' or a market-place where uninsured individuals will be able to purchase coverage. This brief explains the purpose and function of exchanges, how they would relate to greater regulation of the insurance market, and some of the key questions likely to be addressed by any health reform proposal that calls for the creation of exchanges. (May 2009, KFF)

Rules of the Road: How an Insurance Exchange Can Pool Risk and Protect Enrollees
Several leading proposals for major health reform include a new entity — sometimes called an “exchange” — that would offer a choice of health insurance plans to individuals and, if designed well, provide insurance options that are affordable, comprehensive, and easy for consumers to compare. This report discusses features that should be included in a health insurance exchange so that it provides individuals with coverage options that are affordable, comprehensive and easy to compare. (5/31/09, CBO)

HHS Report, Forum Call for Health Reform to Reduce Disparities
Low-income Americans and racial and ethnic minorities experience disproportionately higher rates of disease, fewer treatment options and reduced access to care, according to a report released today by Health and Human Services that calls for reducing disparities as part of health reform. The report was released in conjunction with a White House forum on health reform and disparities. At a news briefing this morning, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus announced their reform priorities for reducing racial and ethnic health disparities. The groups called for elevating the National Institutes of Health’s National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities and strengthening HHS’ Office of Minority Health. They also called for a public health insurance plan option and adequate reimbursement for language and translation services. (6/9/09, DHHS)

New: Florida Reports

Medicaid Reform: Legislature Should Delay Expansion Until More Information Is Available to Evaluate Success

Nearly three years into a Medicaid privatization program former [Florida] Gov. Jeb Bush said could be a national model, state officials say they do not have crucial data to measure the program's effectiveness, including how many patients' treatments and prescriptions have been approved or denied. There is "little evidence" that the program "has improved health care or saved the state money." Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, which "oversees the pilot" told the AP in an email that due to an overhaul of their computer system, they "do not have usable data at this time." (6/2/09, OPPGA)

Malpractice Suits, Other Factors Contribute to Rise in Caesarean Births
In hospitals across the country but particularly in Florida, surgical births are becoming a given. Nearly 40 percent of Florida babies were born by C-section in 2008; in the Tampa Bay area, the rate is 38 percent. The U.S. rate in 2007 (the most recent year available) was 31.8 percent. A decade ago, the national rate was 21 percent and Florida's was 23 percent. Many doctors believe that the increase in caesarean section births in the U.S. over the last decade has been fueled by three main factors -- fear of malpractice lawsuits, a decrease in vaginal births after c-sections and rising rates of obesity. (6/17/09, St. Petersburg Times)

New Listings: Medicaid

New Listings: Children's Health Care

The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA): Addressing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities

Looks at four key provisions in the bill that are critical to addressing these differences: investing in outreach, increasing access for legal immigrant children and pregnant women, increased funding for interpretation and translation services, and establishing new quality of care measures. It also provides advocates with the tools they need to ensure that these changes are understood and implemented in their communities. (June 2009, Families USA)

Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2009 Resource Page

This new series of issue briefs that examine the new provisions that were included in the reauthorization act and how those provisions will affect implementation in the coming months. (June 2009, Families USA)

More Funding for CHIP, Different Rules: How Does CHIPRA Change CHIP Funding?

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

Families USA's CHIPRA Implementation Series: Exploring New Opportunities for Children's Coverage

Examines the new provisions that were included in the reauthorization and how they will affect implementation in the coming months. (June 2009, Families USA)

Trends in Child Health 1997-2006: Assessing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Unmet Dental Care Needs
The brief compares the unmet dental care needs among children of different racial and ethnic groups and among children in families with similar socio-demographic characteristics, such as family type, poverty status, and health insurance coverage. According to the brief, Hispanic children are the most likely to have dental care needs that are unmet because of cost. (May 2009, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies)

New Listings: Medicare

Medicare Prescription Drug Plans in 2009 and Key Changes Since 2006
Between 2006 and 2009, the average premium paid by people with Medicare for Part D coverage has increased by 35 percent, from $25.93 per month in 2006 to $35.09 in 2009. Between 2008 and 2009, the average person with Medicare paid 17 percent more in premiums—the largest one-year premium increase to date. (June 2009, KFF)

Medicare Report Highlights the Challenges of Cutting Health Care Costs
"As Congress and the Obama administration seek to restrain potentially crushing increases in health-care spending," a report from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), which advises Congress about issues related to Medicare, illustrates how the debate over rising health care costs is "long on problems and short on solutions." (6/16/09, reported in Washington Post)

How Much Choice Is Too Much? The Case of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit

In the face of rising health care costs, a new RWJF-funded study has found that older adults were less likely to identify the plan that minimized their total annual cost and were likely to mistakenly think they had chosen the lowest-cost plan.( August 2009, Health Services Research)

Federal Savings of Lowering Drug Prices Is Unclear

“Of the $80 billion, we estimate that $30 billion could be used for the doughnut hole and passed on to seniors. The other $50 billion could go to health care reform, but these savings have not been identified at the moment.” (6/22/09, New York Times)

Key Priorities to Help Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries

Many low-income Medicare beneficiaries struggle with significant out-of-pocket health care costs, even though they are covered by Medicare. This year, Congress has the opportunity to make substantial improvements in the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) and Part D Low Income Subsidy (LIS) program that help these vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities afford the health care they need. Here are three things Congress should do: Eliminate or increase asset limits; Align and increase income limits; Stabilize and simplify the programs. (May 2009, Families USA)

Medicare: Helping Low-Income Seniors and People with Disabilities

Even though they have Medicare coverage, low-income seniors and people with disabilities can face unaffordable out-of-pocket health care costs due to Medicare’s premiums, deductibles, co-insurance, copayments, and the Part D coverage gap or “doughnut hole.” Many needy people with Medicare cannot qualify for additional assistance because of stringent asset or income limits, and they also cannot afford to purchase private supplemental coverage. Others could qualify for assistance but are not receiving it because of barriers to enrollment. A key goal of health care reform is to ensure that health care is affordable for all Americans. Low income people with Medicare should not be left behind to face increasingly unaffordable out-of-pocket costs. Moreover, as Congress considers making changes to Medicare financing as a way to pay for health care reform, it needs to make sure that help gets directly to those who need it the most. (May 2009, Families USA)

New Listings: Federal/State Budgets

Tax Measures Help Balance State Budgets: A Common and Reasonable Response to Shortfalls

With the recession continuing to widen the gap between shrinking revenues and residents’ increasing need for services, a growing number of states are adopting a balanced approach to their budgets that includes revenue increases as well as spending cuts. Since January 1, 23 states have raised taxes: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Another 13 states are considering doing so: Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. (6/19/09, CBPP)

New Listings: Health Insurance, Health Care Costs

Medical Bills Underlie 60% of US Bankruptcies
In 2007, before the current economic downturn, an American family filed for bankruptcy in the aftermath of illness every 90 seconds; three-quarters of them were insured. Over 60% of all bankruptcies in the United States in 2007 were driven by medical incidents. The results of the first-ever national random-sample survey of bankruptcy filers shows that illnesses and medical bills contribute to a large and increasing share of bankruptcies. The share of bankruptcies attributable to medical problems rose by 50% between 2001 and 2007. (August 2009, American Journal of Medicine)

New Poll Finds Disease Prevention Has Support of Vast Majority of Americans
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) released a new public opinion survey which finds that Americans rank prevention as the most important health care reform priority, and overwhelmingly support increasing funding for prevention programs to reduce disease and keep people healthy. (6/8/09, RWJF)

Employers Are Expected to See a 9% Increase in Health Care Costs
According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, employers could experience a 9 percent increase in health care costs next year and are likely to pass some of that burden on to their employees, who could see double-digit increases. (6/18/09, Associated Press)

Insured Americans Face Higher Medical Costs and More Bankruptcies
Two new studies show that even Americans with insurance are having to pay more for their health care and are increasingly facing the threat of bankruptcy due to high health care costs (6/4/09, LA Times)

Hidden Health Tax: Americans Pay a Premium
As the number of Americans without health insurance continues to rise, so too do the costs borne by those who have coverage, who face what might be called a “hidden health tax.” Private health insurance premiums are higher, at least in part, because uninsured people who receive health care often cannot afford to pay the full amount themselves. The costs of this uncompensated care are shifted to those who have insurance, ultimately resulting in higher insurance premiums for businesses and families. (May 2009, Families USA)

Contagion Nation: A Comparison of Paid Sick Day Policies in 22 Countries
This report finds that the U.S. is the only country among 22 countries ranked highly in terms of economic and human development that does not guarantee that workers receive paid sick days or paid sick leave. Under current U.S. labor law, employers are not required to provide short-term paid sick days or longer-term paid sick leave. By relying solely on voluntary employer policies to provide paid sick days or leave to employees, tens of millions of U.S. workers are without paid sick days or leave. As a result, each year millions of American workers go to work sick, lowering productivity and potentially spreading illness to their coworkers and customers. (May 2009, Center for Economic and Policy Research)

The Shape of America's Future - What Does the Obesity Epidemic Mean for Future Health Care Costs?
Medicare spending on an obese person is 35 percent higher than spending on a person of normal weight. That translates to about $38,000 more over the lifetime of an obese 70-year-old than what Medicare will spend on a beneficiary of similar age and normal weight. (5/27/09, RAND Health)

The Shape of America's Future – Is There Really an Obesity Epidemic?
Many physicians believe that clinically severe obesity is a rare pathological condition affecting only a fixed percentage of the population. But RAND's findings are consistent with the view of most epidemiologists that severe obesity is an integral part of the U.S. population's weight distribution — and as everybody gets heavier, the extreme group has the fastest growth rate. (5/19/09, RAND Health)

Study: Insured Adults’ Out-of-Pocket Health Care Spending Rises
Insured adults spent an average of $729 out-of-pocket on health care, 34% more than in 2004, according to a new study. In addition, the number of underinsured individuals (adults with insurance who spent 5%-10% or more of their income on out-of-pocket medical expenses, or whose deductible equaled 5% or more of their annual family income) increased over the same period. The study’s authors concluded that the increase in out-of-pocket spending is mostly due to growth in overall health spending. (6/2/09, Health Affairs)

New Listings: Health Disparities

Putting Women's Health Care Disparities On The Map: Examining Racial and Ethnic Disparities at the State Level

This report documents the persistence of disparities between white women and women of color across the country. It provides a rare and comprehensive state-level look at disparities among women of different races and ethnicities on a broad range of indicators of health and well-being, including rates of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, AIDS and cancer, and access to health insurance and health screenings. A large disparity in the incidence of certain chronic diseases between black and white women was found. (6/10/09, KFF)

National Healthcare Disparities Report 2008
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recently released its sixth edition of the (NHDR), which presents the latest findings on quality of and access to health care among various racial, ethnic, and income groups. Three key themes emerged from the 2008 report: 1) disparities persist, 2) disparities are different within subpopulations, and 3) some disparities exist across multiple populations. (AHRQ)

A Time of Opportunity: Local Solutions to Reduce Inequities in Health and Safety
Prepared for the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM’s) Roundtable on Health Disparities, in this report, experts identify solutions from the state level down to the community level to reduce inequities in health and safety. May 2009, The Prevention Institute)

Hispanic Children In US At Greater Risk For Obesity

The prevalence of overweight in the US population is among the highest in Mexican-American children and adolescents. A study of 1,030 Hispanic children between the ages of 4 and 19, published by researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine found less than optimal diets in both overweight and non-overweight participants. The Hispanic population is burdened with additional risk factors for childhood obesity including parental obesity, low socioeconomic status (SES), recent immigration, acculturation to US diet and lifestyle, and limited health insurance coverage. (June 2009, Journal of the American Dietetic Association)

Several reports today focus on inadequate health care for certain population groups within the United States
In a long feature story, the AP reports that the Indian Health Service System, "which serves almost 2 million American Indians in 35 states," often provides "grossly substandard care." Meanwhile, NPR reported yesterday that many people in rural areas struggle to obtain affordable health insurance. (AP, NPR in MedNews Today)

New Listings: Other Health Issues

The H1N1 Flu: Ten Lessons Learned
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Trust for America’s Health and the Center for Biosecurity at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have released a new report that looks at 10 early lessons of the recent outbreak, and 10 core ongoing gaps in preparedness that must be addressed to strengthen U.S. preparedness for future health emergencies. A key lesson featured in the report is that investments in public planning paid off, enabling public health officials to react to the outbreak effectively and keep the public informed. But other lessons were more sobering. (6/4/09, RWJF)

Study Suggests Fewer Americans' Adhering to Healthy Lifestyle
Despite the well-known benefits of having a lifestyle that includes physical activity, eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, moderate alcohol use and not smoking, only a small proportion of adults follow this healthy lifestyle pattern, and in fact, the numbers are declining, according to this article. Lifestyle choices are associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as diabetes. (June 2009, American Journal of Medicine)

Continued Listings: Health Care Reform Reports

Health Reform: Cost of Failure
Examines three different scenarios that could occur if the U.S. does not reform its health care system. It concludes that in the best case scenario, inaction could increase family and individual spending by at least 46 percent and nearly double government expenditures as more U.S. residents become eligible for programs such as Medicaid and CHIP. (5/21/09, RWJF)

White House: The Economic Case for Health Care Reform
Slowing the annual growth rate of health care spending by 1.5 percentage points would improve Americans’ standard of living, and reduce the federal budget deficit and the unemployment rate, concludes a new report by the White House Council of Economic Advisors. In addition, expanding coverage would increase the economic well-being of the uninsured, likely increase labor supply and improve the functioning of the labor market. The three-member council advises the president on the formulation of both domestic and international economic policy. (6/2/09, The White House)

Report Recommends Ways to Increase Coverage Among Children
This report recommends expanding Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program eligibility to help cover the nearly 9 million remaining uninsured children in the U.S. It suggests allowing families with incomes up to 150% of the federal poverty level to enroll in Medicaid and children in families with incomes up to 300% of the FPL to enroll in CHIP, while providing flexibility for states wishing to expand eligibility further. For ineligible families, it recommends establishing an insurance exchange and providing subsidies to help them afford coverage. Ensuring access to care will require major new federal resources, it said, suggesting that the federal government require Medicaid and CHIP reimbursement rates to be comparable to Medicare. (5/29/09, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families)

Designing Benefit Standards for a Health Insurance Exchange

explains that, in any exchange that is created as part of health reform, it is crucial to establish benefit standards so that all plans cover a comprehensive range of services, thereby ensuring that individuals and small businesses have a choice of affordable, comprehensive plans. These benefit standards would protect people with particular medical conditions from facing excessive costs, and they would better enable consumers to compare plans based on price and quality. (5/21/09, CBPP)

Ensuring Affordable Health Coverage and Health Care Services in an Insurance Exchange

finds that any health reform proposal that requires everyone to obtain health insurance must establish mechanisms to make health coverage and health care affordable. It also identifies four key components that any successful exchange should have: minimum standards for benefit packages, limits on the degree of variation in different benefit packages, limits on the number of different plan choices, and a requirement that insurers in the exchange offer the full range of benefit packages. (5/21/09, CBPP)

Medicaid as a Platform for Broader Health Reform: Supporting High-Need and Low-Income Populations

summarizes the problems that low-income individuals face in today's health care system and explores policy options for expanding Medicaid to cover more of this population as a base for broader health reform efforts. The report finds that Medicaid can provide a strong foundation that can help ensure the success of broader reform efforts by maintaining coverage for the poor and sick while providing a vehicle to reach low-income adults. (5/12/09, KFF)

Meeting Enrollees’ Needs: How Do Medicare and Employer Coverage Stack Up?

finds that elderly Medicare beneficiaries reported greater overall satisfaction with their health coverage, better access to care, and fewer problems paying medical bills than those under age 65 who are covered by job-based plans. This study was designed to examine whether a public plan could potentially improve access to necessary services and reduce the burden of medical bills for individuals under age 65. (5/12/09, Commonwealth Fund)

Building Momentum as Democrats Forge Health Care Reform
This review of recent action on health reform discusses industry and provider groups' pledge to reduce spending by $2 trillion over the next 10 years, noting that the groups' pledge was a "recognition that the pace of reform is quickening and they wanted to be a full participant in negotiations." It also addresses congressional action, including discussions of a public insurance option and how lawmakers are attempting to address the cost of reform. (5/14/09, NEJM)

Forging a New Plan For Health Care: Principles and Priorities for Sustainable Reform

The U.S. stands poised to enact dramatic and far-reaching changes to health-insurance markets in the name of expanding insurance coverage to the more than 45 million uninsured and controlling rapidly rising health-care costs in both the public and private sectors. Early signals from Congress and the administration indicate that many of these changes will involve expansions of existing government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, massive new regulation of private insurance providers, and trillions of dollars in new federal spending that will have to be financed through new taxes or substantial rationing of patient access to health-care goods and services. This paper makes the fiscal and political case for bipartisan health-care reform that: addresses dysfunctions in the existing health-care-delivery system; expands access to affordable private health insurance in an incremental and fiscally responsible manner; and improves market-based options for consumer access to information on health-care quality. (May 2009, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research)

Tax on Employer Health Benefits Could Be Used to Pay for System Overhaul
"A new tax on employer-provided health insurance is emerging as a likely option to finance an overhaul of the nation's health-care system," but opposition to the plan is coming from many directions. (5/22/09, Washington Post)

Study Lends Urgency to Passage of Health Care Legislation
A study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that in 10 years the number of uninsured Americans could reach beyond 65.7 million and health care costs could more than double, a situation that is motivating lawmakers to pass a bill to revamp the health care system by the end of the year. (5/21/09, Reuters)

Too Great a Burden: Americans Face Rising Health Costs

Nearly one in four Americans under the age of 65—some 64.4 million people—will spend more than 10 percent of their pre-tax family income on health care in 2009.... And 18.7 million non-elderly Americans.... are in families that will spend more than 25 percent of their income on health care in 2009. What’s even more troubling is that most of these Americans are in families who already have health insurance. 82.6% of Americans in families that spend more than 10% of income on health care are insured, and 76.4% of Americans in families that spend more than 25% of income on health care are insured.With the economy in decline and unemployment at its highest rate in decades, more people are out of work and losing their health coverage as a result. Yet even those with insurance are exposed to thinner coverage and higher out of pocket costs. The need to secure true health reform has never been more urgent: The economic security of American families lies in the balance. (May 2009, Families USA)

Limiting the Tax Exclusion For Employer-Sponsored Insurance Can Help Pay For Health Reform; Universal Coverage May Be Out of Reach Otherwise

Congress is unlikely to be able to finance health reform legislation that includes universal coverage unless it limits the exclusion of employers’ health insurance payments from workers’ income and payroll taxes. Limiting the exclusion could provide significant revenues for health reform without eroding employer-sponsored insurance or causing other undesirable side effects - if the cap and the rest of the health reform legislation are well designed. (6/2/09, CBPP)

Paying for Health Reform

The next in a series of reports about how policymakers could pay for health reform that extends insurance to all Americans and slows the growth of health care costs:
Curbing Flexible Spending Accounts Could Help Pay For Health Care Reform

Reversing the Erosion in Alcohol Taxes Could Help Pay For Health Care Reform

Taxing High-Sugar Soft Drinks Could Help Pay For Health Care Reform (5/27/09, CBPP)

Report Highlights National Cost of Chronic Disease
The U.S. spent an estimated $1.7 trillion treating patients with one or more chronic diseases in 2007, about three-quarters of total health care spending. “The health of our nation and our economy will only improve when we move from a ‘sick-care’ system focused on treating chronic diseases to a true health care system devoted to prevention and wellness,” said former Surgeon General Richard Carmona, M.D., PFCD chairperson and president of the Canyon Ranch Institute. Reducing the prevalence of chronic disease through an increased focus on wellness is one pillar of the AHA’s framework for reform, Health for Life: Better Health. Better Health Care. The AHA is a national PFCD partner. (5/14/09, second annual Almanac of Chronic Disease by the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease)

Key Priorities to Help Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries

discusses three actions Congress should take to improve the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) as part of health reform. (May 2009, Families USA)

Medicare: Helping Low-Income Seniors and People with Disabilities

examines the high out-of-pocket costs Medicare beneficiaries face and how health reform should improve existing programs that help them afford these costs. (May 2009, Families USA)

Continued Listings: Florida Reports

Nonprofits & The Economy Survey
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties and Allegany Franciscan Ministries recently released the full results of the Nonprofits and the Economy Survey. Over 300 nonprofit organizations responded to the survey, which asked them about their current challenges, the impact the economic downturn is having on the services they offer and their most pressing funding needs. To schedule a presentation for your organization, please contact the Community Foundation at 561-659-6800 ext. 121 or kparmelee@cfpbmc.org. (May 2009, Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties and Allegany Franciscan Ministries)

Floridians 50-to-65 Losing Coverage

In Florida, the ratio of workers ages 50 to 65 who lacked health coverage in a study two years ago had tripled in this decade to 18 percent, an AARP study found. A spokesman said the numbers have doubtless grown since then because of the recession in a trend AARP views as alarming. (5/8/09, AARP in Tampa Tribune)

Medicare Fraud Prevalent In South Florida

Just 2% of Medicare beneficiaries in the U.S. live in South Florida, but the area accounted for 17% of Medicare's total spending on inhalation drugs in 2007 because of potential fraud, according to a new fraud report. (April 2009, HHS Office of Inspector General)

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

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

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

Florida among 10 worst states for adult diabetes
In just one decade, Florida has gone from having one of lowest rates of adult diabetes in the country to cracking the top 10 worst, federal health officials reported Thursday. Diabetes more than tripled in Florida in the past decade while it was doubling at the national level, according to CDC. (10/31/08, South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

Florida CHAIN Issue Brief: Health Plans' Persistently Consumer-Unfriendly and Divergent "Preferred Drug List" Posting Practices Exemplify Unresolved Challenges in Medicaid Reform

As with other benefits made available under the Medicaid Reform Pilot Program, the prescription drugs covered by health plans (called Preferred Drug Lists, or PDLs) are permitted to deviate significantly from standard Medicaid. Although this flexibility has been touted as increasing consumer choice, meaningfully informed choice is still not possible given the lack of simple and direct access to usable information about those options. In particular, longstanding problems in Reform with respect to accessing plans' PDLs on-line have still not been resolved. These problems may stem from AHCA's reluctance to impose requirements ensuring clarity, accessibility and uniformity of consumer information, as well as from its apparent unwillingness to enforce even the weak requirements it has already imposed.

Dying for Coverage in Florida

More than six people die each day in Florida because they do not have health insurance. A new Families USA report is the first-ever state-specific report of its type, based on a ground-breaking national study by the Institute of Medicine, which in 2002 forged the direct link between a lack of health coverage and deaths from health-related causes. The report also finds that:Between 2000 and 2006, the estimated number of adults between the ages of 25 and 64 in Florida who died because they did not have health insurance was more than 13,600. Across the United States, in 2006, twice as many people in that same age category died from a lack of health insurance as died from homicide. (March 2008, Families USA)

HHS Failed To Show Budget Neutrality Before Approving Florida, Vermont Medicaid Waivers
HHS did not ensure that two Medicaid pilot projects in Florida and Vermont would be budget neutral before approving them. Under federal law, states can obtain a federal waiver for pilot programs to test new ways of delivering care under Medicaid if they can show that spending would not rise faster than it normally would. However, in approving the Florida and Vermont programs, "HHS approved spending limits that were higher than the limits that would have been granted if HHS had held the states to limits based on benchmark growth rates," the report found. In addition, "HHS' basis for approving the higher spending limits was not fully supported by documentation," according to GAO. (March 2008, GAO)

State of Breast Cancer Report Names Florida as One of the "Most Restrictive" for State Assisted Breast Cancer Treatment
Florida is part of a minority of states that still determines a woman ineligible for Medicaid-funded treatment unless she was screened through the state program, restricting access to care for those diagnosed elsewhere. The Florida Suncoast Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is on a mission to lobby the state legislature to change laws affecting women seeking Medicaid-funded treatment for breast cancer. The affiliate also encourages survivors, their families and the Tampa Bay community to contact their local and state representatives, urging them to revisit the laws governing breast cancer treatment. The Report provides information on advancements in diagnosis, treatment and research that have made breast cancer a survivable disease for more than 2 million people in the United States. The report also explores cultural, social, educational and financial barriers – or disparities – that prevent many people from getting screening and receiving life-saving breast cancer care. (11/26/07, Susan Komen Fdn)

Florida Funding For Safety-Net Hospitals Could Be Affected By Proposed Property Tax Cuts

Proposed cuts to Florida property taxes could reduce funding for safety-net hospitals in fiscal year 2009. The "low-income pool" of local and state tax dollars, which receives federal matching funds to reimburse hospitals that provide care to low-income and uninsured residents not covered by Medicaid, is mostly funded by ad valorem property tax revenue. Gov. Charlie Crist (R) and state lawmakers have proposed cutting those taxes this year. (1/3/08, Tampa Tribune)

Too Great a Burden: Florida Families at Risk A Report on the Impact of Healthcare Costs on Florida Families

Over the past eight years, relentless growth in health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs has made spending on health care an increasing burden. For many Floridians, this means that health care is consuming an ever-growing share of their budgets, forcing them to make difficult sacrifices in other areas so they can make ends meet. And for many hard-working families, the burden of these health care costs has become too great to bear. (Dec 2007, Families USA)

Miami-Dade Health Profiles 2007

The Health Council of South Florida released the South Miami-Dade 2007 Health Profile in fall 2007. The South-Miami Dade Health Profile is the second in a series of area Health Profiles prepared for Miami-Dade County's Office of Countywide Healthcare Planning as part of the Building Better Communities General Obligations Bond Program which seeks to improve access to primary care throughout Miami-Dade County. A Health Profile of the Miami Beach Service Area was released in July, and one focusing on the North Miami-Dade Service Area will be released in December. Comparative data is included for Miami-Dade as a whole. The profiles provide a general overview of the population, health needs and resources available in the Service Areas.

(Florida) AHCA's Annual Report on Medicaid Reform

(delivered 10/1/07)

Annie E. Casey Foundation: 18th KIDS COUNT Data Book

This is the recently released new edition of this national and state-by-state effort to track the status of children in the United States. By providing policymakers and citizens with benchmarks of child well-being, the Foundation seeks to enrich local, state, and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all children. Information is also available in an online database that enables users to generate custom graphs, maps, ranked lists, and state-by-state profiles. Both the book and the online database can be accessed on the website listed above.

2007 Miami-Dade County Community Health Report Card: Health improvement through benchmarking, priority setting and leadership engagement

Intended as a “call to action” for area health care advocates and policy makers, the report assesses how well systems and institutions are meeting residents’ needs. It analyzes and synthesizes 93 health indicators, examines pervasive continuing racial and ethnic disparities, and sets targets for ten priority need areas including access to health care and coverage.

Florida Children’s Action Agenda 2007/2008 Available Online
Florida state Senators Nan Rich and Durell Peaden and Representatives Loranne Ausley and J.C. Planas have released the final recommendations of the 2006 Florida Children’s Summit. The Summit participants learned a lot, and the next Summit in Fall 2008 will reflect that. In 2008 they will spend substantially more time in workshops hashing out recommendations and will secure experienced workshop facilitators who are knowledgeable about the topics they are facilitating. Also, they will institute a process to ensure that when leaving the 2008 Summit - or very shortly thereafter - all will know the Summit recommendations.

Report looks at uninsured in Florida
This report from the Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy at FIU documents and breaks down Florida's uninsured figures, finding 18.5% of the total Florida population uninsured. The report looks at employment and industry data related to lack of coverage, and proposes a partial solution.