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Sit down and chat for a while!

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Arianne Slagle

ACA Equity Chat

Tomorrow (Friday, 4/26), Community Catalyst, Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) and HCFANY member Raising Women’s Voices will be hosting a tweet chat to celebrate Minority Health Month. The subject of the chat will be how the ACA is addressing health disparities. You can expect to hear about topics like language access, consumer engagement,  essential health benefits and the Navigator program, and how these things will affect health disparities.

Health disparities are seen among many different populations, such as communities of color, women, members of the LGBT community, people with disabilities and people who speak another language. Thankfully, ACA gives us a number of opportunities to help address these issues.

To join the Tweet Chat, log onto your Twitter account, or simply search the hashtag #ACAEquity. You can follow and join the conversation with some of these sample tweets below. Interested in how the ACA specifically helps women, women of color and members of the LGBT community? Follow Raising Women’s Voices – New York at www.twitter.com/rwvny.

Here are some sample tweets you can post!

  •  The #ACA improves the quality of coverage available to everyone by mandating specific services like maternity care! #ACAEquity.
  • Does ur family speak a language other than English? Navigators will help u find health care plans w/docs who speak ur language. #ACAEquity
  • If we want the health care law to work for women of color, we need to stay informed. Follow us for up-to-date info! #ACAEquity
  • Latinas have the highest incidence of cervical cancer among women of all racial groups. Thanks to #ACA, pap smears are covered w/o copays. #ACAEquity

See you tomorrow at 1 pm! Don’t forget to use the hashtag #ACAEquity!  Questions are encouraged!

 

 

 

Filed under: ACA, Disability, Health Disparities | Tagged: , , | Comments Off

Open Enrollment Style!

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Arianne Slagle

[***WARNING*** THIS SONG WILL GET STUCK IN YOUR HEAD]

How clever is this? The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum has made an educational video on the ACA and open enrollment via the Exchange that plays off of the extremely popular and infectious K-pop single “Gangnam Style” by PSY.

It’s almost as goofy as the original (it even has a dancing baby!), which is great, because it gets people’s attention.  This is what we want!  Anything that makes ”open enrollment” and “October 1st” stick into people’s heads is a good thing.  It also introduces the concept of the Exchange as an online marketplace for affordable insurance.

Check it out when you get a moment! I am hoping to see and blog about many more of these types of creative PSA’s around the ACA and the push for Open Enrollment in the coming months.  Hopefully this video inspires more advocates to get creative!

 

 

Filed under: ACA, Federal health reform, Insurance Exchange, New York Health Benefit Exchange | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off

Register Today for the HCFANY Annual Meeting!

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Arianne Slagle

Click here to register!

Yes, it’s a a new year and that means its time for the HCFANY annual meeting! Join us on January 17, 2013 in Albany to celebrate our success over the past year and strategize how, together, we can work with New York State to develop a Health Insurance Exchange that will achieve our long-term goal of quality, affordable health care for all New Yorkers.  

The meeting will take place in the “Well” of the Legislative Office Building (LOB) in Albany from 11 am – 3:30 pm (coffee and registration at 10:30 am).  Our tentative agenda for the day includes:

  • Advocacy goals for 2013 - What we need to accomplish next for New York
  • Update on ACA implementation in New York (Exchange staff has been invited)
  • Our annual “Advocate of the Year” Award 
  • How to talk about ACA implementation to policymakers, the media, and the public 
  • Upcoming workgroup sessions: Help us plan our 2013 activities 

Click here to register!

 

 

Filed under: ACA, Federal health reform, Governor Cuomo, Insurance reform, New York Health Benefit Exchange, New York Health Reform, New York State Budget, New York State Politics, Small Business, State budget, State Department of Health, Underinsured, Uninsured, Women, young adult | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off

Tele-Town Hall on Women’s Preventive Health TOMORROW!

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Arianne Slagle

For many women, the fight for insurance coverage of women’s preventive health services has been a very long one. 

But, thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), women will no longer need to worry about getting much of the preventive health care they need because of the costs associated.  

A new provision in the ACA is scheduled to go into effect starting tomorrow, August 1st, which requires all new health plans will have to cover the following services without co-pays or deductibles:

  • Well-woman visits
  • Gestational diabetes screening
  • HPV DNA testing
  • STI counseling, and HIV screening and counseling
  • Contraception and contraceptive counseling
  • Breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling
  • Domestic violence screening

To kick off the event tomorrow, Senator Mark Begich (D-AK), Chairman of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and other Democratic Senators will be hosting a Tele-Town Hall on the new free preventive services for women under the ACA. 

The call will be held tommorrow, Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. ET. 

For dial-in information, please RSVP to: https://democrats.senate.gov/steering/tele-town-hall-on-free-preventive-services-for-women/

 **Please note that this call is not for press purposes**

 

 

Filed under: ACA, Affordable, Federal health reform, Insurance reform, Underinsured, Women, young adult | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off

ACA extends health benefits to children of same-sex federal employees

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Arianne Slagle

The federal government has published a proposed rule that would extend one popular provision of the Affordable Care Act – to allow young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26 – to children of same-sex federal workers.

Up until now, same-sex partners have not been eligible for benefits under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).  However, by tweaking some of the language in the definition of “step-child,” the Office of Personnel Management was able to extend this important benefit to children of same-sex partners – including the federal vision and dental programs.

Pretty cool, eh?

Click here to read the proposed rule (it’s short, only 5 pages) from the Office of Personnel Management.  Comments are due by September 18.

 

Filed under: ACA, Comprehensive Coverage, Federal health reform, Insurance reform, young adult | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off

We want to hear from you!

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Arianne Slagle

Now that the celebrations are winding down from last months Supreme Court decision to uphold the health reform law (see above video), it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty of ACA implementation.

New York has pretty much been moving full steam ahead for the past year or so [you can always check and see what the State is up to by going to the State health reform implementation website: http://www.healthcarereform.ny.gov/].  This means that if you have any kind of opinion on what you want health reform to look like in New York, particularly with the new Health Insurance Exchange, NOW is the time to speak up!

HCFANY is helping to get the preferences and opinions of everyday New Yorkers to the policymakers who are working on these issues through a statewide “listening tour” that was launched earlier this month.  To do this, HCFANY advocates will be going out around the state and surveying folks on the different aspects of health reform implementation.  These surveys will be done both one-on-one and in a group setting.  To find out more about any listening tour events in your area, please contact Mark Hannay at metrohealth@igc.org.

For downstate folks in the NYC area, there are currently two events coming up next week, one in Queens and one in the Westchester-Putnam area.  For more information on how to attend either of these group events, click on the links below.

 

Filed under: ACA, Comprehensive Coverage, Consumer Assistance, Federal health reform, Insurance Exchange, Insurance reform | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off

THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS UPHELD!!!

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Arianne Slagle

It’s true! The decision was just handed down just a little bit ago.  The verdict? The entire law is upheld – including the individual mandate! 

It looks like there will only be one small change to the Medicaid expansion.  The ACA had originally stated that states could expand Medicaid eligibility to people up to 133% of the Federal Poverty Level, and that the federal government would basically pick up the entire cost for it, but that if they didn’t expand they could risk losing their existing funds.  The Supreme Court changed this so that states who don’t choose to expand their Medicaid eligibility won’t risk losing funding. 

Overall, this is a HUGE win for Americans, and a HUGE win for New Yorkers! And who do we have to thank? Justice Roberts! Who miraculously took a big one for the team by siding with the left-leaning justices on this.  That is one man who will be heavily toasted to (and cursed) by millions tonight.

So, what should we do with this information? Why, let’s celebrate of course!!!  Join HCFANY around this great State of New York TODAY at a series of public events for folks to speak up and celebrate this big victory!!! 

  • Albany: 3:00 PM at the Capital (State Street side). Contact Bob Cohen at bcohen@citizenactionny.org or (518) 465-4600 x104 for more info.
  • Binghamton: 4:00 PM at the Federal Building, 15 Henry Street. Contact Mary Clark at cabing@citizenactionny.org or (607) 723-0110 for more info.
  • Buffalo: 3:00 PM in the lobby of Congressman Higgins’ office, 726 Exchange Street. Contact Natalie Luczkowiak at nluczkowiak@citizenactionny.org or (716) 855-1522 x2 for more info.
  • Cortland: 5:00 PM at the U.S. Post Office, 88 Main Street. Contact Janet Steck at jsteck@twcny.rr.com or (607) 749-7016 for more info.
  • New York City: New Location! 5:30 PM (assemble at 5:15 pm) in Foley Square in lower Manhattan, across from the Federal Courthouse at the African American Burial Ground Monument (Take 4, 5, 6, J, M, N, or R trains to City Hall-Brooklyn Bridge stations). Contact Mark Hannay at metrohealth@igc.org or (917) 318-5008 for more info.
  • Syracuse: 4:00 PM at the Federal Building, 100 Clinton Street. Contact Lanika Mabrey at lmabrey@citizenactionny.org or (315) 435-2480.

We hope to see you there!!!

 

Filed under: ACA, Accountability, Affordable, Consumer Assistance, Employer Sponsored Health Insurance, Federal health reform, Insurance Exchange, Insurance reform, New York Health Reform, Premiums, Underinsured, Uninsured, Women, young adult | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off

New location for NYC SCOTUS Rally!

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Arianne Slagle

Due to a last-minute change of plans (and a snafu with the permits) the location of HCFANY’s New York City rally to respond to the forthcoming Supreme Court ruling has been changed to Foley Square in lower Manhattan.  All other locations remain the same.

It’s getting close! If you havent already, please be sure to check out the locations and  times of the events scheduled around the state and plan to attend the one in your area.  For now, it looks like all events will be taking place this Thursday, 6/28. 

Be there or be square!

June 28th HCFANY Statewide Events to Respond to the Supreme Court Ruling: Will the Supreme Court Affirm the Right to Health Care in America?

Featured speakers will include public officials, advocates, community and labor leaders, and everyday New Yorkers telling their own stories about what the Affordable Care Act means for them and their families.

  • Albany: 3:00 PM at the Capital (State Street side). Contact Bob Cohen at bcohen@citizenactionny.org or (518) 465-4600 x104 for more info.
  • Binghamton: 4:00 PM at the Federal Building, 15 Henry Street. Contact Mary Clark at cabing@citizenactionny.org or (607) 723-0110 for more info.
  • Buffalo: 3:00 PM in the lobby of Congressman Higgins’ office, 726 Exchange Street. Contact Natalie Luczkowiak at nluczkowiak@citizenactionny.org or (716) 855-1522 x2 for more info.
  • Cortland: 5:00 PM at the U.S. Post Office, 88 Main Street. Contact Janet Steck at jsteck@twcny.rr.com or (607) 749-7016 for more info.
  • New York City: New Location! 5:30 PM (assemble at 5:15 pm) in Foley Square in lower Manhattan, across from the Federal Courthouse at the African American Burial Ground Monument (Take 4, 5, 6, J, M, N, or R trains to City Hall-Brooklyn Bridge stations). Contact Mark Hannay at metrohealth@igc.org or (917) 318-5008 for more info.
  • Syracuse: 4:00 PM at the Federal Building, 100 Clinton Street. Contact Lanika Mabrey at lmabrey@citizenactionny.org or (315) 435-2480.

Filed under: ACA, Federal health reform, Insurance reform, Small Business, Underinsured, Uninsured, Women, young adult | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

For the sports fan and/or policy nerd in all of us

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Arianne Slagle

Just in time for the home strech of the impending Supreme Court  decision on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there’s a new toy for us to play with! Mike Leavitt of Leavitt Partners (yes, the same former Governor of Utah, HHS secretary, and recent addition to Mitt Romney’s transition team) has put together a nifty interactive tool called ”Health Reform Bracketology” on the potential court decisions and potential election outcomes and what they would mean for the future of health reform.

Call it what you will (June Madness?), it actually does a pretty great job of laying out the scenarios and gives some interesting predictions on outcomes.  Of course, these are just predictions.  Nobody can really be 100% sure how policymakers will react to any of these scenarios, but this does provide some good insights into the “what if?”s that are floating around in everyone’s head.

It’s worthwhile to look at anyways, if you get a free moment.

Click here to play Health Reform Bracketology.

Filed under: ACA, Federal health reform | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off

What the what?

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Arianne Slagle

Still having trouble figuring out what people are talking about when they mention a health insurance exchange?

Well, back in January, I mentioned a project that NY State policymakers were working on with 9 other states called UX2014 – or “User Experience 2014″ – to build a prototype for a health insurance exchange (or, at least the part of it that the public will use).

Well, it looks like they are done designing their model and it is up on the web for people to look at and try out.  Again, this is just a prototype.  Each state (including NY) has the option of using this prototype as a model for their own exchange and customizing it, or designing their own from scratch.

I just took a look at it, and it does seem to be pretty user-friendly, for me anyways.  It actually reminded me somewhat of the turbo tax software I use to file my taxes online each year.  The website is set up using a hypothetical family of three as the potential enrollee, and then walks you through all of the steps they would go through to see if they are eligible for tax credits, look at available plans, and enroll.  The model also has an option for help and lets people choose between finding in-person help in their area, utilizing an online chat function, or calling a hotline.

It’s worth taking a look at, if you get a chance, and will help to create a visual of what we mean when we talk about a “health insurance exchange.”

The UX2014 website, with the prototype, can be accessed at: http://www.ux2014.org/

 

 

Filed under: ACA, Federal health reform, Insurance Exchange, Insurance reform | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off

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