Posts related to Medicaid & Medicare

Special ACA Enrollment Period for 2015 Tax Season

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The following is a press release from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  For more information on how health reform and the ACA have impacted our diverse elder communities, click here.

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CMS Announces Special Enrollment Period for Tax Season

Eligible consumers have from March 15 through April 30 to enroll in coverage

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today a special enrollment period (SEP) for individuals and families who did not have health coverage in 2014 and are subject to the fee or “shared responsibility payment” when they file their 2014 taxes in states.... Read More

             

DEC and HHS Host “Affordable Care Act and Diverse Elders” Event

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by Ben de Guzman, Diverse Elders Coalition National Managing Coordinator

On Tuesday, November 25, the Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC), in partnership with the U.S. Department on Health and Human Services (HHS), hosted a briefing on the Affordable Care Act and diverse elders. As the new National Managing Coordinator for the DEC, I was excited to open the event by welcoming the audience and introducing Michael Adams, Executive Director of Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE), a DEC member. Michael provided a wealth of data on health care challenges faced by diverse communities, including Latinos, American Indians/ Alaska Natives (AI/ AN), Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), African Americans, the LGBT community, as well as people living with HIV/AIDS..... Read More

             

Addressing Health Equity in the Dual Eligible Demonstration Projects

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 hwu6fmCA_400x400“The healthcare world is changing; providers who have been serving a certain population are now serving a completely new population, a more diverse population. When you talk about cultural competency, what you really need to look at is what the customs, beliefs and values of these individuals are.”     Dr. Terri Mack-Biggs, Geriatrician, Hospice of Detroit, Michigan

There is a significant demographic shift taking place in the United States, particularly for older adult populations. According to the Diverse Elders Coalition, the older population will grow far more diverse in racial, ethnic and cultural dimensions over the.... Read More

             

Webinar: New Opportunity to Address Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities for Medicare and Medicaid Beneficiaries (Dual Eligibles)

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Tuesday, November 11, 2014

2:00-3:00 pm Eastern

Click here to register

The Diverse Elders Coalition joins Community Catalyst for their latest Health Equity webinar

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) offers a unique opportunity to address racial and ethnic health disparities for individuals who are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, sometimes referred to as “dual eligibles.” The dual eligible population is disproportionately non-white and they experience a high rate of health disparities. Through provisions of the ACA, more than a dozen states are launching demonstration projects focused on improving care for vulnerable dually eligible Americans. But very few states are using this new opportunity to address racial and ethnic health disparities, even though the demonstration design.... Read More

             

Making it Matter: Supporting LGBT Seniors through Health Care Reform Initiatives

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As Community Catalyst’s Health Equity summer intern, I got to spend some time chatting with Linda Ellis of Georgia’s The Health Initiative about why closing the coverage gap in Georgia, and other states that have yet to expand Medicaid is pivotal for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) elders. As she shared, there was a time when it made sense to focus on LGBT specific services and to think that “we need to specifically care for our own. However, that is not the case today for an LGBT-specific organization in a state with limited resources and support for both the LGBT community and LGBT health care expansion.”

Many LGBT elders have come of age in a culture of rejection from.... Read More

             

AIDS AND AGING: A REALITY THAT DEMANDS OUR ATTENTION

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The AID Institute’s 7th annual National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD) will be observed September 18, 2014 with the theme “Aging is a part of life; HIV doesn’t have to be!” For more information about HIV/AIDS and older Americans or to become involved with the campaign, visit www.NHAAAD.org.

Among diverse communities, the stigma of HIV is a cause of shame, embarrassment, and worse of all, denial and silence. When denial and silence are present, the lack of communication and information lead to myths and misinformation. Worst of all, silence results in increased infections and is inevitably compounded by stigma, which leads to people living with HIV who are undiagnosed and therefore, untreated.

In the U.S. alone, 1.... Read More

             

Webinar: Marketplace Outreach for Diverse Populations – Thurs. Sept. 25 at 2pm EDT

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cms                    DEC Logo enclosed

When: Thursday, September 25, 2014 at 2:00pm EDT

Webinar Link: https://webinar.cms.hhs.gov/marketplacedp92514/

Call in number: 1-877-267-1577        Meeting ID: 995 471 476

No advanced registration is required.

Speakers:

Jeanette Contreras, MPP, Outreach Lead – Partner Relations Group, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Jonathan Tran, California Policy and Advocacy Manager, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) Patrick Aitcheson, Interim National Coordinator, Diverse Elders Coalition

Who should attend? Advocates. Policy makers. Older adults. Funders. Anyone interested in learning more about ACA enrollment as we approach the start of.... Read More

             

Vaccinations are not just for kids

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August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), and when it comes to vaccines, it’s important to keep in mind that immunizations are not just for kids – we all need to get vaccinated at different points throughout our lifetimes. That is why it is important for older adults to know what vaccines they may need, where they are administered, and receive encouragement from their trusted health care providers and loved ones to get immunized.

The fact is that the existence of vaccines is the one of the reasons we are able to live longer, healthier lives. Diseases that used to be deadly are now preventable, and NIAM presents an opportunity to highlight the value of immunization across.... Read More

             

New health coverage? Now what?

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Millions of Americans obtained health coverage through the new Health Insurance Marketplace or through Medicaid. For many of these newly insured individuals and families, this insurance is their first health coverage in a long time or ever. Now what? How can you get the most from this coverage? What do all these terms such as in-network, deductible, co-insurance (and many, many more) mean? How do you find and choose a doctor (“provider”), make an appointment, prepare for a visit and more? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has launched an education initiative entitled From Coverage to Care with educational materials and videos available in both English and Spanish to help people make the most of their.... Read More

             

Medicare and Medicaid at 49: Keeping the Generations-Old Promise Alive

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While the concept of national health insurance was developed in the early 20th century, President Harry S. Truman elevated the issue during his Administration:

“Millions of our citizens do not now have a full measure of opportunity to achieve and to enjoy good health. Millions do not now have protection or security against the economic effects of sickness. And the time has now arrived for action to help them attain that opportunity and to help them get that protection.”

Twenty years later, his vision was brought to life under President Lyndon B. Johnson with the Social Security Amendments of 1965, which provided millions of older Americans and low-income families with access to healthcare through the Medicare and Medicaid programs. At.... Read More

             

Quyen Dinh and SEARAC – Giving voice to the Southeast Asian American community and its economic security concerns

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Quyen picA conversation with Quyen Dinh, Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

May was AAPI Heritage Month and this year’s theme was “I Am Beyond.” It is a phrase meant to evoke the rich and complex diversity of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. What does AAPI Heritage mean to you personally and as the ED of SEARAC?

I grew up in Orange County, California, and San Jose, California, homes to two of the largest Vietnamese American communities in the nation. Growing up in these communities to me meant seeing a lot of Asian faces.... Read More

             

NHCOA Regional Meetings: Leveraging the Power of Stories and Grassroots Leadership

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Access to health care, Medicare fraud, poverty, and hunger were the most pressing issues discussed at the Miami and Dallas Open Forums, which are part of the National Hispanic Council on Aging’s 2014 Promoting Communities of Success Regional Meeting series.

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The data speaks for itself:

Over one-quarter of the Hispanic population is in poverty. There are about 750,000 older adults nationwide experiencing hunger and 5 million facing food insecurity. Of these, Hispanic older adults are 20% more likely to be hungry. Latino seniors and diverse elders are more likely to suffer specific chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and.... Read More
             
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