Posts related to Uncategorized

The Time for the FAMILY Act is Now

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This post originally appeared on the NHCOA blog.

Every day, 11% of our workforce shows to up work hoping to not get sick. 

These workers probably also hope their children, parents, and dependents don’t get sick as well. That is the daily reality of American workers who do not have access to paid sick or family leave.

For many parents, having a job and having a family are mutually exclusive. If they need to take care of a family member or themselves, they could lose wages, face disciplinary action, or even worse, get fired. All Americans, including diverse Americans, want to have strong families— be there for their children and parents when they need.... Read More

             

LGBT Elders, Discrimination, and Accessing Health Care: Addressing Real Challenges

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by Ben de Guzman

The Center for American Progress’ LGBT Research and Education Project (CAP LGBT) has generated lots of important information about LGBT communities, their needs and challenges, and their strategies for resiliency and growth. Their research provides the data that advocates need to articulate the problems communities face, and the baselines and benchmarks needed to measure progress and hold lawmakers accountable.

Their “Moving the Needle: The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on LGBT Communities”* was released last month in time for the second enrollment period, and while it revealed important progress in terms of levels of access to health care coverage for LGBT communities, it also highlighted some ongoing challenges people are facing.... 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

             

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 year 2,.... Read More

             

The Ins and Outs of LGBT Caregiving

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We, (those of us older than 50) are now finding out what Bette Davis knew, that “Old age ain’t no place for sissies.” Those of us who are also lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) may have additional challenges including homophobia and heteronormativity, which can send us running back to the very closets we fought so hard to leave, according to Stein and colleagues in a 2010 article in the Journal of Gerontology Social Work.

Recently I did a study with African-American lesbians and gay males. All study participants experienced a sense of alienation, in the African-American and majority-LGBT communities, described consistently as “a hurt that lasts a long time.” They also talked of a sense of not.... 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 one’s.... 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

             

We are looking for a National Managing Coordinator for the Diverse Elders Coalition

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The Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC) is an advocacy and education coalition made up of five national organizations representing millions of elders of color and LGBT elders around the country. The DEC focuses on strengthening policies and programs to enhance the health and well-being of diverse elders, educating and connecting our older people and their loved ones to key policy debates on aging, and increasing public support for issues that affect our communities. The DEC includes: the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, the National Hispanic Council on Aging, the National Indian Council on Aging, Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders, and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center.

Since its founding in 2010, the DEC has garnered considerable attention nationwide and moved.... Read More

             

From Coverage To Care

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A message from Cara James, Ph.D., Director of the Office of Minority Health at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:

We are excited to tell you about From Coverage to Care: A Roadmap for using your new coverage

c2c cover (2)

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who recently obtained health coverage through the new Health Insurance Marketplace, or Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance (CHIP), From Coverage to Care materials can help answer questions you might have so you can make the most of your health coverage. Resources are available at marketplace.cms.gov/c2c. Some of.... Read More

             
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