Health Equity Connection for October 2012

Upcoming Events Globalization and Health Equity Policy: A Framework for 21st Century Haiti—10/18/12 – 10/19/12 Overcoming Disparities: Diabetes Care in High Risk Populations—10/22/12 – 10/23/12 2012 Summit on the Science of Eliminating Health Disparities—10/31/12 – 11/3/12 Moving Toward LGBT Health Equity: Transforming Lives, Transforming Communities—11/12/12 – 11/13/12    National Knowledge for Equity Conference—11/13/12 – 11/14/12 Health Equity Initiative Brown Bag Talk: Multi-sectoral Perspectives on Advancing Health Equity in Urban Settings—11/19/12

 In this Issue

• New Resources
• Policy Updates
• Fellowship Opportunities
• Orlando Community Forum on the Affordable Care Act
  
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
  
• Upcoming Events
  

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New Resources

• Cutting Medicaid: Ineffective and Harmful (Families USA)
  
  
• The Presidential Health Care Plans: What You Need to Know (Alliance for Health Reform)
  
  
• Opportunities and Challenges in the Affordable Care Act for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Small Businesses (Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum)
  
  
• How Far Have We Come in Reducing Health Disparities?: Progress Since 2000—Workshop Summary (Institute of Medicine)
  
  
• Your Mental Health Under Sequester... (Mental Health America)
  
   

 

Policy Updates

Many Blacks and Hispanics Unaware of Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period
During Medicare’s open enrollment period, beneficiaries are encouraged to review and change their benefits and coverage in their traditional Medicare, private Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Part D plans. However, a Kaiser Family Foundation survey of seniors found that many of them are unaware of this opportunity to review and change their Medicare coverage and that a larger share of blacks and Hispanics are unaware of the open enrollment period. This year, Medicare’s 2013 open enrollment period runs from October 15 through December 7.

November 16 Deadline for Health Exchange Blueprint Submissions
States face a November 16 deadline to submit an application to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) if they plan to operate their own state exchanges or state-federal partnerships. Many states are waiting until after the November election to decide on their exchange models, losing the opportunity to take full advantage of their planning time. The New Jersey state legislature will soon send a bill to Republican Governor Chris Christie that would create a health insurance exchange. However, the governor is planning to wait until after the November 6 to announce whether he’ll sign it. This leaves the state only 10 days to develop a blueprint for their exchange. Read more about the exchange choice states are facing here.

Fellowship Opportunities

AHCJ Fellowships for Reporting on Health Care Performance (Association of Health Care Journalists)
Application due: 11/9/12

Health Policy Fellows Program (The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
Application due: 11/14/12

The Mongan Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy (Harvard Medical School)
Application due: 12/15/12

Orlando Community Forum: The Health Care Law and You

On October 30, Families USA will hold a community forum in Orlando, Florida, with Hispanic Health Initiatives, Florida CHAIN, and Florida SEIU. Dra. Isabel from Radio Univision will be addressing community members and speaking about how the Affordable Care Act will benefit millions of Latinos. Learn more about the event here.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, private health plans and Medicare now cover mammograms and other preventive services without a copay. Millions of women can now access services that are vital for prevention and early detection of breast cancer. Read Kathleen Sebelius’ statement here.

We’d like to hear from you! Did we miss something? If you’d like to highlight an organization, event, activity, or other resource in our newsletter, please contact us at healthequity@familiesusa.org.

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