| The latest news from and for state health care advocates |
June 2010 |
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In This Issue:
Buzz around the States
New York passes a health care law that imposes tougher regulations on insurers looking to raise rates and also increases the required medical loss ratio in the state.
Connecticut gets a head start on health reform by opting to expand Medicaid early.
The Children’s Health Access Coalition holds a rally in support of FMAP to urge their senators to support state budgets.
Georgia Budget and Policy Institute releases a new fact sheet on the importance of enhanced FMAP funding called Medicaid Crisis: Georgia Is Depending on Congress to Approve Additional Medicaid Funding.
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States in Focus
Bringing It All Together in Tennessee
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THCC’s Annual Meeting concluded with a strong call to action. Participants left with a strong sense of empowerment and a renewed sense of commitment to the next phase of health reform. I left with a greater appreciation of the effective advocacy network that has been built, and continues to grow, in Tennessee. |
Jessica Larochelle, field director for Families USA, was an attendee and speaker at the Tennessee Health Care Campaign’s Annual Meeting on June 12, 2010.
Similar to the legislative battle to pass national health reform, state advocates continue to balance multiple demands during implementation. Strengthening partnerships with the media, educating communities about the merits of the new law, cultivating volunteer networks, and fostering relationships with elected officials are among the many responsibilities that state advocates must juggle. I had the opportunity to participate in the Tennessee Health Care Campaign’s (THCC) Annual Meeting earlier this month. The staff, board, and volunteers of THCC did a tremendous job coordinating all of these demands for a truly outstanding day.
Tony Garr, executive director of THCC, welcomed the audience of well over 100 participants with an audio clip of President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing the Social Security Act of 1935 into law. President Roosevelt’s words were eerily similar to President Obama’s when he signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act this past March. Showing this clip was a creative and effective way to remind the audience of the magnitude of this accomplishment and the importance of the work ahead.
Jessica Larochelle, on the left, talks to the crowd about building upon success and the next phase in the fight for health care justice. Tony Garr, on the right, THCC Executive Director, explains what is in health reform for Tennessee
Another highlight of the day was the luncheon panel that featured Dwight Lewis, editor of the Tennessean, as moderator and U.S. Representative Jim Cooper and Larry Goldberg, CEO of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, as panelists. Mr. Lewis facilitated an engaging discussion on the benefits and challenges that the new health reform law will bring to Tennessee. By involving these grasstops leaders in their annual meeting, THCC helped to foster relationships that will be crucial to effective and consumer-friendly implementation in their state.
The meeting was also unique in that it featured a plenary and workshop session lead by Jim Duffett, executive director of the Campaign for Better Health Care in Illinois. Participants thoroughly enjoyed learning about strategies that Jim is employing in his state to help shape tactics in Tennessee.
In addition to bringing together a core group of grasstops and grassroots leaders from across the state to lay out the work ahead, the annual meeting served other purposes as well. The event served as a kick off to a series of train-the-trainer public education series that THCC intends to use to spread the word about the health care law.
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Whether there is currently a well-functioning consumer assistance program or no program at all in your state, you will need to figure out how the state can use new funds from the Affordable Care Act to aid efforts to help consumers in your state. Coordination between non-profit consumer organizations and state agencies is key to finding a plan that works for your state. Communication between states at different parts in this process has been and will continue to be essential. |
States Gear up for Consumer Assistance Funding
A very exciting provision in the Affordable Care Act makes grants available to states to fund "consumer assistance" or "ombudsman" programs. These programs help inform consumers of their rights and help them solve problems that may come up with their coverage, such as by helping them pursue appeals. The grant announcements for this program are expected to come out soon.
States are in varying places in developing these programs and are gearing up in different ways to take advantage of these new funds. Because programs exist through non-profit organizations, as well as state agencies, processes to improve programs or build new ones vary in each state. Here are some examples:
- Health Care for All Massachusetts operates a highly successful statewide helpline as does Consumers for Affordable Health Care in Maine. Both groups are looking forward to expanding their programs with the new funding available through the Affordable Care Act and serve as a model for groups across the country that are now starting new programs.
- Community Service Society in New York provides health consumer assistance to New York City residents in collaboration with local organizations that provide outreach and services to various ethnic and linguistic groups. They are considering ways to expand their services statewide.
- Health Assist Tennessee is a nonprofit organization originally set up to help TennCare enrollees and later expanded to assist uninsured Tennessee residents and those with other kinds of coverage. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance explored ways they could partner with Health Assist Tennessee to assist state residents.
- Vermont Legal Aid already serves as the official ombudsman for Vermonters with health insurance problems and receives contracts from both the Vermont insurance department and Vermont Medicaid agency for their work. They want to be sure that Vermont uses new grant money to expand services, not supplant existing state funds.
Together, many of the nonprofit programs listed above sent a joint letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) asking them to consider ways to fund nonprofit organizations so that they may also serve as statewide consumer assistance programs.
Some other states already have consumer health assistance programs or ombudsman programs in arms of government that are separate from the insurance department. For example, Connecticut's Independent Office of the Healthcare Advocate served as a model to Senator Dodd who contributed to this portion of the Act.
However, there are several states where no program exists, and these states are currently trying to figure out which model would work best for their population. Families USA, Community Catalyst, and other national partners have helped consumer assistance programs communicate across the states, connect emerging programs to older programs, and relay their questions and concerns to HHS.
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As we’re switching gears from passing to implementing the new law, we’ll need to bring together a broad spectrum of stakeholders. In many cases, like Vinny, we’ll need to listen carefully to others, form honest two-way relationships, and at times make compromises if we want be successful implementing reform. |
A Model Advocate: The DeMarco Factor
This month, Michael Pertschuk, the former chairman of the Federal Trade Commission and co-founder of the Advocacy Institute, chronicled how Vincent DeMarco, a seemingly ordinary man, changed the face of politics in Maryland in a new biography, The DeMarco Factor.
Vinny DeMarco, executive director of Maryland’s Citizen Health Initiative, is well-known outside the beltway for his steadfast commitment to social and economic justice. In the face of great obstacles, Vinny has lead successful efforts to pass tougher gun control laws, hike cigarette taxes to prevent children from smoking, and most recently built the grassroots support needed to expand health care coverage in Maryland.
In the book, Pertschuk thoughtfully draws out lessons from Vinny’s experiences. Pertschuk describes how advocates can plan strategic campaigns, frame issues for the public and media, and build coalitions of unlikely bedfellows to influence key decision makers. Vinny’s ability to mobilize groups led to the creation of the Health Care for All coalition, which consists of over 1,100 faith, labor, business, and health organizations, who together stifled the influence of the powerful insurance industry in order to pass federal health reform.
According to Maryland Governor, Martin O’Malley, “All of us can learn from Vinny how to transform public will into political power.” The DeMarco Factor is a great summer read that will sharpen your advocacy skills and inspire you to achieve insurmountable goals.
Beat of the Month
On July 1, HHS will launch high-risk pools in 21 states that will help people with pre-existing conditions get coverage. Pools are beginning to start up in the remaining 30 states as well. These high-risk pools will finally create a much-needed safety net for the most at-risk people who are denied coverage by insurers. While you should never have to take a chance when it comes to your health and health care, the Beat of Month reminds us that it’s okay to take risks in other parts of life.
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The Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PHAN) launched a train-the-trainer series called PHAN Leadership Initiative Trainings. Through this series of trainings, organizers are training grassroots activists on how to become health reform implementation coordinators. After completing a four-hour training on the new health reform law, the newly trained coordinators hold meetings in their communities with their neighbors, or giving presentations at churches, social groups, and senior centers. Check out some of the first graduates teaching other seniors about health care reform in a short video. | |
New Resources from Families USA
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