Update on SB3

Those tracking SB3, regarding women's health, will be interested to know that it was given second consideration this evening, and is now awaiting a final vote in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.  Interesting in knowing what was said today?  Well, good luck.  The official state legislature page on the bill directs readers to today's House Journal.  If you go to the House Journal page the most recent issues of the publication available is for June 6th.  So there is no way for the citizens of the Commonwealth to know what was said in the House for the entire fall (and any session days in July or August, or late June).  (The Senate does better -- there are Senate Journals available into September, and much of the testimony is very poignant and thoughtful).

You can read the text of the bill, which focuses prohibiting abortion after 20 weeks of a pregnancy.  (It is currently 24).  A specific medical procedure is prohibited unless two physicians each separately examine the woman. The only exception listed for performing this procedure is for the prevention of the death of the woman or the substantial or irreversible impairment of a  major bodily function.  I find it interesting that liability is spelled out, with the following being exempt from liability:  the pregnant woman, the nurse, technician, secretary or receptionist who acts on a physician's order, a pharmacist or individual who fills a prescription or provides instruments or materials used in the specified medical procedure. So this seems to be aimed specifically at physicians and threatening them with a felony charge if they perform this specific procedure.

If you feel strongly about this issue please contact your Representative, and do so on Dec. 12th, as that is when the vote is likely to take place.

Things to Do: State of Women's Health

from the inbox:

On Wednesday, September 14, 2016 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Union League of Philadelphia, Lifecycle WomanCare (LWC) will host their second annual health forum on the State of Women’s Health.  The forum will feature keynote speaker Pennsylvania State Senator Judy Schwank and two panel sessions with policymakers, leaders, and experts in women’s health issues.  

At the event health expert panelists and Senator Schwank will discuss important health issues facing women today.  Because 2016 is such a significant election year, participants will focus on the critical impact that public policy has on women and families’ health and well-being.  Topics at the event will include:  integrative care; accessibility and other disability challenges; environmental and occupational health; maternity, lactation and reproductive rights; health disparities; employment accommodations and family and medical leave; violence; midwifery and collaborative partnership models of care; and economic family issues.  

"In an election year such as this, it is critically important to have open dialogue about major issues of health and welfare being faced by women and families today, and bring to light innovative policy approaches that can play a significant role in helping our families," said Kathryn Boockvar, Executive Director of Lifecycle WomanCare.  "This important event brings together some of the nation’s and region’s most innovative thought leaders on these issues, and our unique audience-interactive program allows the audience, as well as the experts, consumers, and practitioners, to interact and participate, in order to identify and deliver the most effective solutions out there."  

LWC, founded in 1978 as a 501c3 non-profit organization, delivers high-quality and empowering women’s healthcare in the greater Philadelphia region.  LWC has served tens of thousands of families and has become a leading hub and a voice for a lifelong and partnership-based approach to healthcare.

The 2016 Keynote Speaker is Pennsylvania State Senator Judith L. Schwank of District 11.  Sen. Schwank is CoChair of the Bipartisan Pennsylvania Legislature's Women's Health Caucus, as well as a member of the Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee.    

Last year, she spearheaded legislation in key areas impacting women and family health and wellbeing.  These have included addressing the opioid addiction and overdose epidemic; increasing the effectiveness of funding of services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; including postpartum depression as an "at risk" category allowing for early intervention tracking and services; prohibiting surprise balance-billing of unaware patients; and criminalizing former intimate partner internet harassment (“revenge porn”). She also led the PA Agenda for Women’s Health, to promote family-friendly working conditions, economic fairness, healthy lives, and support for victims of domestic violence

In addition, she is a member of Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness,

where she works to ensure the unbiased and fair delivery of justice and application of laws in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  

The 2016 panelists include:

Breakfast Panel  (8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)

• Marla J. Gold MD, FACP, Dean Emerita and Professor, Drexel University School of Public Health
• Honorable Art Haywood, Pennsylvania State Senator, Fourth District
• M. Christiana Johnson, CNM, MS, FACNM, Director, Professional Practice & Health Policy, American College of Nurse-Midwives
• Vicki Shabo, Vice President, National Partnership for Women& Families
• Nancy C. Sharts-Hopko, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Director, PhD Program, Villanova University College of Nursing

Workshop Panel (10:30 a.m. – noon)

• Peri Jude Radecic, Chief Executive Officer, Disability Rights Network PA
• Pouné Saberi, MD, MPH, President, Board of Directors, Physicians for Social Responsibility
• Carol E. Tracy, Executive Law Director, Women’s Law Project

Panel Moderator

• Kathryn Boockvar, JD, Executive Director, Lifecycle WomanCare  

Tickets to the event are $60 for the Breakfast Panel program, and $85 for the full Breakfast Panel, Workshop Panel, and networking sessions, and are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.  Tickets can be purchased at www.lifecylewomancare.org.  Sponsorship opportunities are also available for businesses and individuals. 

Latest EpiPen Issue

Nearly three years ago I wrote two posts about the increasing price of EpiPens (post in Oct 2013 and in Nov 2013).  The topic is back in the news as the price has continued to go up.  One issue is that there is no generic equivalent for an EpiPen.  Mylan, the company which produces the EpiPen, raised the price again recently, just before a generic was expected to be approved ("Mylan raised EpiPen's Price Before the Expected Approval of a Generic," by Andrew Pollack, New York Times 8/24),  However, the generic was not approved.  Matt Egan of CNN Money reports that one may be available next year.

The CEO of Mylan, Heather, Bresch, appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box to try to diffuse the bad press (see video embedded in linked Slate article).  What I found most startling in her remarks was her comment that "we have passed legislation in 48 states ...." Really?  Mylan passed legislation?  Who elected Mylan to do anything?  What she meant, of course, is that Mylan lobbied for legislation and perhaps even wrote it.  There would have been campaign donations to key state legislators.  So, yes, Mylan probably does feel that it passed legislation.  And that should give us all pause.

On a personal note I refilled our family's EpiPen prescription this week.  It still just costs me $10 for a 2-pack. I work in a union shop and we have good health insurance.  With Mylan's increase, though, it is no doubt costing the insurer a lot more and that will mean higher premiums all around.

Montco Walkability Study

from the inbox:

The Montgomery County Commissioners adopted Walk Montco, a new countywide walkability plan, at their February 18 meeting. The plan corresponds to the goals of Montco 2040: A Shared Vision, Montgomery County’s new, award-winning comprehensive plan. Montco 2040 advocates for more sidewalks and pedestrian-oriented developments to improve transportation quality and expand options. 

 Walkability continues to be a key aspect of the growth and redevelopment of downtowns, residential neighborhoods, office parks, and retail destinations in the county. Walkability is not only good for the built environment, but essential for physical health. Walkable streets help decrease local traffic volumes, increase access to available public transit, and increase opportunities for healthier lifestyles. They support mobility for everyone throughout all stages of life and create safer communities, especially for children, the elderly, and those with mobility limitations. Walkability also has positive environmental benefits in that a reduction in vehicle trips equates to fewer vehicle emissions.

The entire study is lengthy, a little over 80 pages, and is available here:  www.montcopa.org/WalkMontco   It's a thorough, well done plan, with a lot of illustrations and graphs.  Walkability is an important concept; as a relatively new diabetic I can attest to walking as one of the easiest, and certainly the cheapest, form of exercise around.  The best way to incorporate walking into a daily routine is for it to be a part of that routine - walking to work, to public transit, to the store, to school.  For that to happen there need to be safe walkways between these points.

Kudos, Montco!

Lifecycle Report

Lifecycle WomanCare (formerly called The Birth Center) has released the State of Womens' Health Outcomes Report, a 12 page document based on their State of Womens' Health Symposium held last year.  I was shocked at one of the statistics -- that 74% of Philadelphia women whose deaths were pregnancy related between 2010 and 2012 were Black.  That's an astounding number.  We definitely need to do something about that.

Kathryn Boockvar is the executive director of Lifecycle WomanCare. A second State of Womens' Health Symposium will be held this September.

New App from Access Matters

A note from our friends at Access Matters:

In the midst of National Condom Week, AccessMatters today launched a new mobile app called “It Matters.”  The “It Matters” app, developed by AccessMatters with app developer Damien Leri of Big Yellow Star, Inc. in consultation with youth advisors, is free and provides teens and young adults ages 14-24 with accurate, timely information about sexual and reproductive health. 

Healthy relationships and sexual health are integral to overall health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, many teens and young adults receive inadequate levels of sexuality education in school, forcing them to turn to friends or the internet for information that may not be accurate.  Designed and developed with input from teens and young adults, the “It Matters” mobile app aims to address this problem by establishing a user-friendly source of information about health topics, videos, a health center finder featuring AccessMatters’ Network health centers, and other interactive elements. 

Users can find answers to common questions on topics such as relationships, birth control options, LGBT health, STDs, and more.  The app even features a video explaining what to expect during a visit to a health center, featuring local youth from Philadelphia. 

Tom Hanks, John Morgan, and Me; or, Jane, Extra Sweet

The Inquirer has been running a monthly series by Ilene Raymond Rush on diabetes.  It is all the rage these days.  Tom Hanks announced in October, 2013, that he has type 2 diabetes.  More locally my fellow blogger John Morgan (at the Pennsylvania Progressive) wrote in March, 2014 that he has it as well.  All the cool kids are getting it. 

Not to be outdone, I joined the club myself a little more than two years ago.  The doctor had been telling me for some time that I needed to lose weight and that my blood sugar was on the high side of normal, but I thought there was time.  Most of the people I know who lost significant amounts of weight or drastically changed the way they ate, did so after their children left home, and I expected and planned to do the same.  Time ran out for me, though, and I went from pre-diabetes to full fledged type 2.

Diabetes is serious business and so I took it seriously.  It was like fingernails across a chalkboard or a needle across a record (for those old enough to remember those sounds – for younger readers this refers to something that gets your attention).  I immediately changed the way I ate.  The medication I took to get my blood sugar under control made me nauseous, which helped with weight loss.  In a little more than a year I lost 30 pounds (and have reliably kept 25 of it off).  I was able to go off the medication and, although it has ticked up a bit recently, my blood sugar has stayed low enough that I can control the disease with diet and exercise.  It has not been easy or fun. This is not that common and is impossible for some people, not through any fault of their own, but just due to physiology.  As I get older it is likely that I will have to take medication again, and perhaps eventually insulin, but for now it is manageable without.  I miss pizza, donuts, ice cream, bagels, sandwiches, dinner rolls, mango juice, hamburgers, brownies, candy bars, and the many other foods I no longer eat, but when self-discipline flags I google images of diabetic feet.  This is grim viewing but an effective motivating force.  How many toes is a bag of M&Ms worth?  None.

I found the educational process confusing.  After the initial diagnosis I was referred to a place that provides, among other things, training sessions for newly diagnosed diabetics.  There was an individual consultation followed by four two hour group sessions.  Insurance would only pay for four total sessions.  I chose the individual consultation, where I learned to use, and was given, a blood sugar testing meter, and some nutritional basics, and three of the four group sessions, each of which focuses on a particular topic.  They were very informative, though I think I could have learned just as much from canned videos.  At the end of each session the instructor went over a quiz with us, having us work out the answers together before marking the test paper.  Miraculously, we all got all the answers right!  Some people prefer to learn in a group setting and these sessions would be very helpful for them.  For those who prefer, or find just as acceptable, printed materials or a webinar, the same information could be done for considerably less money.  I think the cost was something like $200 per hour for the sessions I attended. 

It doesn’t make a lot of sense but losing weight for health reasons is different from losing weight for appearance reasons, even though the result is the same.  For me, at least, it starts at either end – slender ankles, just one chin, bony knees and bony shoulders, clavicles, hipbones, and ribs.  The middle part remains doughy.  I had to buy smaller pants, and could tuck in my shirt.  Then I had to buy even smaller pants.  While people’s pants falling off is a staple of slapstick humor and home videos, holding onto one’s waistband with one hand and trying to carry groceries to the car with the other is not amusing in the least.  I now wear the same size pants I did when I was 25, which is great, but not really my goal.  Several friends, neighbors, and co-workers  noticed my diminishing profile and made positive comments.  A regular visitor to my workplace pulled me aside and asked why I was losing so much weight.  I think he thought I was dying.  All the concern and praise was nice but, to be honest, it just made me self-conscious.  The number I thinking about wasn’t so much the scale but my a1c (blood sugar numbers).   And, sad but true, no matter how thin, a body that is 50 odd years old, is not going to look like a body that is 25 or 35 or even 45.  As my mother says “the baggage shifts.”  So, while I no longer resemble the Sta-Puft marshmallow man, I’m never going to have the same figure I did as a young woman.  I sort of look like one of those pasty snow peeps you see at Christmas.  What was kind of annoying was that in the previous year I had cleaned out my closet and gave away most of the clothes I couldn’t fit into anymore, and had bought two winter coats, which were soon hanging on my thinner frame, and eventually just became unwearable.   I don’t really enjoy shopping that much (my husband the household bookkeeper might disagree with this statement) so having to buy two new wardrobes in a year was not as enjoyable for me as it might be for other people.

What I came to be aware of during this process is that, like most things, having some disposable income makes life much easier.  People on a strict budget can’t afford to buy new clothes, or premium test strips to check blood sugar, or fresh fruit and vegetables (or throw them out when they go bad before you can eat them), or prepare two meals so others in the household don’t have to follow your diet, and so on.  Inexpensive food is usually not good for you.  Fast food is pretty much out of the question. 

I’ve had to change more than my eating patterns.  Stress and sleep are also factors.  I can’t stay up till all hours writing blog posts anymore.  I have to juggle this health issue along with work, parenting teens, and all other aspects of life. To cut back on stress I stepped back from some community work – it was satisfying in some ways but at times aggravating.  I put in a birdfeeder right outside my kitchen window and discovered that great refuge of the middle-aged, gardening.  I enjoy my plants and my birdies.  It is relaxing.  I dusted off my sewing machine and quilting hoop.  This, too, is relaxing.   Travel, always one of my great pleasures is no longer as enjoyable. Eating on the road is tricky and enforced sitting is no longer my friend.  I no longer try to group errands at home or work, as the extra trips going up and down stairs are good for me.  Inefficiency is a positive.  I pack my lunch most days to make sure I’m eating right, but that means I have another thing to carry on the train.  I joined a gym.  One or two days a week, weather permitting, I walk the last two miles of my morning commute.  The scenery is beautiful.   When I have a day full of meetings I look for ways to stretch my legs under the table; this is much easier when videoconferencing – no chance of accidentally kicking someone under the table.  I keep a jump rope and a set of weights in the kitchen.  Of course, even with all these measures I still do not exercise as much as I should.  A gym membership does not equal regular workouts.  A kitchen jump rope does not equal regular jumping sessions while dinner is in the oven.

So my life has changed permanently.  I wish I had taken some of these steps before my blood sugar numbers tipped over the edge into diabetes, but I didn’t.  For now things are going well.  I’m off the medication and I still have all my toes.  From time to time I might write about this again.  It does explain, to a degree, why I’ve been blogging less often than in previous years.  Hours sitting transcribing debates or looking at campaign finance reports aren’t that good for me.  Nor is driving a few hours roundtrip to attend a political event featuring food I can’t eat.  But now that I sort of have a handle on things I’m hoping to find a balance that will let me do at least some of these activities, at least some of the time.   I enjoy them and I miss them.  As my children get older my daily parenting duties will diminish (or so I am told) which will mean more time for personal hobbies.  But, most importantly, I still have all my toes.

Information Sheet on Pennsylvania Drug Control

The White House has issued an update on drug control policy and the increased use of heroin and the resulting overdoses.  One quote from the press release:

More Americans now die every year from drug overdoses than they do in motor vehicle crashes. The new 2014 CDC data show continued sharp increases in heroin-involved deaths and an emerging increase in deaths involving synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl. According to law enforcement reports, the rise in fentanyl-related deaths is predominantly from increases in illicitly manufactured fentanyl.

You can find a White House statement on the official plan to address prescription drug abuse and heroin use here:  https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/10/21/fact-sheet-obama-administration-announces-public-and-private-sector

The page for the Office of National Drug Control Policy is here:  https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp

One of the links on the page let you find an information sheet for each state.  The one for Pennsylvania is at:  https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/state_profile_-_pennyslvania.pdf

Latino Health Care Rate in Philadelphia

A note from our friends at Enroll America

Two years after the start of Obamacare enrollment, the uninsured rate for the Latino community in Philadelphia is 16%-- four percentage points higher than the overall uninsured rate in Philadelphia of 12%.

To help Latinos get the health coverage that they qualify for, Get Covered America is hosting a series of bilingual Obamacare enrollment events every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 1pm to 7:30pm until the end of open enrollment.

 

Fact Sheet on Health Communities Challenge for Philadelphia

from the inbox:

FACT SHEET: Healthy Communities Challenge for Philadelphia

As the Affordable Care Act’s coverage provisions have taken effect, 17.6 million Americans have gained coverage, and, since 2010, we’ve reduced the uninsured rate in this country by 45 percent.  The nation’s uninsured rate now stands at its lowest level ever. But still, in communities across the country, 10.5 million people eligible for Marketplace coverage remain uninsured.

Today, we are launching the White House “Healthy Communities Challenge” to engage key communities with large numbers or high percentages of uninsured in states across the country where strong federal, state and community collaboration can have a meaningful impact on reaching the uninsured. Through this challenge, we are calling on community leadership to build outreach efforts to reach these remaining uninsured and help them gain coverage. 

At the end of this third open enrollment period, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), along with State-based Marketplaces, will publish tallies of new Marketplace signups in participating communities. These tallies will be compared to HHS estimates of the number of eligible uninsured people at the start of open enrollment to see which communities made the most progress during the challenge. 

The victorious community gets bragging rights, a healthier community, and a visit from President Obama to celebrate their success in helping ensure every American has health coverage.

Based on particularly high opportunity for impact, the White House reached out to local officials in each of these 20 communities, including Mayor Michael Nutter, who embraced the “Healthy Communities Challenge” to get their uninsured constituents covered.

Philadelphia Health Insurance Marketplace for 2016

• Health insurance coverage is affordable.  On June 30, 2015, 397,967 people in Pennsylvania were covered through its Health Insurance Exchange, or Marketplace. 

• In Pennsylvania, 69 percent of people can find a plan for $100 or less, 63 percent for $75 or less, and 55 percent for $50 or less for 2016. 
  
• The average monthly premium in Philadelphia for the second-lowest cost silver plans will increase by 3 percent from 2015 to 2016 before tax credits.

• Tax credits matter.  In 2015, 80 percent of Marketplace enrollees – 320,162 people – in Pennsylvania received a tax credit, and consumers saved an average of $220 per month.

• Consumers have a choice. 

• In Pennsylvania, 12 issuers are offering individual health plans in the Marketplace in 2016.

• Issuers are offering an average of 31 plans per county in Pennsylvania in 2016.

• In Philadelphia, 4 issuers are offering individual health plans in the Marketplace in 2016.
  
• It pays to shop. 

• In Pennsylvania, 92 percent of Marketplace consumers who switch to the lowest-cost plan within a coverage level could save on average $38 per month, or $450 per year, on their premium costs in 2016.

• About 21 percent of 2014 enrollees in Pennsylvania switched to a new plan in 2015, saving $603 per year – and $17,578,294 in total statewide – on premium costs.

• While progress has been made, more work is needed to cover the uninsured.

• In Pennsylvania, the adult uninsured rate dropped from 11 percent in 2013 to 7.7 percent in the first half of 2015. 

• In Philadelphia and the surrounding region, there are 178,000 uninsured who are eligible for the Marketplace.
  (The number of the uninsured is for the Designated Market Area that includes Philadelphia.)

Bryn Mawr Hospital Partners With Lifecycle WomanCare

from the inbox:

Bryn Mawr Hospital, part of Main Line Health, and Lifecycle WomanCare, formerly known as The Birth Center, are proud to announce their new collaborative partnership to provide high quality and family-focused health care to pregnant and postpartum families throughout the Main Line community and beyond.

 This partnership will magnify the impact of two dynamic pillars of healthcare in the greater Philadelphia region. Bryn Mawr Hospital’s longstanding reputation for excellent obstetric care, close proximity to Lifecycle WomanCare, and both entities’ commitment to providing more options for patient-centered, natural birth experiences for their patients make this an ideal partnership. 

As part of this collaboration, Lifecycle WomanCare will transfer patients to Bryn Mawr Hospital should the mother and/or baby be in need of a wider scope of medical options during antepartum, intra-partum, or postpartum care. Bryn Mawr Hospital’s planned construction of family-centered, state-of-the-art maternity suites will provide even greater continuity of care for patients who transfer. Lifecycle WomanCare’s certified nurse midwives will have privileges at Bryn Mawr Hospital, and will continue to care for patients during labor and birth, while working collaboratively with Bryn Mawr Hospital staff and their on-call physician coverage team, to guarantee that both parents and baby receive superior, patient-centered, and timely obstetric care. 

Health Fair in Norristown

from the inbox:

Norristown residents can get a bevy of free health services and information this week from two Philadelphia health leaders. Enroll America is joining with Delaware Valley Community Health (DVCH) to celebrate National Health Center Week (August 10-16) by hosting a free health fair at Norristown Regional Health Center from 10am to 2pm Wednesday. There will  be dental and medical screenings, nutrition information and giveaways and a raffle. The event is open to the press.

As part of National Health Center Week, Enroll America today recognized Delaware Valley Community Health for their work to help Philadelphia-area residents get the care they need, educate the community about their health coverage options, and enroll the uninsured in quality coverage.

National Health Center Week aims to create awareness of health center programs and the invaluable work they do in communities across the country to ensure Americans at every income level can get access to affordable health care. Enroll America and Delaware Valley Community Health have partnered on expanding access to affordable health coverage in southeastern Pennsylvania, and due in part to their work, more than 75,000 Philadelphia County residents and nearly 40,000 Montgomery County residents have enrolled in quality, affordable health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

“Delaware Valley Community Health’s work has made them a true cornerstone of our community and a trusted resource to the uninsured here in the Delaware Valley,” said Neil Deegan, Pennsylvania State Director for Enroll America. “Thanks in part to their hard work, we’ve seen a dramatic decline in the uninsured rate, but we know there’s more work to be done. Together, we’ll continue our efforts across the city to ensure that affordable health coverage becomes a way of life in the Delaware Valley.

Another Grant for AccessMatters

modified press release:

AccessMatters has received a two year $1,706,922 grant to provide coordinated health care for HIV positive women, youth and their families in the Philadelphia area.  This will enhance the organization's existing AccessMatters' Community-based Health Services.  The program served over 2,300 clients in 2014.

Through this funding  from the Ryan White Part D Program, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, AccessMatters’ Community-based Health Services partners with ActionAIDS, BEBASHI, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Adolescent Initiative and Special Immunology Family Care Center, Philadelphia FIGHT, Temple University Comprehensive HIV Program, and Penn Community Clinic at Presbyterian Hospital where women, infants, children, and youth receive comprehensive, family-centered care.

Adult women over the age of 25 and adolescents ages 13 to 24 make up approximately 25% of all new HIV cases in Philadelphia.  While the proportion of newly infected women has stabilized over the past few years, they still represent 34% of the population living with HIV in Philadelphia and 52% of the consumers served through AccessMatters program in 2014.  Typically adolescents receiving HIV primary medical care through AccessMatters’ Community-based Health Services and its’ network of over 70 health centers are young African American men who have sex with men, and under the age of 20.     

Through research, training, delivery of evidenced-based programs, community engagement and advocacy, AccessMatters is leading the way in transforming access to sexual and reproductive health. 

My Right Hand

As one gets older health issues tend to crop up.  About a year and half ago I was diagnosed with a serious health problem, and may write about this later, that has led to some major life changes. It's all under control at the moment but it does impact blogging.

The past few weeks I've had limited use of my right hand and arm due to another issue.  If I can't write, type, or sew my usefulness to the universe is significantly reduced.  It seems to be easing up so we'll give this another try.

One More Day to Enroll in ACA

from the inbox:

Just one day remains for Pennsylvanians who faced a fine on their 2014 tax return for not having health coverage to enroll in a plan through the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplace and avoid facing the full fine next year.

In February, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new, time-limited special enrollment period ending on April 30, 2015, giving some uninsured Pennsylvanians who did not realize they would be fined for not having health coverage another opportunity to enroll in a plan for 2015.

“This new special enrollment period has given uninsured Pennsylvanians another chance to enroll in quality, affordable health coverage and avoid the full fine on their 2015 taxes,” said Get Covered America Pennsylvania State Director Neil Deegan. “With one day left until the deadline, eligible Pennsylvanians should know about this opportunity to get covered so they can experience the peace of mind and financial security that comes with having health insurance.”

To qualify for this special enrollment period, consumers must attest that they first became aware of the implications of the fine after the end of open enrollment when they were preparing their taxes and were subject to the fine for not having health coverage in 2014.

The fine for not having health insurance for 2014 is $95 per adult in the family or 1 percent of household income, whichever is higher. For 2015, the fine increases to $325 per adult in the family or 2 percent of household income, whichever is higher.

There are other opportunities for Pennsylvanians to enroll outside the open enrollment window if they experience a life changing event during the year such as getting married, having a baby, or moving to a different coverage area among others. Lower-income Pennsylvanians who qualify for low cost coverage through the new Health Choices plan can enroll year-round.

To find out if you are still eligible to enroll, Pennsylvanians can schedule an appointment with an enrollment assister by visiting the Get Covered Connector, atwww.getcoveredamerica.org/connector or by calling the Pennsylvania Health Access Network at 1-877-570-3642.To find out if you have experienced a qualifying life event, you can visit the HHS screener and answer a few questions.

Allyson Schwartz to Head Better Medicare Alliance

Allyson Schwartz, former congressional representative for Pennsylvania's 13th district, has announced her new career shift.  Here is part of the official statement:

Today, I will begin as President and CEO of the Better Medicare Alliance. The Better Medicare Alliance is a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington that supports and promotes Medicare, in particular Medicare Advantage.

As you know, while I have worked on many issues during my years in Congress and the state Senate, nothing has been more important to me than ensuring quality, affordable, accessible health care to all Americans.

I am proud of my accomplishments, from my role in establishing one of the nation’s first CHIP programs to helping ensure the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Throughout, I advocated public-private partnerships, innovations in the delivery of health care, and financing that rewards quality and value - all with the goal of making health care more affordable, and improving the health of beneficiaries.

Schwartz provides a variety of social media connection points for Better Medicare Alliance, and a video link:

The purpose of the Better Medicare Alliance is to bring together a national coalition of health plans, providers, advocates and beneficiaries to support and strengthen Medicare Advantage.

As President and CEO, I look forward to reaching out to everyone who cares about keeping the promise of Medicare our seniors, to build on the experience of what works, and to share this knowledge to sustain Medicare for all of us.  It is exciting and important work.

I encourage you to learn more about the Better Medicare Alliance and to share your perspective with me through our website, on Facebook or Twitter.

I know from experience that we as a nation have the capacity to meet challenges when we make the commitment. I look forward to this opportunity to work to fulfill the promise of Medicare - health care our seniors and their families count on - and meet one of those great challenges.

With warm regards,

Allyson

P.S.: To learn more about the Better Medicare Alliance, check out my video at www.bettermedicarealliance.org/videos.

AccessMatters and CHOICE to Merge

from the inbox:

[PHILADELPHIA, PA: April 15, 2015]: After decades of partnering to increase access to sexual and reproductive health, AccessMatters, formerly Family Planning Council, announced that CHOICE, Inc., a longtime community partner, soon will merge into AccessMatters.  The boards of both organizations approved the proposed merger and expect it to be finalized by June 30^th. The merger preserves the legacy of CHOICE’s programs and enables AccessMatters to expand its ability to address critical health needs of even the hardest-to-reach populations, closing the gap between those with access and those without.

“For decades, CHOICE, which stands for Concern for Health Options, Information, Care and Education, has provided access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and programs,” said Kerri Barthel, President of the Board of Directors of CHOICE, Inc.  “CHOICE is excited to pursue a merger with AccessMatters, a mission-aligned organization.” 

AccessMatters has been trailblazing for over 40 years to eliminate barriers to high caliber care for more than 200,000 people annually. Through research, training, delivery of evidenced-based programs, community engagement and advocacy, AccessMatters leads the way in transforming access to sexual and reproductive health.

AccessMatters’ breadth of work is expansive including both business-to-business services and direct-to-consumer services. Programs and services include: healthcare provider training, research, quality improvement, program evaluation, grants and program administration, and community-based services. 

“CHOICE was looking for a like-minded partner,” said Melissa Weiler Gerber, President and CEO of AccessMatters.  “Given our long-standing partnership with CHOICE, and AccessMatters’ strategic interest in expanding our capacity for community outreach and quality improvement initiatives, it was a perfect fit.”

“CHOICE has a proud history of providing high-quality health education, and has a stellar reputation as a trusted referral resource,” Weiler Gerber added.  “We are honored to preserve this legacy.”   

Since 1972, CHOICE has served the Pennsylvania region with education and information on human sexuality, pregnancy options, contraception, and health care through education programs for the general public and through a counseling service for individual women and couples.  CHOICE offers community education, training, and outreach programs; maintains a referral database of over 714 agencies throughout the Pennsylvania region; and operates free and confidential hotlines.  CHOICE hotlines are staffed by trained professionals who offer individualized support, referrals and short-term counseling to women, men, and teens.

For over 25 years, CHOICE has been a part of AccessMatters’ Network, participating in AccessMatters’ Title X Family Planning and CDC funded I MATTER Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs by operating its hotline, producing health information publications, and providing quality assurance services aimed at improving service delivery in the AccessMatters’ Network. CHOICE also is a partner in AccessMatters’ school-based Health Resource Center Program, staffing adolescent sexual health programs in South Philadelphia and Frankford High Schools. 

“Our purpose has always been to meet the unique needs of individuals by connecting them to resources and empowering them to make informed decisions,” said Barthel.  “We are confident that this new relationship will serve as a catalyst to strengthen services and broaden our reach in providing access to health options for all.” 

 “We complement each other in mission, and there is a clear alignment in our strategic plans,” said Weiler Gerber. “With our common commitment to community education, community engagement and quality improvement, this is a unique opportunity for AccessMatters to add another layer of depth to our programs while preserving invaluable services that CHOICE has provided throughout the years.”

The two organizations will begin working toward integration of services, with the merger officially taking effect on July 1, 2015, at which point all operations will be housed at AccessMatters’ offices at 1700 Market Street in Philadelphia, PA.