Health & Medicine (HMPRG)tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-780941762422105712012-02-21T08:18:28-08:00We're a 30-year old 501c3 nonprofit that operates as an independent, freestanding center driven by a singular mission: formulating health policy, advocacy and health systems to enhance the health of the public. TypePadtypepad/wtJQhttp://feedburner.google.comCompanies and nonprofits unveiling new low-cost support resources for caregivers of the elderlytag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115723d505a970b0168e7bde709970c2012-02-21T08:18:28-08:002012-02-21T08:18:43-08:00Read the February 12, 2012 Wall Street Journal article on some of the new low cost online, telephonic and other professional resources for caregivers of the elderly. The article focuses on the companies and NPOs that are beginning to innovate new ways of supporting both professional and unpaid family caregivers in areas like care-coordination and quality assessment. Read the full postHealth & Medicine (HMPRG)http://hmprg.typepad.com/health-medicine-hmprg/2012/02/companies-and-nonprofits-unveiling-new-low-cost-support-resources-for-caregivers-of-the-elderly.htmlUprising Radio Features Quentin Young Talking About Single-Payer Health Caretag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115723d505a970b016301c6b46f970d2012-02-21T07:59:35-08:002012-02-21T07:59:35-08:00Venerated Physician & Activist Dr. Quentin Young Urges ‘Single-Payer Healthcare’ Single payer healthcare has been a hot topic since the great healthcare debates of 2009 and 2010, but the organization, Physicians for a National Health Program, has advocated for a single payer system since 1987. The National Coordinator for the program, Dr. Quentin Young, spoke with Uprising host Sonali Kolhatkar on February 13, 2012. Being one of the founding members of the group is only one of many distinctions in Dr. Young’s storied career. Dr. Quentin Young was a founding member of the Medical Committee for Human Rights in 1964...Health & Medicine (HMPRG)http://hmprg.typepad.com/health-medicine-hmprg/2012/02/uprising-radio-features-quentin-young-talking-about-single-payer-health-care.htmlIn 2011, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) extended free preventive services to 54 million privately-insured and 32.5 million on Medicare tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115723d505a970b01676275b699970b2012-02-16T11:22:37-08:002012-02-16T11:22:37-08:00Read the post on the USDHHS website Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the Affordable Care Act provided approximately 54 million Americans with at least one new free preventive service in 2011 through their private health insurance plans. Secretary Sebelius also announced that an estimated 32.5 million people with Medicare received at least one free preventive benefit in 2011, including the new Annual Wellness Visit, since the health reform law was enacted. Together, this means an estimated 86 million Americans were helped by health reform’s prevention coverage improvements. The new data were released in two new...Health & Medicine (HMPRG)http://hmprg.typepad.com/health-medicine-hmprg/2012/02/in-2011-the-affordable-care-act-aca-extended-free-preventive-services-to-54-million-privately-insure.htmlHospital Charity Care Becoming a Hot Issue Across the Countrytag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115723d505a970b0163017271fd970d2012-02-15T12:44:55-08:002012-02-15T12:44:55-08:00Yesterday's Wall Street Journal Market Watch featured an article on the success California healthcare workers are having in their efforts to build broad consumer support for two ballot measures to liminate price gouging at hospitals and increase charity care for the needy. 1.7 million signatures are required to have The Fair Healthcare Pricing Act of 2012 and The Charity Care Act of 2012 included on California's November 2012 ballot. In the first three weeks since the signature initiative was launched, 200,000 names have been collected. Read the full post http://www.marketwatch.com/story/healthcare-workers-crisscross-the-state-gaining-support-for-initiatives-to-end-hospital-price-gouging-increase-charity-care-2012-02-14Health & Medicine (HMPRG)http://hmprg.typepad.com/health-medicine-hmprg/2012/02/hospital-charity-care-becoming-a-hot-issue-across-the-country.htmlNurse-Midwives in Massachusetts No Longer Required to Have Physician Approval to Practicetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115723d505a970b0168e75831e2970c2012-02-14T09:30:28-08:002012-02-14T09:30:28-08:00...across the country, states are increasingly moving away from requiring a supervising physician for nurse-midwives; a move that will broaden health access for women... Download the February 9, 2012 post from Kaiser Health Capsules on the Kaiser Health Network Blog Certified nurse-midwives in Massachusetts no longer need to have a physician sign on the dotted line in order to work in the state. Under a new state law, nurse-midwives do not have to practice under a physician’s supervision. Instead, they will be required to practice within a health care system and have a clinical relationship with an obstetrician-gynecologist. At a...Health & Medicine (HMPRG)http://hmprg.typepad.com/health-medicine-hmprg/2012/02/nurse-midwives-in-massachusetts-no-longer-required-to-have-physician-approval-to-practice.htmlCenter for Long-Term Care Reform Co-Director Martha Holstein Writes about Lack of Economic Security Among Older Women.tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115723d505a970b0168e70eb443970c2012-02-09T12:45:26-08:002012-02-16T12:27:35-08:00Download a pdf of the article HMPRG's Center for Long-Term Care Reform Co-Director Martha Holstein has written an op-ed, "A Troubled Old Age: Women and Retirement Insecurity,” for the Center’s January, 2012, Elder Economic Security Newsletter. “Many years ago, Tish Sommers, the savvy co-founder of the Older Women’s League (now OWL), and one of my heroines, observed that “women are one man away from poverty.” For many women, especially women lower on the economic ladder, that observation remains painfully true. Across the income spectrum however, older women tend to be poorer than older men. 70% of the elderly poor are...Health & Medicine (HMPRG)http://hmprg.typepad.com/health-medicine-hmprg/2012/02/center-for-long-term-care-reform-co-director-martha-holstein-writes-about-lack-of-economic-security-.htmlA Chance to Hear the Cook County Health and Hospitals Systems' New CEO, Dr. Ramanathan Raju tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115723d505a970b016761cd940a970b2012-02-06T06:47:02-08:002012-02-06T06:45:55-08:00Listen to the presentation made on January 30, 2012 at the City Club of Chicago by Dr. Ramanathan Raju, the new CEO of the Cook County Health and Hospitals Systems In this 45 minute presentation, Dr. Raju addresses the challenges faced by the CCHHS and his vision for guiding the system and improving health access for the people of Chicago.Health & Medicine (HMPRG)http://hmprg.typepad.com/health-medicine-hmprg/2012/02/a-chance-to-hear-the-cook-county-health-and-hospitals-systems-new-ceo-dr-ramanathan-raju-.htmlPotential Resistance to Request for Cook County Medicaid Waivertag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115723d505a970b01676191d256970b2012-02-02T13:07:22-08:002012-02-02T13:07:22-08:00Earlier today we posted that the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services submitted to CMS a request for a Medicaid waiver to expand coverage this year to people who would otherwise become eligible in 2014. Before this waiver application is granted, the Illinois legislature must pass an exception to the Medicaid expansion moratorium passed last year. The notice below was just received and illustrates the opposition in the General Assembly to overriding last year’s moratorium. We will keep you posted on the status of the application and the progress in the General Assembly as we hear. Righter, Bellock: Administration...Health & Medicine (HMPRG)http://hmprg.typepad.com/health-medicine-hmprg/2012/02/potential-obstacle-to-legislation-for-cchhs-medicaid-waiver.htmlHospital Penalties for Readmissions Make New Transitional Care Models Imperative tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115723d505a970b0167618edbd2970b2012-02-02T08:44:57-08:002012-02-02T08:44:57-08:00The Chicago Tribune's January 30th article on the possibility of hospitals facing substantial financial penalties for high patient readmission rates - and the impact on low income patients - reaffirms the need for new transitional care models. The Bridge Program - developed by The Illinois Transitional Care Consortium (in which Health & Medicine Policy Research Group plays a lead role) is an innovative model designed to assist older adults in the transition from the hospital back to the community, and reduce readmission rates. Read the Tribune article Learn more about the Bridge Program and the work of the Illinois Transitional...Health & Medicine (HMPRG)http://hmprg.typepad.com/health-medicine-hmprg/2012/02/hospital-penalties-for-readmissions-make-new-transitional-care-models-imperative-.htmlIllinois Pursuing Early Medicaid Expansiontag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a0115723d505a970b0163009754a2970d2012-02-02T06:30:46-08:002012-02-02T06:30:46-08:00Download the Associated Press article that ran in the State Journal Register on Jan 31, 2012 The State Journal Register State pushes Cook County Medicaid plan By CARLA K. JOHNSON The Associated Press Posted Jan 31, 2012 @ 10:20 PM CHICAGO — Illinois is asking the federal government to allow an early expansion of Medicaid coverage to low-income childless adults in order to bring millions of federal dollars into the struggling Cook County health system. Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Julie Hamos sent a letter Monday to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services supporting the...Health & Medicine (HMPRG)http://hmprg.typepad.com/health-medicine-hmprg/2012/02/illinois-pursuing-early-medicaid-expansion.html