Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced $67 million in grant awards to 105 Navigator grantees in Federally-facilitated and State Partnership Marketplaces, Thursday Aug. 15. Navigator grantees and their staff will serve as an in-person resource for Americans who want additional assistance in shopping for and enrolling in plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace beginning October 1, 2013.
HHS also recognized more than 100 Champions for Coverage [PDF | 285KB], national organizations and businesses that have volunteered to help Americans learn about the health care coverage available in the Marketplace.
"Navigators will be among the many resources available to help consumers understand their coverage options in the Marketplace," Sebelius said. "A network of volunteers on the ground in every state – health care providers, business leaders, faith leaders, community groups, advocates and local elected officials – can help spread the word and encourage their neighbors to get enrolled."
Navigators are trained to provide unbiased information in a culturally competent manner to consumers about health insurance, the new Health Insurance Marketplaces, qualified health plans, and public programs including Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The Navigator funding opportunity announcement was open to eligible private and public groups and people who are self-employed who met certain standards to promote effectiveness, diversity and program integrity.
Read the full press release.
 |
 |
Friday, August 16, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Utahns live long and prosper, says new CDC Report
For the complete report, see http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6228a1.htm?s_cid=mm6228a1_w
Healthy life expectancy in years at age 65 years, by sex — United States, 2007–2009
Healthy life expectancy in years at age 65 years, by sex — United States, 2007–2009
Friday, August 9, 2013
See how much you could save on Marketplace coverage
Curious about your Marketplace costs? Use the Kaiser Family Foundation’s online Subsidy Calculator to get an estimate of what your premiums and savings might be on a Marketplace plan.
Keep in mind that this is just an estimate, and your actual costs may be higher or lower. When open enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace starts October 1, you’ll be able to see exactly what you’ll pay for specific plans, including any savings you qualify for based on your income.
In the meantime, before all of the plan prices are available to you on October 1, use the handy Kaiser Family Foundation tool to help you understand where your costs could fall. Learn more about the Subsidy Calculator on HealthCare.gov.
Questions? Call 1-800-318-2596, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Suicide Prevention Survey
Dear Colleague,
Suicide is a leading public health issue and we need your help!
The Utah Suicide Prevention Coalition is conducting a three minute anonymous survey (Survey Link: https://www.
As part of the Zero Suicide Initiative of the National Action Alliance on Suicide Prevention, several states have participated in this survey. The goals of the survey are to:
- Identify suicide prevention training needs in Utah and
- Identify gaps in community efforts to support individuals with suicidal thinking, feelings, or behavior.
In order to accomplish these goals, questions will be asked pertaining to your knowledge, beliefs and experiences with suicide prevention. Aggregate results at the organizational level will be used to determine how we can improve suicide prevention, intervention, training, support, and postvention nationally and locally.
The last page of the survey will provide information on how you can receive the survey results and enter drawing to win a $100 Amazon.com gift card and a book from Thomas Joiner, author of "Why People Die by Suicide."
Please help us meet our goal of having 5,000 Utahns take this Suicide Prevention Survey! Feel free to forward this email and survey link to your partners and others as applicable. If you have questions regarding the survey, contact Anna Fondario at 801-538-6201 or afondario@
Thank you for your participation!
Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/
Sincerely,
Utah Suicide Prevention Coalition
Utah Department of Human Services Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Utah Department of Health Violence and Injury Prevention Program
CMS Announcement: It's Time to Set Up Your Marketplace Account!
Starting today you can be one step closer to getting health insurance by creating your Marketplace account. Setting up your account is the first step in the process to get you ready for October 1.
Follow these quick, easy steps and you’ll be on your way:
- Provide basic information like your name, address, and email address
- Choose your user name and password
- Create security questions to add an extra layer of protecting your information
When open enrollment begins October 1, you’ll be set up to apply for health coverage, compare plans side-by-side, and enroll in a plan.
Create your account today! And after you’ve set up your account, make sure to tell your family and friends to set up theirs too.
Coverage starts as soon as January 1, 2014.
Questions? Call 1-800-318-2596, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
CDC Reports Obesity Rates Decline among Young Children from Low-Income Families
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that obesity rates among preschool children from low-income families have declined in 18 states and one U.S. territory, and increased in only three states. The report provides state-specific data on obesity rates among children ages 2 to 4 who are enrolled in federal health and nutrition programs, such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Jim Marks, senior vice president and director of the Health Group at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said the report “shows our nation is making important progress in efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic,” and noted that it “builds on other positive reports that have come from all around the nation over the past few years.”
RWJF.org
RWJF.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)