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October 4. Did you know? Now you know! Marathon County Health Department, 1200 Lakeview Drive, Wausau, WI. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Training for parents, foster parents, caregivers and providers on health care and community services and supports for children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. Meet other families and become more informed and empowered to get the services and supports your child needs! To register, call 866-640-4106 or email Julia at Julia.Stavran@co.marathon.wi.us.
October 7-8, November 4-5, January 13-14, February 24-25, April 20-21. Youth in Partnership with Parents for Empowerment. 5 p.m. Fridays ending by 3 p.m. on Saturdays at the Tundra Lodge Resort & Conference Center, Green Bay, WI. Youth, parents and guardians must attend all five sessions. For more information, contact Martha DeYoung at 800-862-3725 or deyoungm@cesa5.k12.wi.us.
October 14-15, December 2-3, January 20-21, February 17-18, March 30-31. Parents in Partnership: A Leadership Development Opportunity for Parents of Children with Disabilities. 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Paradise Shores Conference Center, 26364 County Hwy. M, Holcombe, WI. Parents and guardians must attend all five sessions. For more information, contact Ruth Adix at 715-864-3014 or raadix2@yahoo.com.
October 20 and November 3. Did you know? Now you know! Waisman Outreach Office, 122 E. Olin Ave., Madison, WI. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Training for parents, foster parents, caregivers and providers on health care and community services and supports for children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. Meet other families and become more informed and empowered to get the services and supports your child needs! To register, call 800-532-3221 or email Susan at sbreitbach@waisman.wisc.edu.
October 21-22, December 2-3, January 13-14, February 10-11, March 23-24. Parents in Partnership: A Leadership Development Opportunity for Parents of Children with Disabilities. 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 1001 Amber Ave., Stevens Point, WI. Parents and guardians must attend all five sessions. For more information, contact Martha DeYoung at 800-862-3725 or deyoungm@cesa5.k12.wi.us.
October 21-22, December 2-3, January 20-21, February 24-25, March 23-24. Parents in Partnership: A Leadership Development Opportunity for Parents of Children with Disabilities Going Through the Transition Process. 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Country Springs Hotel & Conference Center, 2810 Golf Road, Waukesha, WI. Parents and guardians must attend all five sessions. For more information, contact Jenny Neugart at 608-266-8778 or jennifer.neugart@yahoo.com.
October 24. Did you know? Now you know! Jefferson County Health/Human Services Department, 1541 Annex Road, Jefferson WI. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Training for parents, foster parents, caregivers and providers on health care and community services and supports for children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. Meet other families and become more informed and empowered to get the services and supports your child needs! To register, call 800-234-5437 or email Brad at bholman@chw.org.
November 5. Did you know? Now you know! ADRC of Manitowoc County, 4319 Expo Drive, Manitowoc, WI. 9:00am-12:00pm. Training for parents, foster parents, caregivers and providers on health care and community services and supports for children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. Meet other families and become more informed and empowered to get the services and supports your child needs! To register, call 877-568-5205 or email Kara at KVanVooren@chw.org.
November 8-9. Fourth Annual Self-Determination Conference. Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells. There will be lots of hands-on sessions on navigating adult systems, getting more involved in the community, supported employment and more. The $75 registration fee includes meals and materials. For more info, click here.
A Training Announcement for All CYSHCN Collaborators: The Next CYSHCN Live Web Cast is Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 10:00am
Topic: "Rules Governing Health Coverage for CYSHCN: From Handbooks to Federal Statutes"
When determining if a service for a child was inproperly denied coverage, whether a therapy visit, durable medical equipment or prescription, where do you look first to double check? A Medicaid Handbook? A private insurance plan document? A state mandate, statute, rule? Federal statute, plan amendment or waiver? In this webcast, we will start with a few simple examples that help navigate the "governing mechanisms" of both private and public coverage systems. Learning objectives for this training include, how to:
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Identify and keep different coverage systems straight and understand which rules govern which coverage system.
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Become more familiar with the Medicaid Handbook.
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Learn some of the laws and regulations of both private and public benefits.
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Achieve the goal of understanding legal rights and responsibilities.
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Know community referral sources for additional information, resources and guidance on laws and statutes.
This web cast training was selected by YOU! Thank you! Through the competency self-assessment survey, you indicated that you wanted to learn more about the interaction of public and private health coverage programs for children.
Watch your inbox for a confirmation of the date and time, future instructions, and login information! This is a live web cast, so you are able to participate, ask questions, and answer polls. Not able to join the live web cast? Don't worry, we'll share the archive link with you, and hope that you can join us again in the future.
State & National News
Analysis and Comment
Wisconsin Receives Another Rate Review Grant, Disbands Committee
Wisconsin is one of 29 states receiving federal money in line with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The amount of $3,958,844 is intended to improve rate review of proposed insurance premium hikes to prevent unreasonable increases and protect patients.
While the federal governement has no power to veto increases, individual states have some regulatory power. The grant will assist in improving technology and increasing the regulatory body to more efficiently review proposals and better determine whether increases are unreasonable.
The announcement of the grants on September 20 was followed by an announcement by the state's Joint Legislative Committee on September 27 of the decision to disband the Special Committee on Health Care Reform Implementation. The special committee was charged with studying and making recommendations for changes to state statutes and administration in preparation for provisions of health care reform. Wisconsin is one of 12 republican controlled states receiving this federal grant, of which some are suing to overturn PPACA.
Insurance companies are unhappy about improvements to rate review and regulation, claiming increases are necessary due to increase in underlying medical costs. Rate review allows states to examine proposed increases exceeding 10 percent to determine whether such hikes are justified or unnecessary. Beginning September 1, insurance companies are already required to post increases and full explanations to their websites, improving transparency.
Headlines
Spillover Effects of Community Uninsurance on Working-age Adults and Seniors
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Sept. 2011
This article explores the indirect, or spillover, health care effects on people who are currently insured, specifically privately insured working-age adults (18 to 64) and Medicare enrollees (65 and older), when the community uninsurance rate is high.
Supreme Court to take on Health Care Reform
Channel3000.com, Oct. 3
One of the little-known prerogatives of the U.S. Supreme Court is the justices' discretion to refuse any case on the merits presented to them for review
Wis. To face $444M in Medicaid Funding Cuts
Badger Herald, Oct. 2
Health Services revealed plans late last week to cut an estimated $444 million from Medicaid in order to balance the state’s budget.
State Officials Announce Sweeping Medicaid, BadgerCare Changes
Channel3000.com, Oct. 1
Wisconsin health officials have released a sweeping package of sweeping Medicaid reforms designed to save more than half-a-billion dollars
State wants to shift some Medicaid recipients to lower-cost plans
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 30
To fill a half-billion dollar budget hole in state health programs, Gov. Scott Walker's administration wants to raise premiums sharply for some families and shift hundreds of thousands of residents to lower-cost state plans or private plans.
Health Insurance Costs Rising Sharply this Year, Study Shows
New York Times, Sept. 27
A new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that the average annual premium for family coverage through an employer reached $15,073 in 2011, an increase of 9 percent over the previous year.
Beware late payments to BadgerCare Plus Basic
Wisconsin Radio Network, Sept. 26
State Senator Jim Holperin (D-Eagle River) says the state Department of Health Services is adamant about timely payments for BadgerCare Plus Basic. So much that late payments lead to loss of health care coverage.
Bartering for Health Care: Yardwork for Treatment
NPR, Sept. 26
True North Health Center in Falmouth, Maine, accepts "time dollars," in addition to real dollars. Patients perform services in the community, like raking leaves, to earn the currency, and they can spend it for care at True North.
Priceless preemies, costly care
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sept. 24
The tinier the babies, the greater the miracles - as well as the cost, both financial and emotional
Young Adults Make Gains In Health Coverage
Kaiser Health News, Sept. 22
New data indicate as many as a million young adults have signed up for health insurance in the last year, offering evidence that this 2010 health law benefit is proving to be popular.
Ten Questions To Ask Your Doctor
NPR, Sept. 21
Don't be afraid to ask about the cost of the treatment or test your doctor recommends. Depending on what you find out, go right ahead and haggle over the price or ask about less expensive options.
Preemies may face higher death rates as adults
Reuters, Joelving, Sept. 21
Health problems are common among premature babies, who are more likely to die than their full-term peers during the first few years of life -- and they may also face slightly increased death rates as young adults, a study said.
Groups come together to form statewide Healthy Choices Coalition to reduce barriers to dental care
Healthy Choices Coalition, Sept. 21
Coalition members urge creative steps to improve Wisconsin’s oral and overall health.
HHS Pushes State Partnerships For Insurance Exchanges
Kaiser Health News, Werber Serafini, Sept. 19
The federal government is worried that dozens of states may opt out of running these insurance marketplaces and leave that job for Washington.
States Head To DC With Questions About Health Insurance Exchanges
The Hill, Sept. 19
Leaders from the Health and Human Services Department will discuss exchanges with representatives from 46 states, Washington, D.C., and the territories.
Tackling rising health care costs - Now is the time to act
Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, Sept. 19
We can continue to fight the implementation of federal health care reform in court and in public discourse or we can carefully examine the options and create a new approach within the federal rubric using our unique Wisconsin ingenuity.
Connection Between High Percentage of Minority Trauma Patients and Increased Mortality
Archives of Surgery, Sept. 19
Patients treated at hospitals with higher proportions of minority trauma patients have increased odds of dying, even after adjusting for potential confounders.
ABC for Health: Opposes AB 210, an insurance bill rolling back consumer protections
Wispolitics.com, Sept. 16
Assembly Bill 210, touted as the bill to “bring Wisconsin into compliance with the Affordable Care Act,” instead abandons the progress Wisconsin has made to create a transparent process for consumers.
Click here for more health care news!
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