Health Justice Network Quarterly Meeting August 2011

1. Health Justice Network Quarterly MeetingAugust 2011

2. Agenda • Introductions • State Budget Update • Stella Kim, Center for Community Change • Presentation by American Heart Association • Claudia Keller, American Heart Association • APALC: Update on the Health Access Project and Health Care Reform • Doreena Wong, Asian Pacific American Legal Center • Scott Chan, Asian Pacific American Legal Center

3. State Budget Update • Stella Kim, Center for Community Change

4. American Heart Association • Claudia Keller, American Heart Association

5. Health Access Project and Health Care Reform • Doreena Wong, Asian Pacific American Legal Center

6. ACA Quiz • 1.  The new health care reform law, also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), provides for health insurance for everyone.True or False

7. ACA Quiz • False • Although it will cover most of the uninsured, almost 32 million people, it will not cover undocumented immigrants, some legal immigrants who cannot afford to buy health insurance because of the 5 year bar for Medicaid, and some who will not be able to afford to buy it. So it does leave millions of uninsured and, contrary to what some conservative Republicans claim, it is not “socialized medicine,” and it is only a first step towards a single payer, universal health care system that many other developed countries have.

8. ACA Quiz • 2.  All of the states will have the same basic health reform system.True or False

9. ACA Quiz • False • The ACA allows much flexibility to the state to develop its own health care system, similar to the wide range of Medicaid programs across the country, as long as it meets minimal federal guidelines and is approved in 2013, ready to be up and running by January 1, 2014.

10. ACA Quiz • 3.  The provisions of the ACA will go into effect in 2014. True or False

11. ACA Quiz • False • Although many major provisions of health reform will take place on January 1, 2014, there are currently many provisions of the ACA which became effective in 2010, such as: 1) extending dependent coverage of children up to age 26 by parents; 2) pre-existing condition exclusions prohibited for children; 3) temporary high-risk pools for adults aka as federally subsidized Pre-Existing Conditions Insurance Programs;  

12. ACA Quiz • 4) prohibiting insurance companies to rescind coverage by searching for errors or other technical mistakes on a customer’s application as an excuse to deny payment for services; 5) eliminating lifetime dollar limits on insurance coverage; 6) restrictions on the annual dollar limit on insurance coverage for new plans; 7) consumers now have a way to appeal decisions, coverage determinations or claims to their insurance company decisions; 8) $250 tax free, rebate to 4 million seniors who reached the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage known as the “donut hole” (under Medicare Part D, when the drug costs of a beneficiary reached about $2500, he or she had to pay the costs until the costs reached $_____- this was called the donut hole).

13. ACA Quiz • 9) all new plans must cover preventive services, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, without charging a deductible , co-payment, or coinsurance; and 10) expanding coverage for early retirees ($5 billion program to provide employers to continue to provide health insurance to people who retire between the ages of 55-65, as well as their spouses and dependents. There are also many other initiatives to encourage access by providing federal funds to states for various purposes, i.e., scholarships for primary care providers, increasing payments for rural health care providers, strengthening community health centers, etc.

14. ACA Quiz • 4.  The ACA will provide health insurance through the expansion of current publicly funded health and new private health insurance programs. True or False

15. ACA Quiz • True • About 16 million people will be part of the new Medicaid expansion (up to 2 million in CA under Medi-Cal) for those with incomes up to 133% FPL and another 24 million will be able to obtain health insurance through state Health Benefit Exchanges. Health Benefit Exchange will offer tax credits and premium assistance for those with incomes less than 400% RPL (about $73,000 for a family of 3).

16. ACA Quiz • 5.  After 2014, everyone will have to have health insurance or be penalized.True or False

17. ACA Quiz • False • No, although there is an individual mandate to have health insurance, there are exemptions from the tax penalty, i.e., undocumented or those suffering from hardship (premiums unaffordable). Rules have yet to be established.

18. ACA Quiz • 6.  Small businesses will be provided the ability to provide health insurance for their employees. True or False

19. ACA Quiz • True. • In fact, up to 4 million small businesses are currently eligible for tax credits to help them provide health insurance benefits to their workers. The first phase of this provision provides a credit worth up to 35% of the employer’s contribution to the employees’ health insurance. Small non-profit organizations may receive up to 25% credit.

20. ACA Quiz • 7.  The ACA has provisions to address the health disparities of  vulnerable populations. True or False

21. ACA Quiz • True • There are several provisions that expands initiatives to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the health care professions to ensure diversity and cultural competency, Health plans will be required to use language services and community outreach to underserved communities and improved communications between providers and patients will help to address health disparities. There are also anti-discrimination provisions in the ACA to ensure that existing civil rights statutes apply to the Health Benefit Exchanges, including Title VI & IX of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Age Discrimination Act.

22. Mission • To address the health care needs of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and to increase access to quality health care for AAPIs throughout California (CA) through outreach, education, and advocacy

23. Goals • To ensure the diverse AAPI communities in CA understand the new health care reform system in the state to maximize access to, decision-making for, and utilization of quality healthcare • To develop strong collaborations with AAPI organizations throughout the state to optimize health care reform outreach, education and advocacy efforts to AAPI’s in CA

24. Activities • Expand an AAPI Network/HJN to share information and resources about health care reform and other relevant health care issues • Convene regular AAPI Network conference calls and meetings, and/or provide technical assistance to partners • Survey partners to assess their needs • Provide training to partners and other API groups so they can be effective trainers and community liaisons/leaders on health reform issues in the AAPI communities

25. Activities • Identify, develop, and distribute key culturally and linguistically (C&L) competent materials • Survey, review, and collect materials on health care reform to identify gaps • Develop and translate C&L appropriate materials targeting the AAPI community • Identify resources/resource list of referrals to be posted on our website

26. Activities • Conduct outreach and education to the AAPI community, including small businesses, and to the AAPI media • Conduct workshops, trainings, and presentations at community events, conferences, and other forums for consumers and small businesses • Identify and contact state and local AAPI small business associations • Collect sample stories from the AAPI Network and other sources about the need for health care services and the benefits of health care reform

27. Activities • Conduct public policy advocacy on health care issues, including: • Health care reform implementation in CA to maximize AAPI enrollment, retention, and utilization of the state’s new health care programs • to increase access to health care services by the AAPI community, including ensuring C&L access for immigrants and limited-English proficient individuals, as well as improving access to mental health services

28. Next Steps - How You Can Help • Participate in the AAPI Network/HJN and provide feedback to APALC • Provide stakeholder input into CA’s Health Benefit Exchange and other aspects of health care reform • Collect data and stories about your client’s needs and barriers to access as well as success stories • Support policies and advocacy to increase access for the AAPI community

29. HJN Survey! • Scott Chan, Asian Pacific American Legal Center • Survey can be found at www.healthjusticenetwork.wordpress.com

30. Additional Announcements