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As mentioned in previous editions of the PASC E-News, the California State Legislature recently approved the governor's Coordinated Care Initiative, which will enroll individuals eligible for Medicare and Medi-Cal (known as "dual eligibles") into managed care plans for their medical and social service needs, including IHSS. The initiative will be rolled out through the state over a three-year period, beginning with implementation in eight pilot counties no sooner than March 2013. L.A. County has been selected as one of the eight pilot counties.
Although the Coordinated Care Initiative has been enacted and signed into law, there are still many policies that must be developed by the state before implementation begins. The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has recently posted several fact sheets regarding the Coordinated Care Initiative online at www.calduals.org. Included is a list of frequently asked questions about the IHSS Program and its integration into managed care. Click here to download the IHSS fact sheet.
More information on the Coordinated Care Initiative will be forthcoming.
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Some Federal Benefits Go Paperless | |
 If you receive payments for SSI, SSDI, or Social Security, your payment options could soon be changing. The U.S. Treasury is moving to a paperless system. Beginning March 1, 2013, you will no longer have the option of receiving your benefit payments by paper check.This change will impact nearly seven million people across the country.
If you already receive your benefit payments electronically, you do not need to do anything at this time. If you receive your payments by check, you have until March 1st to sign up for electronic payments. You can do so online at www.GoDirect.org, or by calling 800-333-1795. You will be able to choose if you would like to receive future benefit payments by direct deposit or by Direct Express® Debit MasterCard®.You will need to have a copy of a recent benefit check, your bank's routing number, and your bank account number when you call or visit the website.
Click here to view a public service announcement regarding this important change.
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Do you have questions about PASC and the IHSS Program? Do you have suggestions for topics to be covered in the PASC E-News? Send your questions and suggestions to e-news@pascla.org. PASC E-News is designed for you to get the information you need!
Note: If you do not wish to receive future editions or would like to update your profile with us, please scroll down to the bottom of this message and click on either "SafeUnsubscribe" or "Update Profile/Email Address" |
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month | |
All the pink ribbons of breast cancer awareness we see this month don't necessarily mean we all know the facts about breast cancer, or understand our own personal risk. Did you know:
- 280,000 women and 2100 men in the US are diagnosed with breast cancer every year.
- Breast cancer is more prevalent in white women and women of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.
- Nearly 3 million women living in the US today have a history of breast cancer.
- Only 30% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of the disease.
While some risk factors for breast cancer - such as gender and age - are beyond our control, there are steps we can take to reduce our risk:
Maintain a healthy weight. Study after study shows that being overweight increases breast cancer risk, especially for older women. This is because fat tissue increases estrogen levels, and high estrogen levels increase breast cancer risk.
Make regular, moderate physical activity part of your life. Whether or not you're overweight, exercise helps to reduce both breast cancer risk and the risk of recurrence.
If you smoke, stop. Smokers have a 16% higher risk of breast cancer.
Limit your alcohol consumption. Even a few drinks per week increase your estrogen levels, and therefore your breast cancer risk - as many as two drinks per day increase your risk by 21%.
The American Cancer Society's Cancer Information Specialists provide information at no cost on breast cancer screening, quitting smoking, and staying healthy. Their services include a 24/7 phone center, print materials, and referrals to local resources. Call the ACS at 800-227-2345, or check out their website at www.cancer.org.
sources: American Cancer Society, Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation
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Health Benefits for Your Provider | |
As an IHSS consumer, you rely on your homecare worker to show up on time and ready to provide you with the assistance you need. In order to keep up with the sometimes rigorous demands of being a homecare worker, it is important that your workers also take care of themselves. If your provider isn't healthy, it is harder for them to help you.
The PASC-SEIU Homecare Workers Health Care Plan provides healthcare coverage for over 40,000 IHSS homecare workers in L.A. County. If your homecare worker has been authorized to work at least 77 hours per month for two consecutive months, he/she can enroll in the health plan for only $1 per month.
If you believe that your homecare worker is eligible for the health plan, ask him or her to contact the PASC Health Plan Call Center at 855-727-2756 to request an enrollment form. Medical benefits for the health plan are administered by L.A. Care Health Plan.
More information on the plan can be found on PASC's website at www.pascla.org/HP-FAQ.htm and at L.A. Care's website at www.lacare.org/members/ihss.
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| Upcoming Trainings and Events
Click on event for more information | |
PASC/IHSS Mobile Help Desk: A PASC representative will be available to answer your questions and listen to your concerns regarding the IHSS Program.
October 10th - Glendora
October 11th - Norwalk
October 17th - Los Angeles
October 26th - Lancaster
PASC Provider Seminar: How to Safely Assist Consumers with Lifting and Transferring (Downtown L.A.) - October 12th: Learn basics of body mechanics, muscle use, and posture that will help you assist consumers in moving in and out of bed, transferring into and out of wheelchairs, and transferring into and out of bed using mechanical lifts or slider boards.
PASC Healthy Living Seminar: Diabetes Management (Whittier) - October 15th: Learn what a balanced meal looks like, and how carbohydrates affect your blood sugar and your weight.
PASC Consumer TeleWorkshop: Making the Best of Your IHSS Experience (teleconference) - October 17th: Learn strategies and tips for saving time and money as an IHSS consumer. Also, learn about community resources, cleaning tips, and quick food preparation ideas for your homecare worker.
IHSS Consumer Seminar: How to Hire and Train Homecare Providers (Long Beach) - October 18th: Learn how to hire a homecare provider to best meet your needs.
IHSS Consumer Seminar: Making the Best of Your IHSS Experience (Downtown L.A.) - October 24th: Learn strategies and tips for saving time and money as an IHSS consumer. Learn about community resources, cleaning tips, and quick food preparation ideas for your homecare worker.
PASC Healthy Living Seminar: De-Cluttering Your Home for the Holidays and Beyond (Inglewood) - October 25th: Learn how to identify your de-clutter goals to live the life you deserve, to understand personal challenges related to clutter, and to become organized and maintain a clutter-free environment.
PASC Healthy Living Seminar: Weight Management (Pasadena) - October 26th: Learn how to recognize your body's signals, know what they are trying to tell you, and how ignoring them affects your weight, your health, and your motivation to keep going.
See more events on our website at www.pascla.org.
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| Legislation Watch |
The 2011-2012 legislative session officially ended on August 31st. The new legislative session will begin in January 2013. For updated information on bills that PASC had been tracking during the session, visit PASC's website at www.pascla.org.
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