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| 'Walk for the Uninsured' set for Saturday, Aug. 9
The Health Authority plans to invite community health supporters to demonstrate their commitment to ensuring access to health services for the uninsured and underinsured and the goal of universal health insurance coverage for all on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. Local, state and national elected officials will be invited to share the stage with providers and recipients before walking a three-mile course, beginning in front of the Cadillac Place building, and extending around the Wayne State University campus. A shorter course will also be available.
"We're excited to announce this new activity, which will help us put a face on the uninsured - many faces," announced Chris Allen, Executive Director and CEO of the Health Authority. "We're inviting anyone who wants to walk with us in support of the uninsured - whether you're fortunate to be insured or not."
In addition, Medicaid outreach workers will be helping uninsured participants qualify for a health insurance program. More details on the event will be announced in the coming weeks. |
| Health Authority extends Medicaid outreach services to Beaumont, Trinity Health System
The Detroit Wayne County Health Authority has reached agreements with Beaumont and Trinity health systems to provide Medicaid outreach services. This agreement adds to the growing list of health systems contracting with the Health Authority to provide Medicaid outreach services.
The Health Authority offers health systems knowledge of the Medicaid system, ability to help prospective recipients complete Medicaid applications with a much higher approval rate.
"The Health Authority has shown through its work with Oakwood Healthcare and Accretive Michigan, that its model for enrolling Medicaid recipients is efficient and supports hospitals in managing their uninsured populations," explained Chris Allen, President and CEO of the Health Authority. "Our goal is to ensure that everyone entitled to a Medicaid - and other forms of health care insurance coverage - is reached in their communities and is enrolled. Only when we have insured all who qualify for an insurance program will we know exactly who the uninsured are and be able to further refine and strengthen our safety net." |
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Health Authority helps enroll MI Choice Waiver recipients
About 1,000 older adults in Detroit and Wayne County, who qualify for the MI Choice Waiver Program, have been targeted through Health Authority enrollment activities, in conjunction with the Detroit Area Agency on Aging. MI Choice offers eligible adults who meet income and asset criteria Medicaid-covered services like those provided by nursing homes, allowing more people to live in their homes with support.
Participants receive the basic services that Michigan Medicaid covers, along w3ith one or more of these services: Homemaker, respite, adult day care, environmental modifications, transportation, medical supplies and equipment not covered under the Medicaid State Plan, chore services, personal emergency response systems, private duty nursing, counseling, home-delivered meals, independent living skills training, and personal care supervision.
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National Academy for State Health Policy visits Health Authority
There's nothing quite like the Detroit Wayne County Health Authority, remarked Neva Kaye, Senior Program Director for the National Academy for State Health Policy. That's one reason why a group visited on May 22 to learn how the Health Authority has sustained its operations and established a framework for strengthening safety net resources in the area.
The Academy representatives met with Health Authority staff, Medicaid managed care providers and visited a community health center. Michigan and Alabama were the only two states they visited.
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Dr. Bush becomes acting-president of Wayne County Medical Society
Chris Bush, M.D., a member of the Health Authority's Provider Advisory Committee, has been named Acting-President of the Wayne County Medical Society. A Wayne State University School of Medicine graduate, Dr. Bush is an active proponent of access to care for the uninsured. In addition to his private practice in the Dearborn/Downriver areas, Dr. Bush is also an active member of the Wyandotte Clinic for the Working Uninsured, a free clinic.
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Wayne County Medical Society Executive Director leads Provider Advisory Committee
Adam R. Jablonowski, MPA, has been named chair of the Provider Advisory Committee, replacing the late Sophie Womack, M.D. Jablonowksi has served as acting chair at recent meetings and has been a supporter of the Health Authority since its inception. |
Backgrounder
Bush Administration Medicaid regs could hurt state
The Bush Administration has proposed sweeping new Medicaid regulations that will shift costs for this federal state program on to Michigan. The proposed regulations will cost the Michigan Medicaid program $3.9 billion. A cut of this magnitude would severely cripple Medicaid and would balloon a budget deficit already predicted to be $472 million.
The Administration's seven proposed regulations reduce funding for safety net providers by placing cost limits on government providers, eliminating Medicaid's graduate medical education (GME) payments, restricting provider taxes. Four of the proposed changes in Medicaid would reduce the scope of services available to Medicaid recipients (restriction of rehabilitation services, elimination of transportation services for school-based services, restriction of hospital based outpatient services, and restriction of case management services).
The House of Representatives, with Michigan's Congressman John Dingell in the lead, has passed legislation to postpone these onerous regulations. The Senate needs to take action to follow the house lead to block these regulations from talking effect. The Health Authorit board at its last meeting supported efforts to block the proposed regulations.
Community health advocates are urging Nancy Pelosi, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker, to keep the regulatory moratorium on seven Medicaid regulations in the supplemental spending bill soon to be debated in the House. Last week, House leaders reached a tentative deal with Senate leaders under which three of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Medicaid regulations - targeted case management, provider taxes, and outpatient clinics - would be removed from the Medicaid moratorium package in the supplemental appropriations bill. Four other Medicaid rule moratoria would remain in the supplemental bill. Please call your congressman or Speaker Pelosi to register your opinion. You can email Pelosi at AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov or call the Capitol switchboard toll free at 866-240-9281.
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The Detroit Wayne County Health Authority's mission is to coordinate efforts to meet the health needs of the uninsured and underinsured residents in Detroit and Wayne County by assuring access and improving the health status of all people.
"It's about access...for all."
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