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NAMI California Week in Review
Tuesday
On October 16, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and plaintiffs in the Jimmo v. Sebelius lawsuit filed a proposed settlement agreement that will allow the provision of skilled nursing and outpatient rehabilitation services to people not making progress if the services can help them maintain function or prevent or slow loss of function.
Wednesday
The federal Health & Human Services' Digital Strategy requires them to make digital content available where, when, and how citizens want it. All 25 of their current apps are listed.
Thursday
The election is out of the way - finally! Now, we are expecting "guidances" from federal Health & Human Services on two important healthcare reform items any day now: Mental Health Benefits Packages and Adequate Networks of Mental Health/Substance Use Providers. We will publish the details and our response.
Friday
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that reducing the individual, social, and economic burdens of preventable and chronic conditions and improving the health of Californians is a priority for California.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency establish a Let's Get Healthy California Task Force to develop a 10-year plan for improving the health of Californians, controlling health care costs, promoting personal responsibility for individual health, and advancing health equity by establishing baselines for key health indicators, identifying obstacles to better care, making fiscally prudent recommendations, and establishing a framework for measuring improvements.
Saturday
California Health Benefit Exchange - ADVANCE NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE EMERGENCY REGULATIONS - The
California Health Benefit Exchange ("Exchange") intends to file an Emergency Rulemaking package with the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) that affects the Exchange's contracting process and standards for selecting and contracting with Qualified Health Plans for the offering of health insurance in the Health Benefit Exchange.
Monday
What do the 2012 Elections Means for People Living with Mental Illness and Families? Last week's elections reelected the President, expanded the Democrats' majority in the U.S. Senate and retained the Republicans' majority in the U.S. House. But what do the results mean for people living with mental illness and their families? This bulletin focuses on the impact of the elections on the new health law.
Here is a different form of action: Donate to National Council on Aging. Charity Navigator says that 95% of donations go to their programs. Every $1 you donate to NCOA will connect a vulnerable older adult to $40 in annual benefits to help pay for food and so much more-medicine, heat, housing, health care, and other daily expenses. Last year, we helped struggling seniors apply for and receive over $810 million in benefits to keep them healthy, secure, and independent.
-- Bettie Reinhardt, MPH
Legislative and Public Policy Consultant
bettie.reinhardt@namicalifornia.org
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