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NAMI California Week in Review
Tuesday
For updated Medicare information, including Part D Prescription Drug Benefits, in 2013 and 2014, check out this Kaiser Family Foundation site. You may be surprised at what many people don't know.
Wednesday
The Brown Administration released Monday two important draft documents for public comment regarding the implementation next year of a massive change to the state's Medi-Cal program called the "Coordinated Care Initiative." The deadline for public comment is December 10th. Read the entire article for a broad perspective.
Thursday
A new report provides information for Dually Eligible (DE) beneficiaries in California who are not enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan.
Friday
Earlier this week, DHCS released two draft documents that provide additional details around the integration of long-term services and supports (LTSS) and care coordination for the duals demonstration. The documents are posted here. Discuss the documents with DHCS on Wednesday, December 5th, 3 - 4:30 pm. Register.
Friday
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) released several new reports on Nov. 30th that use a comprehensive set of 2010 data to provide descriptive statistics and insights into the population eligible for participation in California's proposed demonstration to coordinate Medicare and Medi-Cal services for dually eligible beneficiaries. They seem surprised by the findings. Would you have been?
Saturday Tracking Affordable Care Act (ACA) Implementation in California. See the guide online and sign up to receive quarterly updates. Sunday New Poverty Measure Shows CA Has Highest Poverty Rate in US According to the new Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) by the Census Bureau, California has the highest poverty rate in the US, with 23.5% of its residents living at or below poverty level; under the traditional method of calculating poverty rates, the state's poverty rate is lower at 16.3%. To replace the current system that was devised in the 1960s, the Census Bureau is testing the SPM, which includes information on child care, health care and housing costs. The national average under the SPM measure is 15.8%, compared to 15% under the current system. Monday Covered California (formerly CA Health Benefit Exchange) invites all interested stakeholders to provide additional input and comment on the draft standardized benefit plan designs for Qualified Health Plans by participating in a webinar on: December 11, 2012 from 10-11:30 am. Covered California will post the draft standardized benefit plan designs prior to the webinar. Register. The 80 Assembly Members and 20 State Senators elected to office in November were sworn in December 3rd. The 2013/2014 legislative session officially began then although the few bills that might have been introduced would not be assigned to committees until sometime in January. Here is the composition of the two houses:
Assembly
* 55 Democrats, 25 Republicans
* 59 men, 21 women
* 5 openly GLBT
* 7 African-Americans, 8 Asian-Americans, 16 Latinos
* 38 freshmen, who can serve until 2024
Senate
* 29 Democrats, 10 Republicans, 1 Vacancy (2 more vacancies expected in January)
* 28 men, 11 women * 1 African-American, 3 Asian-Americans, 8 Latinos
* 3 openly GLBT
* 1 freshman who can serve until 2024. Don't forget these opportunities to participate in the process: - Wednesday, December 5, 3-4:30 pm, integration of long-term services and supports (LTSS) and care coordination for the duals demonstration. (See Friday note.)
- December 10, 2012. Send comments about Coordinated Care Initiative via email to info@calduals.org by using the comment template on the Calduals website at: http://www.calduals.org/news-and-updates/. (See Wednesday note.)
- Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 10-11:30 am, Covered California stakeholder input webinar on Qualified Health Plans. (See Monday note).
-- Bettie Reinhardt, MPH Legislative and Public Policy Consultant bettie.reinhardt@namicalifornia.org | 
