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This year, thousands of American women - our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, daughters, and friends - will die from ovarian cancer. During September, we observe National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month to recognize those who have died and recommit ourselves to helping the women who are fighting for their health.
Personal health begins with you. Take steps to reduce your risk of disease and talk to your health care
professional about your health concerns. Be an informed consumer, know your medical history, maintain a healthy lifestyle, schedule regular check ups and always ask for a full explanation when seeking medical assistance.
TACT encourages members to schedule annual checkups in order to monitor current health and identify potential problems early.
You are a partner in health care decision making and you are partnered with a coverage provider that is thriving amidst pending change.
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National Ovarian Cancer
Month 2013 Recognized
Courtesy www.hhs.gov - Every year, more than 20,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which is the fifth leading cause of cancer death for women and accounts for more than 14,000 deaths a year.
The administration advances scientific research to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment. When ovarian cancer is found in its early stages, treatment is most effective, but, there is currently no proven method to screen for ovarian cancer in women.
That is why awareness is key to women's survival. Ovarian cancer often does have signs and symptoms, so it is important to pay attention to your body -to be aware-- and know what is normal for you. If you have vaginal bleeding that is not normal for you, see a doctor right away. Also see your health care provider if you have any of the other signs that are not normal for you, such as pain in the pelvic or abdominal area or bloating, for two weeks or longer.
Know your risk factors. All women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but older women are more likely to get the disease than younger women. There are some factors that may increase your risk, including if you have genetic mutations called BRCA1 or BRCA2, have had certain cancers, breast,uterine,or have never given birth or have had trouble getting pregnant.
Having any of these symptoms or factors does not mean you have or will get ovarian cancer. But you should speak with your health care professional about your risk and whether you need genetic counseling and further examination.
The Affordable Care Act is making health care more accessible and providing important protections for women. Insurers must cover -at no out-of-pocket cost -- an annual well-woman visit, which is a good time for women to discuss their concerns about ovarian cancer with their health care provider. The law also guarantees coverage for genetic counseling and testing for certain women at high risk for ovarian cancer.
We know that women-- and men -- without insurance are less likely to get the primary health care that they need to get healthy and to catch serious conditions like ovarian cancer in their early and more treatable stage. The good news is for millions of Americans who are uninsured or under-insured, new options for affordable, quality health insurance are around the corner.
In just a few weeks, every state will have an online Health Insurance Marketplace where people can find a plan that fits their budget and needs. Open enrollment starts October 1 for coverage that begins as soon as January 1, 2014. You can find information and updates at HealthCare.gov - and the Spanish-language version at CuidadoDeSalud.gov. Sign up now at either site for a personal account to begin the process.
Also, in 2014, the health law makes it illegal to deny coverage or charge more if a woman has ovarian cancer or other pre-existing condition.
Remember: Being aware of what's normal for our bodies and having access to quality health care are vital weapons in the fight against ovarian cancer.
Learn more about the risks and symptoms of ovarian and other gynecologic cancers.
See the National Cancer Institute's What You Need to Know About Ovarian Cancer booklet and check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Inside Knowledge: Get the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer campaign and read survivors' personal stories.
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US Delays Deadline for Finalizing Obamacare Health Plans
Courtesy Reuters -
By David Morgan and Caroline Humer
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration has delayed a step crucial to the launch of the new healthcare law, the signing of final agreements with insurance plans to be sold on federal health insurance exchanges starting October 1.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) notified insurance companies last Tuesday said that it would not sign final agreements with the plans between September 5 and 9, as originally anticipated, but would wait until mid-September instead, according to insurance industry sources.
Nevertheless, Joanne Peters, a spokeswoman for HHS, said the department remains "on track to open" the marketplaces on time on October 1.
The reason for the hold-up was unclear. Sources attributed it to technology problems involving the display of insurance products within the federal information technology system.
Peters said only that the government was responding to "feedback" from the companies, "providing additional flexibility and time to handle technical requests."
Coming at a time when state and federal officials are still working to overcome challenges to the information technology systems necessary to make the exchanges work, some experts say that even a small delay could jeopardize the start of the six-month open enrollment period.
U.S. officials have said repeatedly that the marketplaces, which are the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's signature healthcare reform law, would begin on time.
But the October 1 deadline has already begun to falter at the state level, with Oregon announcing plans to scale back the launch of its own marketplace and California saying it would consider a similar move.
The notification by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the HHS agency spearheading marketplace development, affects insurance plans that would be sold in federal exchanges that the administration is setting up in 34 of the 50 U.S. states. The remaining 16 states, including Oregon and California, are setting up their own marketplaces.
"It makes me wonder if open enrollment can start on October 1," said a former administration official who worked to implement Obama's healthcare reform.
"But having everything ready on October 1 is not a critical issue. What matters to people is January 1, which is when the coverage is supposed to start. If that were delayed, it would be a substantive setback."
Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is expected to extend federally subsidized health coverage to an estimated 7 million uninsured Americans in 2014 through the marketplaces.
But insurance plans must be qualified to meet specific standards if they are to be sold on the exchanges. And each insurer must sign a contract with the federal government.
The new timetable for qualified plan agreements is the latest in a series of delays for Obamacare.
Click here to read the story in its entirety.
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Health Alert Issued:
Pertussis Prompts Texas Health Alert
News Release
Sept. 3, 2013
The Texas Department of State Health Services is urging people to make sure they're vaccinated against pertussis after projections show the number of people sick with the deadly disease this year is on track to reach the highest level in more than 50 years.
"This is extremely concerning. If cases continue to be diagnosed at the current rate, we will see the most Texas cases since the 1950s," said Dr. Lisa Cornelius, DSHS infectious diseases medical... officer. "Pertussis is highly infectious and can cause serious complications, especially in babies, so people should take it seriously."
DSHS issued a health alert today advising doctors on diagnosing and treating pertussis. The state health department also strongly encourages people to make sure their children's and their own vaccinations are up to date. While infants remain the most at risk, people of all ages can still get pertussis.
DSHS has reported nearly 2,000 pertussis cases so far this year, and the annual total likely will surpass the recent high of 3,358 cases in 2009.
To read more, click here.
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Farm Bill Related News: US Households Still Hungry
"Some 17.6 million households, with 49 million people, lacked access to adequate food at some point in 2012 because they didn't have enough money or other resources to meet their basic food needs, according to today's release from the Agriculture Department,"
Despite the explosion in food stamp enrollment, the percentage of American households experiencing food shortages remains stubbornly high, with so-called "insecure" families having 26 percent less for food than a typical "secure" household of the same size.
The survey data - covering 2012 - was released two weeks ago as part of the Agriculture Department's annual report on household food security in the U.S. An estimated 14.5 percent of households were listed as food insecure - a number that's consistent with findings since the economic downturn in 2008 but substantially higher than the decade beforehand.
From 1998 through 2007, for example, the same survey showed that the percentage of insecure households averaged about 11 percent. But with the recession, the number jumped to 14.6 percent in 2008 and has largely remained there since.
At the same time, federal expenditures for food stamps or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have more than doubled, provoking a backlash in Congress that has stalled action on a new farm bill.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/us-households-still-going-hungry-96263.html#ixzz2eSDGDZWE
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September Targeting Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity rates are leveling off in America, but a new sub-category within the clinical definition of obesity is growing. Called "severely obese," it affects an estimated 4 million American kids and teens-about 5 percent of children.
That means nearly 4 million U.S. youth fall into a new category of obesity risk, one that carries dangers of serious disease and early death, even beyond expected harms, according to a scientific statement published last week by the American Heart Association.
"It appears that severe obesity is the fastest-growing subcategory of obesity in youth," write the authors in the report published in the journal Circulation.
source - Parents Magazine
read more here
A statement by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
Every September, we look to intensify our efforts to combat obesity among America's youth. Childhood obesity puts too many of our children at greater risk for developing serious health problems later in life, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It's a national epidemic that also undermines our kids' ability to succeed in the classroom, which undercuts our country's future.
We are encouraged by recent reports that we are making some progress to reverse this epidemic. A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report shows that obesity among low-income preschoolers has declined slightly in 19 states and territories. In addition, a new report on schools shows improvements to classroom approaches on nutrition and physical activity.
This modest success drives us to working even harder to sustain and improve this progress for all children.
The Department of Health and Human Services works closely with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Initiative, whose goal is to end childhood obesity within a generation by encouraging physical activity and making healthy choices easier for families. In just one year, more than 300 communities have joined the Let's Move! Cities, Towns and Counties initiative. We all play a role in making this happen, including parents and caregivers, government officials, educators, health care professionals, faith-based and community leaders and private sector companies.
In order to reduce childhood obesity nationwide, we must use every resource available to encourage America's youth to adopt healthy habits that can last a lifetime. For more information on how to help a child lead a healthy lifestyle, visit http://www.fitness.gov.
Together, we can combat childhood obesity and ensure that our kids grow up to be healthy, fit and strong.
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Texas Ag Coop Trust
1802 East 50th St., Ste. 107
Lubbock, TX 79404
806-747-7894
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Texas Ag Coop Trust
Officers, Board of Trustees
Kimberly Tullo-Holcomb
TACT Executive Director
Lubbock, TX
George Reed, Chairman
United Farm Industries
Plainview, TX
Gregg Allen, Secretary
Olton Grain Coop
Olton, TX
Bret Brown, Treasurer
Sunray Coop
Sunray, TX
Jim Turner
Dalhart Consumers Fuel Association
Dalhart, TX
Paul Wilson
United Cotton Growers
Levelland, TX
Cary Eubanks
Slaton Coop Gin
Slaton, TX
Dean Sasser
Farmers Coop Elevator
Levelland, TX
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Texas Ag Coop Trust
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Texas Grain & Feed
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Texas Cotton Ginners Association
 Texas Coop Marketing Exchange
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TACT's Member Enrollment and Member Request for Change forms as well as TACT's Schedule of Benefit forms available by deductible selection are now available in Spanish.