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Suppose the typical U.S. health insurance plan didn’t cover treatment for cancer. Or suppose most American insurance companies put annual and lifetime benefit limits on cardiac care, limits that didn’t apply to other ailments. Imagine that the health plans still covering heart care applied higher deductibles to that treatment than to other health care bills. These ideas are outrageous, yet they are reality for American families living with mental illnesses.

The Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA), the cornerstone legal authority for the provision of health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives, was made permanent when President Obama signed the bill on March 23, as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The authorization of appropriations for the IHCIA had expired in 2000, and while various versions of the bill were considered by Congress since then, the act now has no expiration date.

The ink was hardly dry on the health-care overhaul law when foundations, industry groups and consumer advocates began putting together guides to the new rules. Here are some Web sites worth keeping an eye on:

This short summary describes the health coverage provisions contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, including the individual mandate requirements, expansion of public programs, health insurance exchanges, changes to private insurance, employer requirements and cost and coverage estimates.

What: Pediatricians recognize the importance of improving teen mental health and their pivotal role in identifying adolescents that may need care.  The American Academy of Pediatrics has made adolescent mental health care a priority and the US Preventive Services Task Force has identified annual adolescent depression screening as the standard of care. How can primary care providers meet the needs of their adolescent patients while navigating real-world practice challenges -- including payment? Our January 27 Webinar with three members of the AAP’s Task Force on Mental Health, will explore practical strategies that can maximize payment for screening, consulting, and treatment of adolescent mental health care. When: January 27, 2011 1 p.m. 12:00 p.m. Mountain Registration: Click here to register or copy and paste the link below: http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=274493&s=1&k=D41E04BC8A8A2C114887DDD77F849E86

Grantee Spotlight Project Access grantees are implementing unique and innovative strategies to address the challenges children and youth with epilepsy face within their health care system, schools, and communities. Learn more as we highlight a new grantee each month. How can I help improve care for children and youth with epilepsy? Explore the resources and best practices from the National Center for Project Access (NCPA) to learn about what others have done to improve systems of care. News & Events Stay informed with current epilepsy and Project Access news, funding opportunities, and upcoming events. Next About Project Access is a national initiative funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration that seeks to increase awareness of epilepsy and improve access to coordinated, comprehensive care for children and youth with epilepsy in medically underserved and rural areas.

Project Access is a national initiative funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration that seeks to increase awareness of epilepsy and improve access to coordinated, comprehensive care for children and youth with epilepsy in medically underserved and rural areas.

Children who have a "medical home" -- that is, a pediatrician or nurse they see regularly who offers comprehensive care -- are more likely to have their medical and dental needs met, new research finds. Yet it's the sickest children -- those who have a chronic condition or special need and require the most care -- who are less likely to get the sort of care a medical home offers, the researchers said.

Caregivers of those with disabilities in half a dozen states may soon have an easier time accessing respite care services, thanks to $1.1 million in grants designed to strengthen such programs. The grants are part of the federal Lifespan Respite Care Program, which provides money to states to coordinate, improve and establish community-based respite care initiatives. Already 24 states are part of the program that was established by Congress in 2006 to help family caregivers of those with special needs. Now, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia will be added.

This knowledge path about caring for children and youth with special health care needs has been compiled by the Maternal and Child Health Library at Georgetown University. It offers a selection of current, high-quality resources that analyze data, describe effective programs, and report on policy and research aimed at developing systems of care that are family-centered, community-based, coordinated, and culturally competent. A separate section lists resources for families. The final part of the knowledge path presents resources that address specific aspects of care and development, such as advocacy, early intervention and special education, financing services, rehabilitation, screening, and transition. This knowledge path for health professionals, program administrators, policymakers, educators, researchers, and families will be updated periodically.

Best Beginnings Childcare Scholarships The Early Childhood Services Bureau offers “Best Beginnings” child-care scholarships to qualified low-income families whose child attends a licensed child care center, registered group or family child care home, or legally unregistered child care provider. Each family participates in the cost of that care by making a co-payment based on a sliding fee scale.

Click here to register for this event What: In the rush to develop collaborative care practices the use of health IT is a powerful, often overlooked, and crucial element. The University of Vermont and Fletcher Allen Health Care in northern Vermont have embarked on a project to develop Patient-Centered Medical Homes in each of our primary care practices. As part of that effort, there is a commitment that mental health substance abuse and health behavior services are central elements of the development. Dr. Kessler, a health psychologist, directs this effort. Dr. Burdick a family physician, is physician leader for outpatient implementation of the Fletcher Allen Helath Care Epic-based EHR, PRISM. Their collaboration has resulted in this project. The webinar will explore the backround and history, measure selection and process development, current status and future plans. When: Thursday, April 14th 2011, from 11:00am - 12:30pm Mountain

Webinar Recording: Linking and Integrating with Primary Care: Medical Home Model for Children's Mental Health Hosted by the National Technical Assistance Center in Children's Mental Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), February 17, 2011 Watch this webinar to learn about the role of primary care in linking social, emotional, mental and behavioral health services to children. The webinar involves an examination of the opportunities to enhance collaboration between primary care and the medical home model for children's mental health.

The Obama administration moved forward today to implement provisions in the health care law that would make it illegal for insurance companies to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. The provisions of the Affordable Care Act also would make it easier for consumers to compare health plans and employers to promote and encourage employee wellness.

Examination of skeletons from past millennia reveals that far from just leaving those who could not hunt and gather to die, prehistoric humans cared for the sick and disabled. Archaeologists have been able to discover this by studying ancient bones, says the New York Times.