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HHS has developed a new series of brochures to help Americans understand the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and how it is improving consumer protections, lowering costs and increasing coverage. You can find the overview brochure at http://www.healthcare.gov/center/brochures/for_you.pdf HHS also is developing brochures for specific audiences which HHS will continue to produce. These can be downloaded at www.HealthCare.gov/center/brochures/index.html . There is lots of disability information in general at these links as well as in some of the brochures. Keep checking for more specific information as more brochures are developed.

Some key findings include the following: People with disabilities experience significant health disparities and barriers to health care, as compared with people who do not have disabilities. People with disabilities frequently lack either health insurance or coverage for necessary services, such as specialty care, long-term services, prescription medications, durable medical equipment, and assistive technologies. Most federally funded health disparities research does not recognize and include people with disabilities as a disparity population. The absence of professional training on disability competency issues for health care practitioners is one of the most significant barriers preventing people with disabilities from receiving appropriate and effective health care. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has had limited impact on how health care is delivered for people with disabilities. Significant architectural and programmatic accessibility barriers still remain, and health care providers continue to lack awareness about steps they are required to take to ensure that patients with disabilities have access to appropriate, culturally competent care.

Click here to download the full flyer for this event (PDF) When: September 8, 2011 12:00pm - 1:00pm Where: St. Vincent Healthcare Mansfield Health Education Center - Room 7 Billings, MT Target Audience: Primary Care Providers to include but not limited to: Family Practice, Pediatrics, Emergency Department physicians, Physician assistants, Nurse practitioners, Advanced practice nurses, Registered nurses, And all other healthcare providers of pediatric/adolescent patients Series Objectives: At the end of this RSS, participants should be able to: Differentiate between types of seizures, spells and spasms in children Recognize infantile spasms and absence seizures Utilize appropriate imaging and lab work for the diagnosis, treatment and management of seizures, spells and spasms in children Manage status epilepticus emergently Initiate referral of children to a pediatric neurologist as appropriate Lecture Specific Objectives: At the end of this RSS, participants should be able to: Develop a differential diagnosis of seizure-like episodes. Identify clinical features of psychogenic non-epileptic events. Appropriately manage non-epileptic events. If you would like to attend via videoconference contact: St. Vincent Healthcare University at 406.237.3348 or email svhu@svh-mt.org.  Reservations for videoconferencing must be made at least 24 hours prior to live activity.

Each year the Annie E. Casey Foundation funds a national survey of child well-being. The new report was recently released. Montana is again ranked 28th, same as last year.The data is analyzed in four different categories: education, economic well-being, family and community and health.Montana was above average in three of the four categories, but finished 50th in child health.The report shows that Montana improved in economic well-being, up to 15th from 20th last year. We held steady on education at 13th. We declined a bit on family and community, down to 14th from 13th.But it’s the child health numbers that seem to be the greatest cause for concern.If you dig into the health numbers, Montana did improve over last year’s report in having fewer uninsured kids — down to 12 percent — and fewer teens abusing alcohol and drugs — down to 10 percent. However, we have increased our percentage of children with low birth weights — 7.5 percent — and increased the number of child and teen deaths per 100,000 — 45.How do we make sense of this data? It’s hard because for many of us these kinds of statistics don’t mean a lot when you pull them apart. As a state, Montana’s 28th place ranking is the lowest in the region. North Dakota ranks sixth, Wyoming ranks 15th, South Dakota ranks 18th, and Idaho ranks 20th.What the report tells us about child health is we have more work to do. It may seem like 88 percent of children being covered by health insurance is pretty good, but we’re average for the region. Similar to Idaho and Wyoming, but lower than both Dakotas.For teen death rates, we’re highest in the region at 45 per 100,000. Idaho is at 28, Wyoming at 32, North Dakota at 34 and South Dakota 39.In general what this means is in Montana we can do a better job, in this areas, of improving the health of our kids. The good news is that health continues to be a priority of the Gov. Steve Bullock’s administration, which launched an initiative last week called “A Healthier Montana: A Plan to Improve the Health of Montanans.”Bullock’s plan focuses on six areas: Preventing, identifying and managing chronic diseases; promoting the health of mothers, infants and children; preventing, identifying and controlling communicable disease, preventing injuries and reducing exposure to environmental health hazards; improving mental health and reducing substance abuse; and, strengthening Montana’s public health and health care system.Reports like Kids Count, are one of many analyzing different aspects of health in Montana and around the country, said Jon Ebelt, spokesman for the Montana Department of Health and Human Services. Typically, those reports only tell part of the story. And though the state takes the Kids Count report seriously, it fit into the broader look of health in Montana now outlined in Bullock’s initiative.“We’ve done a lot of work the last year to set the priorities on where we can make the most difference,” Ebelt said.At Lewis and Clark County, county health officer Melanie Reynolds is also focused on local work.The county has been working for a number of months on their community health improvement plan and is looking to unveil soon.So while the news from Kids Count was mixed, we’re pleased the state and local governments are continuing their efforts to support better health for Montanans. We anticipate these efforts will show themselves with an improved report next year.

Top Things to Know for Families with ChildrenYouTube embedded video: http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/7BSJmEggpnYInsurance companies can no longer impose lifetime dollar limits on essential coverage limitsJob-based health plans and new individual plans are no longer allowed to deny or exclude coverage for your children (under age 19) based on a pre-existing condition, including a disability. Starting in 2014, these same plans won't be allowed to deny or exclude anyone or charge more for a pre-existing condition including a disability.Parents have new options to cover their children. If your children are under age 26, you can generally insure them if your policy allows for dependent coverage. The only exception is if you have an existing job-based plan, and your children can get their own job-based coverage.An Affordable Insurance Exchange is a new marketplace where individuals and small businesses can buy affordable health benefit plans. Exchanges will offer you a choice of plans that meet certain benefits and cost standards. Starting in 2014, members of Congress will be getting their health care insurance through Exchanges, and you will be able buy your insurance through Exchanges, too.Pregnancy and newborn care, along with vision and dental coverage for children, will be covered in all Exchange plans and new plans sold to individuals and small businesses, starting in 2014.In 2014, if your income is less than the equivalent of about $88,000 for a family of four today, and your job doesn’t offer affordable coverage, you may get tax credits to help pay for insurance.

What:As families grow and age they reach many crossroads. Each crossroad generates more questions. Family Life Expo was designed to provide Billings families with answers to their many questions and direct families to local professionals and providers who can help.When you register to exhibit at the 2012 Family Life Expo, you will also be included in the network of professionals and providers on FamilyLifeExpo.com, fully launching to the public dare of the expo, February 4, 2012. At FamilyLifeExpo.com families can get the latest news and updates on just about any issue such as healthcare, financial planning, education, real estate, jobs, vacations, insurance, retirement, and more! Most importantly, families can link directly to one of our network professionals or providers that can help. When:February 4, 2012 Where:MetraPark PavilionBillings, MTContact:Phone: 406-294-9116Email: familylifeexpo.comProceeds to benefit the Special K Ranch.

The Affordable Care Act will help make health insurance coverage more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans.  For American Indians and Alaska Natives, the law will address inequities and increase access to quality, affordable health coverage, invest in prevention and wellness, and give First American individuals and families more control over their care.