The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
This chartpack highlights key results and trends from the Kaiser Family Foundation’s August 2005 tracking poll looking at seniors’ views and knowledge about the new Medicare prescription drug benefit.
Survey Chartpack (.pdf)
An informative booklet on preventing unintended pregnancies, HIV and AIDS and other STDs, this brochure was produced by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation as a project of the Foundation and MTV.
It’s Your (Sex) Life: Your Guide to Safe & Responsible Sex (.pdf)
This series of case studies examines how eight states (Alabama, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Texas, and Washington) from around the nation responded to their budget crises from 2003 to 2005, with a focus on how Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Programs were affected. Additionally, an overview of the eight states’ experiences was published in the journal Health Affairs.
Health Affairs article (free access)Three Years Of State Fiscal Struggles: How Did Medicaid And SCHIP Fare?, Teresa A. Coughlin and Stephen Zuckerman Abstract Reprint
Alabama Case Study (.pdf)
California Case Study (.pdf)
Colorado Case Study (.pdf)
Massachusetts Case Study (.pdf)
Michigan Case Study (.pdf)
New York Case Study (.pdf)
Texas Case Study (.pdf)
Washington Case Study (.pdf)
This brief assesses the extent to which recent Section 1115 waivers have helped reduce the number of uninsured people and finds that there has been a net gain in coverage of 426,329 people under recent waivers.
Issue Paper (.pdf)
Over the last four years, the Commission has been tracking the national development of the three main Medicaid HCBS programs that states can operate. The Commission also began to survey the policies, such as eligibility criteria and waiting lists that states can use to control the growth of spending on the waiver programs. This brief presents the latest data on the development of home and community-based service programs in Medicaid.
Issue Paper (.pdf)
Most people get their health care through some form of managed care plan – a health maintenance organization, preferred provider organization, or point-of-service option. Most of the time, people receive the care they need, but the potential exists for disagreements over the services that will be provided or paid for by health plans.
Health plans are required to follow state and federal rules for handling their enrollee’s complaints and appeals inside the health plan, known as an “internal review.” Many states have legislated additional procedures outside of the health plan, called “external reviews” or “independent reviews,” to provide an unbiased way to resolve disputes between patients and their health plans. An external review is a reconsideration of a health plan’s denial of service, with the review conducted by a person or panel of individuals who are not part of the plan. As of December 2004, 43 states plus the District of Columbia had legislated such procedures.
Anyone enrolled in a health plan should be familiar with their plan’s internal review process and any external review program in their state in case problems later arise. This guide, which includes a checklist for diagnosing your coverage, will help you navigate your employer or private health plan’s internal grievance procedure, as well as any external review program your state may have. The guide is not applicable, however, for resolving disputes if you have Medicare or Medicaid coverage.
2005 Report: A Consumer Guide to Handling Disputes with Your Employer or Private Health Plan
2003 Report: A Consumer Guide to Handling Disputes with Your Employer or Private Health Plan
2001 Report: A Consumer Guide to Handling Disputes with Your Employer or Private Health Plan
Embargoed for release until:July 26, 2005
For further information contact:Lyntina Townsend, BET202/608-2745, lyntina.towsend@bet.netTracy Taylor, BAI213/353-3610, tracyt@blackaids.org Rob Graham, KFF 650/854-9400, RobG@kff.org
BET, Black AIDS Institute, Kaiser Family Foundation and YWCA Announce Finalists of 2nd Annual Rap-It-Up/Black AIDS Short Subject Film Competition
WASHINGTON (July 26, 2005) – Culminating an extensive national call for submissions, BET, the Black AIDS Institute (The Institute), the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the YWCA are proud to announce the finalists in the 2nd Annual Rap-It-Up/Black AIDS Short Subject Film Competition (RIU/BASS). Ten finalists are now eligible for the next level of competition from which the winning entry will be selected.
The RIU/BASS film competition seeks to highlight the issue of HIV prevention, testing, treatment and the effect of HIV/AIDS on individuals and families in the African-American, Afro-Caribbean, and/or Afro-Latin communities in the United States. In particular, the competition helps to raise awareness about the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Black communities; encourages the public to know their status; and seeks to inspire people to take action to stop the spread of the disease. Screenwriters were encouraged to use their creativity to evoke a ‘fresh’ and culturally unique angle on these issues in a way that will resonate with African Americans.
Numerous entries were received and reviewed by a select group of judges from across the country. The finalists are: Drew Anderson, Justin Follin, Charneice Fox and Michelle Sewell (Washington, DC), Multitude of Mercies; Michelle Lynne Coons (California), Let’s Talk; Marquita Edwards (Illinois), Chances; Marcus F. Eubanks & Brandon Joseph (Arkansas), Conscious Cafe; Andrea Greer & Simone Murray (New York), Once; Charmain Johnson (Florida), Victims; Joie Lee (New York), Positive; Gregory Roberts (Illinois), The Edge Of The Looking Glass; Yasin Shabazz (Georgia), The Release Of Jackie Davis; and Lanette Ware-Bushfield (New York), Gisele and Me.
“Given recent data released by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), it is clear that AIDS has reached a level that we can no longer ignore,” commented Phill Wilson, Executive Director of the Black AIDS Institute. “The RIU/BASS film competition is another attempt to sound the alarm and mobilize the troops in an effort to finally put an end to this tragedy.”
“BET is extremely proud of both the success and impact the RIU/BASS film competition has had in depicting the extent of HIV/AIDS within the African-American community,” said Kelli Lawson, BET’s Executive Vice President of Corporate Marketing. “We look forward to continuing to promote HIV/AIDS awareness while also extending the unique opportunity for talented filmmakers to showcase their amazing work.”
“The impressive mix of powerful stories illustrates the magnitude and depth of the impact HIV/AIDS is having on African Americans throughout the U.S.” said Tina Hoff, Vice President and Director of Entertainment Media Partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation.
“HIV/AIDS clearly creates yet another hurdle for African-American women in their struggle to improve the socioeconomic outlook for themselves and their families,” said Debra Roth, Director of Communication and Marketing for the YWCA USA. “As the YWCA USA works to eliminate racism and empower women, we are very conscious of any influence that stands between these women and their full potential. We hope that our sponsorship of this film contest raises awareness, detection and treatment of this disease.”
The winner will be announced on August 8, 2005, and the winning film will televise on the BET network around World AIDS Day (December 1, 2005). This year’s RIU/BASS film competition follows a successful first year of notable awards and accolades for its two winning films, “Walking on Sunshine” and “Tangy’s Song!”, including the 2005 Cable Positive Award for Outstanding Film/Movie and a 2005 NAACP Image Award nomination for “Walking on Sunshine”; and a Bronze Telly Award for “Tangy’s Song!”.
HIV/AIDS continues to devastate Black communities across the globe. It is a leading cause of death for African Americans between the ages of 25 and 44 and is the top cause of death for African-American women between the ages of 25 – 34. Although African Americans represent only 13% of the U.S. population, they accounted for approximately half (49%) of AIDS diagnosis in 2003.
ABOUT BETBET, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the nation’s leading television network providing quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs programming for the African-American audience. The BET Network reaches more than 80 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant consumer brand in the urban marketplace with a diverse group of branded businesses: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks – BET Jazz, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, specializing in a full range of event production services, including event management, venue selection, talent recruitment, sound, lighting and stage production; and BET Books, the nation’s leading publisher of African-American themed romance novels under the Arabesque imprint which also publishes compelling fiction under the Sepia imprint and inspirational fiction and nonfiction under the New Spirit imprint.
ABOUT THE BLACK AIDS INSTITUTEThe Black AIDS Institute is a training and mobilization center focused exclusively on Black people. The Institute’s mission is to stop the AIDS pandemic in Black communities by engaging and mobilizing Black institutions and individuals in efforts to confront HIV. The Institute interprets public and private sector HIV policies, conducts trainings, offers technical assistance, disseminates information and provides advocacy from a uniquely and unapologetically Black point of view.
ABOUT THE HENRY J. KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATIONThe Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation dedicated to providing information and analysis on health issues to policymakers, the media, and the general public. It is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries. Information on HIV/AIDS is available at www.kff.org, and a daily news summary report on developments in HIV/AIDS is available on www.kaisernetwork.org, the Foundation’s free health information service.
ABOUT YWCA USAFounded in 1858 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the YWCA is a women’s membership movement whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women. Strengthened by diversity, the YWCA draws together members who strive to create opportunities for women’s growth, leadership and power to attain a common vision: peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all people. The YWCA represents approximately 2 million women, girls and their families in the United States and 25 million women worldwide. The YWCA has nearly 300 associations throughout the United States. The World YWCA is at work in more than 100 other countries. For information about the YWCA, visit our Web site, http://www.ywca.org, or contact the YWCA USA at 202-467-0801.
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Medicaid is the nation’s largest health coverage program and through its 40 year history, the program has transformed from a welfare-based health coverage program to a health insurance and long-term care program serving both low-income individuals and families and providing long-term care services for individuals with disabilities and the low-income elderly. Because Medicaid has such a diverse set of obligations and is run jointly by federal and state governments there is much misunderstanding about facts related to the program. This publication outlines ten key myths and related facts about Medicaid.
Resources on the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) established a voluntary outpatient prescription drug benefit for people on Medicare, known as Part D, that went into effect January 1, 2006.
Compiled below are key Foundation resources and data on the Medicare drug benefit. A complete list of Foundation reports on the drug benefit and other Medicare-related research, data, and information are available at www.kff.org/medicare.
Medicare Part D Data Spotlights
A series of briefs analyzing key elements of Medicare’s private drug plans currently available and trends since the Medicare drug benefit took effect in 2006.
Part D Plan Benefit Design, Formularies and Beneficiary SpendingA series of reports and briefs related to the Medicare drug benefit design and associated costs.
A series of reports and briefs related to private Medicare plans, known as Medicare Advantage plans, and the Medicare drug benefit.
Part D Enrollment and Beneficiary ExperiencesReports and briefs examining enrollment in and experiences with the Medicare drug benefit.
Medicaid, Dual Eligibles, and Low-Income BeneficiariesA collection of reports and briefs related to beneficiaries enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, known as “dual eligibles,” and those with limited incomes.
Employer/Retiree CoverageA series of reports related to retiree health benefits.
MMA Law, Regulations, and AnalysesA series of summaries and analyses of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA).
Public OpinionA series of polls, surveys, and interviews related to the Medicare drug benefit.
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