Family Voices Indiana

Prevention of Abuse & Neglect

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) is sponsoring a workshop on the prevention of abuse and neglect for long term care professionals in Indiana. The training is provided by the University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community. This training is funded by the long term care civil money penalty (CMP) fund.  This course will be offered for a total of twelve (12) training workshop throughout the state – three (3) in northern area, six (6) in central area, and three (3) in southern area.

This workshop is designed to serve as an introduction to abuse and neglect prevention with long term care-specific content and examples. Topics covered will include:
Human dignityIdentifying signs of abuse and neglectDefining, reporting, and responding to situations involving abuse and neglectRecognizing and counteracting stress triggersConflict resolution and de-escalation techniquesWho should attend:  Long term care professionals interested in the preven…

QSO-20-01-NH – Consumer Alerts added to the Nursing Home Compare website and the Five Star Quality Rating System CMS is updating the Nursing Home Compare website to make it easier for consumers to identify facilities with instances of non-compliance related to abuse.  CMS has periodically made improvements to the Five Star Quality Rating System and Nursing Home Compare website.  Each update has been part of CMS’s ongoing effort to improve the information available to consumers and drive quality improvement amongst nursing homes, and this update advances these efforts.

Adding an “abuse icon” to facilities cited for abuse:  (Stop hand)

Every nursing home resident deserves to be treated with respect at all times.  Abuse is never acceptable and CMS is very concerned about incidents related to abuse (including neglect and exploitation) in nursing homes.  CMS is committed to preventing abuse through a five-part strategy to ensure safety and quality in nursing homes.  As part of the strategy, …

from INSOURCE:

SECLUSION AND RESTRAINT COMMISSION UPDATE
In September, the Commission on Seclusion and Restraint in Schools met and finalized a form available for anyone to report concerns surrounding the seclusion and restraint of a student. The form goes directly to the commission, who will then review and make non-binding recommendations to the IDOE.
“The Indiana Department under the direction of the Commission on Seclusion and Restraint in Schools (IC 20-20-40) will accept incidents reports related to the use of seclusion and restraint in schools. This form should be used only when all avenues have been exhausted to have your incident/ issue resolved at your student's school.”
The form is available here.

October 18, 2019Emily Curran
On November 1, the seventh open enrollment period begins for marketplace coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We at CHIR are tracking several policy changes that could affect marketplace enrollment and plan affordability in 2020. These include: Public Charge Rule: In August 2019, the Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule that broadens the types of public benefits that count against an immigrant’s application for admission to the U.S. or permanent residency. Previously, only an applicant’s use of two public benefits – cash assistance and institutional long-term care – were negatively considered when making a public charge determination. For 2020 and beyond, the Trump Administration expanded this policy to include an individual’s application for health programs such as Medicaid (with some exceptions) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as factors for consideration. Application and enrollment in marketplace coverage …

FROM TRICARE:
WHAT IS TRICARE OPEN SEASON AND WHY DOES IT MATTER? 
TRICARE Open Season is the annual period when you can enroll in or make changes to your TRICARE Prime, including US Family Health Plan, or TRICARE Select plan for the next year. The Federal Benefits Open Season is for enrollment in a Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) dental and vision plan. If you're currently enrolled in a FEDVIP dental or vision plan and you don't want to make a change, your enrollment will continue in 2020. If you wish to make changes to your existing plan, you must do so during open season. Both the TRICARE and FEDVIP open seasons will run from Nov. 11 to Dec. 9. Enrollment choices made during this period will take effect on Jan. 1, 2020.
Information about TRICARE'S OPEN SEASON- Nov. 11- Dec. 92019 TRICARE Open Season, Federal Benefits Open Season Starts Next Month(10/10/19)Compare 2020 FEDVIP Plans and Costs, Prepare for Open Season(10/3/19)

Dispelling Myths 
There’s a lot of confusion among both the remaining uninsured and current marketplace consumers about what exactly has changed, what hasn’t, and what are the best options for enrolling in coverage. We’re busting some of the most common myths about the ACA - check them out below. 
Myth #1: Financial help to lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs is no longer available. FALSE. Financial assistance is still available for low and middle-income consumers to help lower the cost of their plan. In fact, more than 8 out of 10 consumers last year qualified for a tax credit. 
Myth #2: The marketplace is not stable and premiums are skyrocketing.FALSE. In fact, premium price increases for 2020 are expected to be much lower than previous years (projected at .1% nationally), and some states will even see price decreases. Increased insurer participation also indicates that the marketplace is stabilizing.
Myth #3: I am no longer protected from discrimination for having a pre-existing con…