Family Voices Indiana

From Save My Care: Friends, the next ten days could determine the fate of health care for 30 million Americans. Congress is on recess in their home states and districts through February 26th. Many members are hosting town halls, forums, and events to speak directly to constituents.  This is our opportunity to hold them accountable for their views on our health coverage. Members of Congress will only consider alternatives to repeal if they are faced with our growing movement. We've created a congressional recess events tracker with all of the events members of Congress are hosting over the next ten days. Find an event close to you, and RSVP to attend. At these events, we must show the real impact of repealing health care. When our elected officials get back to D.C., "save our care" should be stuck in their heads, alongside the memory of hundreds and thousands of their constituents demanding the protection of their coverage.  The events are searchable by state so you can

from    Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: House Republican leaders yesterday released a set of  talking points  they described as their substitute for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But the  document reveals  that House Republicans still plan  to repeal the ACA without putting forward a comprehensive replacement . They also plan  to fast track a proposal to  radically overhaul Medicaid , putting  coverage for children, seniors, and people with disabilities at risk , in addition to ending the ACA’s Medicaid expansion for low-income adults. The document makes clear that the starting point for any House Republican bill is the “repeal and delay” legislation that President Obama vetoed last year. By the end of a decade, that bill would result in  32 million people losing coverage  and individual market premiums doubling, the Congressional Budget Office estimated. The provisions that yesterday’s outline suggests House Republicans will add fall far short of  repairing that damage ;

By Heather Dane, Health Information Specialist As a mom with two kids with significant special health care needs, I have had my share of experiences with professionals. I have lost count of the number of doctors, nurses, teachers, therapists, case managers, and social workers that have crossed our path at one point or another. When I think back to all of these people, I have some fond memories and some not so fond memories. My hope is that after you read this, you will become one of those professionals whom parents and patients look back on fondly. Those first months after my son was diagnosed I was timid when speaking to all the professionals who were all of a sudden invading our life. Don’t get me wrong, I would ask questions; but if I didn’t get an answer or was rushed through an appointment, I didn’t push. Many times when my child or I was treated unfairly or unkindly I wouldn’t say anything to defend us. I would just cry after the appointment and feel powerless. It

Miss our Twitter Chat about Shared Plans of Care? You're in luck! See the transcript below: [ View the story "Shared Plan of Care Chat" on Storify ]

Peter V. Berns   Chief Executive Officer of The Arc Headlines across the country mention looming changes to the Medicaid Program. Make no mistake when reading these articles, what they mean by change is severe cuts. The threats facing Medicaid in Washington, D.C. point to a fundamental problem facing our nation: a civil rights crisis that affects us all. Cuts to Medicaid would take away medical care from millions of Americans, putting their health and even their lives at risk. For many people with disabilities, Medicaid cuts would also imperil access to essential services that support individuals to exercise their basic human right to live and participate in the community. Chances are, you probably know someone who benefits from Medicaid: Your child’s classmate with cerebral palsy might rely on Medicaid for crutches, physical therapy, and transportation to get to and from medical appointments and after-school programs. Your elderly neighbor’s primary

Proposals to drastically cut federal Medicaid spending are moving front and center as Congress wrangles over repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Per capita caps/block grants would fundamentally alter and undermine Medicaid, which serves as a lifeline for low income and underserved communities. NHeLP's Protect Medicaid webinar series will provide health advocates with facts to resist these harmful proposals. In the first webinar slated for  February 24  at 2:00 PM (EST), NHeLP/DC Managing Attorney  Mara Youdelman  describes how Republican-led efforts to impose Medicaid per capita caps or block grants will shift costs onto states and lead to cuts in services, eligibility, and provider reimbursements. Subsequent webinars will examine the harmful impact of per capita caps/block grants on key features of the Medicaid program, including: services and benefits geared for vulnerable populations; affordability and cost sharing protections; advances under the ACA's low income

from CMS: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued a proposed rule for 2018, which proposes new reforms that are critical to stabilizing the individual and small group health insurance markets to help protect patients. This proposed rule would make changes to special enrollment periods, the annual open enrollment period, guaranteed availability, network adequacy rules, essential community providers, and actuarial value requirements; and announces upcoming changes to the qualified health plan certification timeline. “Americans participating in the individual health insurance markets deserve as many health insurance options as possible,” said Dr. Patrick Conway, Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  “This proposal will take steps to stabilize the Marketplace, provide more flexibility to states and insurers, and give patients access to more coverage options. They will help protect Americans enrolled in the individual

The Trump Administration’s  new proposed rule  on health care  would raise premiums, out-of-pocket costs, or both for millions   of moderate-income families. As explained in a  new CBPP paper , if finalized as proposed, the rule would reduce the amount of health care that marketplace plans have to cover. That would allow individual market insurers to offer plans with higher deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs than they can now sell through the marketplaces. It would also have the hidden impact of reducing the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) premium tax credits, which help moderate-income marketplace consumers afford health care. As a result,  the rule would force millions of families to choose between higher premiums and worse coverage. The Administration argues that allowing less generous health plans, with higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs but lower premiums, will give consumers more choices, draw more people into the marketplace, and, in this way, stabilize the m

Want to give a gift that keeps giving this Valentine's Day? Consider a donation to Family Voices Indiana. Did you know… ♥ 1 in 5 children are children with special health care needs? ♥ Family leaders at Family Voices are parents themselves? ♥ Family Voices provides free resources and support to families who need it? Your gift can help…… $10 ♥ a phone card for our family leaders to provide 1:1 support $25 ♥ a one hour health care financing training for families $50 ♥ a two hour health care financing training for families $75 ♥ brochures for 350  families $100 ♥ an exhibit table at a disability fair for community outreach Please help make a difference and  donate   today!  We’re also grateful to accept donations of services, volunteer hours, or other support……. Have a great Valentine's Day!