Family Voices Indiana

from NDNRC: Open Enrollment Year 6 (OE6) began yesterday and if you’re looking for a promotional brochure to use for people with disabilities, check out the handout entitled “ Time to Check Your Health Insurance .” This brochure was prepared by the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities and highlights the issues consumers need to think about over the next six weeks and the critical dates throughout open enrollment. The brochure is also available on the  Materials page of the website . The NDNRC also wants to make sure you have all the resources you need to be able to assist individuals with disabilities as they consider their options on the ACA marketplace. We have a  Disability Guide  which is meant to strengthen disability literacy, help you identify and provide appropriate accommodations and assist you in correctly identifying issues that are central to healthcare insurance for people with disabilities. The  disability guide  is also available for  PDF download .

The greatest risk to your child is not riding a bus, but approaching or leaving one. Before your child goes back to school or starts school for the first time, it’s important for you and your child to know traffic safety rules. Teach your child to follow these practices to make school bus transportation safer. FOR PARENTS Safety Starts at the Bus Stop Your child should arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. Visit the bus stop and show your child where to wait for the bus: at least three giant steps (six feet) away from the curb. Remind your child that the bus stop is not a place to run or play. Get On and Off Safely When the school bus arrives, your child should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, the door opens, and the driver says it’s okay before approaching the bus door. Your child should use the handrails to avoid falling. Use Caution Around the Bus Your child should never walk behind a school bus. If your child must cross the

From KFF: What is the health insurance Marketplace? Health Insurance Marketplaces (also known as Exchanges) are organizations set up to create more organized and competitive markets for buying health insurance. They offer a choice of different health plans, certify plans that participate, and provide information and in-person assistance to help consumers understand their options and apply for coverage. Through the Marketplace, individuals and families can shop for coverage if they need to buy health insurance on their own. Premium and cost sharing subsidies based on income are available through the Marketplace to make coverage affordable for individuals and families. People with very low incomes can also find out at the Marketplace if they are eligible for coverage through Medicaid and CHIP. Finally, small businesses can buy coverage for their employees through Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace plans. There is a health insurance Marketplace in every sta

from the Arc of the US: Take Action NOW The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently proposed a change to the "public charge" rule which would discriminate against people with disabilities - and we need your help to stop it! Background The public charge rule is used to prevent people from coming into the United States for work, to live, or to visit if the government thinks they might depend on government services like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Children's Health Insurance Program, etc., to meet their needs. In other words, the government believes that because of the use of these services and benefits, the individual has become a public charge. This proposed change expands existing policy and rules. It would allow the U.S. to discriminate against more people by expanding the services and programs that are counted when deciding whether a person is or will be a "public charge," that stop them from entering the U.S. (ge

October 26, 2018   JoAnn Volk On November 1, the sixth open enrollment period begins for marketplace coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). We at the Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms will soon re-launch our updated  Navigator Resource Guide , made possible by the support of the  Robert Wood Johnson Foundation . The Guide provides information on recent policy changes, a  list  of enrollment tools for consumers and assisters, and answers to hundreds of frequently asked questions (FAQs), ranging from questions about eligibility for marketplace subsidies,  post-enrollment issues ,  small employer coverage  and the challenges  young adults  might face as they transition off of a parent’s health plan. The updated Navigator Resource Guide will include FAQs answering new and emerging issues that will confront consumers this open enrollment season, such as: Individual Mandate Penalty : The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was signed into law in December 2017