Maria Parham Urology Open House
— courtesy Maria Parham Health
(Maria Parham Health is a paying advertising client of WIZS.)
Affordable Care Act Enrollment Has Started
— press release from Legal Aid of North Carolina
Enrollment for 2018 Affordable Care Act coverage starts Nov. 1
Financial help and in-person enrollment help still available for NC consumers; Shortened enrollment period ends Dec. 15
RALEIGH • Oct. 31, 2017 – Tomorrow, Nov. 1, is the start of the Affordable Care Act’s fifth – and shortest – open-enrollment period. Consumers will have until midnight on Dec. 15 – just 45 days, which is half the length of past enrollment periods – to enroll in 2018 coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplace <https://www.healthcare.gov>.
Due to the shortened enrollment period and general confusion surrounding the Affordable Care Act – a Kaiser Family Foundation study<https://www.kff.org/health-reform/poll-finding/kaiser-health-tracking-poll-october-2017-experiences-of-the-non-group-marketplace-enrollees/> found that many consumers do not know the dates for the 2018 enrollment period – it is more important than ever for North Carolina consumers to know that they can rely on an experienced, fully funded<https://www.legalaidnc.org/Pages/about-us/news/Navigator-Grant-2018.aspx> corps of Marketplace navigators to provide them with free, local, in-person enrollment help all across the state.
Consumers can schedule a navigator meeting by visiting ncnavigator.net<https://www.ncnavigator.net> or calling 1-855-733-3711 (toll-free). They can also attend one of the free enrollment events that will be held around the state throughout open enrollment (see the events listing on ncnavigator.net<https://www.ncnavigator.net/>).
Here are some other important facts for consumers to know:
* The Affordable Care Act is still the law, and Americans must be enrolled in health insurance in 2018 to avoid paying a fine.
* Subsidies to help consumers pay their monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs – copays and deductibles – are still available. Nine in 10 North Carolinians who enrolled in the last open enrollment period received some financial help to cover their premium costs.
* Consumer subsidies go up or down along with premium rates, so most consumers should not feel the premium increase in their wallet.
* Consumers who already have Marketplace coverage should come back to review the new plans available for 2018, rather than automatically re-enrolling. New plans and prices are available, so consumers should make sure they are enrolled in the best plan for their family’s medical needs and budget.
* All plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace cover comprehensive care, including doctor’s visits, prescription drugs, emergency services, hospitalization, preventive and rehabilitative care, and more.
”The most important message for consumers is: do not delay!” Jennifer Simmons, director of the NC Navigator Consortium, said. “Given the shortened enrollment period, it’s more important than ever for consumers to act now. If you have questions or don’t know where to start, our navigators are here for you. Visit our website or call us as soon as possible.”
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TNH Foundation’s Grant Awards Top $1 Million
— press release
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s Grant Awards Top $1 Million
By Val Short,
Executive Director
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation has achieved a new milestone with the recent approval by the Board of Directors of $300,000 in grant awards to local organizations in the Foundation’s fifth grant cycle. The 2017 grant awards raises the total funds awarded by the Foundation to $1.1 million, since the Foundation began grantmaking in 2013. The 2017 grant awards were presented at a reception on October 12.
“The Foundation’s mission is to invest in grant projects and programs that will improve health in our region,” said Val Short, executive director for the Foundation. “The 2017 grant awards will fund projects that focus on community health and healthy lifestyles throughout our four-county region. Our hope is that these grant awards will result in improved health and healthier outcomes for children and adults in Vance, Warren, Granville, and Franklin counties.”
Most of the 2017 grant projects focus on chronic disease management and prevention, success in school, and substance use disorders. The TNHF grantees will provide a broad range of approaches to improving health– from programs that develop fitness and self-esteem in teens, to enabling access to primary care for homeless men, to teaching social skills and relationship boundaries for the developmentally disabled, to teaching water safety skills to Vance County second graders. “For all of our grant programs, health and wellness are at the heart of the work they will do,” said Short.
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation has established five major funding priorities that include, Chronic Disease Prevention, Nutrition and Physical Fitness, Success in School—as it relates to health and fitness, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, and Reproductive Health.
A list of the grant recipients and their projects for 2017-18 includes:
• Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central NC – SMART Girls Outdoors – a health, fitness, and self-enhancement program for girls ages 8-16, which is designed to encourage healthy attitudes and lifestyles that will enable adolescent girls to develop their full potential; program will partner with YMCA’s Girls on the Run.
• Community Partners of Hope – Health Interventions – a coordination of access to primary care, behavioral health, and dental services for 40 homeless men served by Hope House and the Emergency Shelter; skills for self-management of chronic illnesses will be taught to all participants.
• Community Workforce Solutions, Inc. – Healthy Boundaries – Safe Living – using the Circles curriculum to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities navigate social situations, learn healthy relationship boundaries, and to recognize and react appropriately to sexual abuse or exploitation.
• Franklin-Granville-Vance Smart Start – Teens Fit for Life – the existing Adolescent Parenting Program will expand to include a Nutrition & Fitness component in partnership with the YMCA and Cooperative Extension.
• Franklin County Health Department – MIT Care for a Healthier Franklin County – staff training to implement evidence-based practices of motivational interviewing, integrated behavioral and physical care, and trauma-Informed practice to improve patient-provider engagement and improve health in the priority areas of heart disease and obesity.
• Granville-Vance Public Health – 1)Improving Child Health & Academic Achievement in Vance County – collection and analysis of baseline anthropometric data in at least 7 elementary schools to be used to pilot child health and obesity prevention project in at least one elementary school; 2)Improving Birth Outcomes in Granville & Vance counties – expanding the evidenced-based Centering Pregnancy program to Vance County; provides prenatal care and learning activities to address and improve high rates of infant mortality and significant disparities in birth outcomes.
• Henderson Family YMCA – 1) Girls on the Run/STRIDE – a self-esteem, self- respect and healthy lifestyles program for girls & boys culminating in a 5k run/walk at the end of each semester; 2) Safety Around Water – teaches water safety and drowning prevention skills to 2nd graders in Vance County.
• NC Med Assist – Free Pharmacy Program & Over-the-Counter Giveaways – provides free medications and support for low income and uninsured individuals in the Triangle North Region. In addition two over-the-counter medicine giveaways will be implemented this year in Vance and Granville counties.
• Occoneechee Council, Boy Scouts of America – SCOUT Strong – expands existing alcohol & drug prevention program designed for boys and girls ages 5 to 20. Emphasizes healthy living, physical fitness and the dangers of substance abuse.
• Strength and Mending (S.a.M) Child Advocacy Center – Child Forensic Interviews – provides a centralized, child-centered approach to investigation that reduces the risk of trauma to the children who are victims of abuse; increases opportunities for healing for the child and non-offending family members.
• TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc.) – Rebuilding Lives: Mental Health & Substance Abuse Recovery – provides a two-year residential recovery program with treatment, education, vocational training and care for residents of the Triangle North region who suffer from alcohol and substance abuse, free of charge.
• Westcare North Carolina, Inc. –Staff Certifications in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Substance Abuse Counseling – training for staff to become certified in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy so a higher level of therapy can be provided to the adolescent women who are served by this residential treatment facility in Manson for teen girls who are classified at a Level 2 adjudicated status.
Located in Henderson, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation provides grants to nonprofits organizations, governmental agencies, and schools in Vance, Warren, Granville, and Franklin counties. The Foundation’s grant funding mission has been made possible by the endowment that was established after Maria Parham Medical Center merged with the for-profit Duke-Lifepoint in 2011.
A new grant cycle will be launched next March, but in the meantime, the Foundation staff is available to discuss ideas for grant projects or to provide assistance with grant writing. Information about our grantees and future grant opportunities is available on the website at www.tnhfoundation.org or call 252-598-0763.
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Maria Parham Regional Home Health
— press release from HomeCare Elite
Maria Parham Regional Home Health named as a top agency of the 2017 ABILITY | HomeCare Elite
HENDERSON, N.C. – Maria Parham Regional Home Health today announced that it has been named a top agency of the 2017 HomeCare Elite®, a recognition of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States. For 12 years, HomeCare Elite has annually identified the top 25 percent of Medicare-certified agencies and highlights the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall.
Maria Parham Regional Home Health, a local provider of home health services in Henderson, is part of LHC Group, a national provider of post-acute care services with over 14,000 employees operating more than 400 locations in 27 states.
“We commend our team members at Maria Parham Regional Home Health for their hard work and dedication in achieving this honor,” said Keith G. Myers, LHC Group chairman and CEO. “Quality patient care is the top priority at all LHC Group locations and providers. We are proud to have 217 locations – more than 70 percent of our home health agencies – earn HomeCare Elite recognition.”
The ranking is developed by ABILITY® Network, a leading information technology company helping providers and payers simplify the administrative and clinical complexities of healthcare; and sponsored by DecisionHealth, publisher of Home Health Line and the Complete Home Health ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual.
HomeCare Elite agencies are determined by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, best practices implementation, patient experience (HHCAHPS), quality improvement and consistency, and financial health. In order to be considered, an agency must be Medicare-certified and have data for at least three outcomes in Home Health Compare. Out of 9,064 agencies considered, 2,268 are recognized on the 2017 HomeCare Elite winners list overall.
“The team at Maria Parham Regional Home Health has demonstrated an impressive ability to deliver great patient care,” said Christine Lang, senior director for ABILITY Network. “This is due to the skill and dedication of their clinical professionals, as well as the proficiency and efforts of their quality team tracking, measuring and interpreting the data that supports the delivery of care. Together, they have earned this recognition as one of the top home care agencies in the country.”
About LHC Group, Inc.
LHC Group, Inc. is a national provider of non-acute healthcare services, providing quality, cost-effective healthcare to patients primarily within the comfort and privacy of their home or place of residence. LHC Group provides a comprehensive array of healthcare services through home health, hospice, community-based services, and facility-based services.
About ABILITY Network
ABILITY® Network is a leading healthcare information technology company helping providers and payers simplify the administrative and clinical complexities of healthcare through innovative applications and data analytics. ABILITY is headquartered in Minneapolis with principal offices in Boston and Tampa. For more information visit www.abilitynetwork.com or write to resources@abilitynetwork.com. For more information about HomeCare Elite, call 888.572.4009, write to HomeCareElite@abilitynetwork.com or visit www.abilitynetwork.com/homecare-elite.
About DecisionHealth
For over 30 years, DecisionHealth, an H3.Group brand, has served as the industry’s leading source for news, analysis and instructional guidance with brand names such as Home Health Line and Part B News. Our unique blend of award-winning on-staff journalists and unmatched access to health care executives, providers and their administrative staffs results in business management advice and operationally focused editorial that has captured the attention of nearly 100,000 home health care professionals and specialty physician practices.
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(Maria Parham Health is a paying advertising client of WIZS.)
Maria Parham Cancer Center
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for both men and women in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Early detection helps save lives.
The Cancer Center at Maria Parham Health is having a free lung cancer prevention and screening event. It will take place November 2, 2017 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Maria Parham Health, 566 Ruin Creek Road.
Call 800.424.DOCS (3627) for details and to register.
A flyer sent to WIZS News about the event says, “Join us for a free event to learn about the latest advancements in lung cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. Take this opportunity to meet members of the cancer care team at Maria Parham Health and have an opportunity to ask questions regarding lung health.”
There will be refreshments, door prizes, information and resources.
(Maria Parham Health is a paying advertising client of WIZS Radio and wizs.com.)
Major Plans and Funding for CPOH
— by Susan Rose and John C. Rose
Collaboration, Partnership and Funding Increases Community Partners of Hope Ability to Share The Dream
Community Partners of Hope, operator of the local men’s homeless shelter, met Thursday night at First Presbyterian Church, and the meeting was described by organizers as a “Celebration of Partnership.”
A generous grant has been awarded from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation. Brenda Gant, a former instructor at Vance Granville Community College, was introduced as the grant writer to begin the community partnership health initiative.
Joel Rice, CPOH board member and housing specialist with Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, said there will be a team of four employees who will rotate to be at the homeless shelter full time. Rice has provided invaluable guidance over the years, and he said volunteers and meals will still be needed.
More community partners were announced in this health initiative, as this is about more than giving someone a place to sleep for a night.
Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow and Brian Short, the director of Henderson-Vance Emergency Services, will be helping shelter residents get necessary identification so the men can seek treatment. Actual ID cards are needed so the men can get help.
Dr. James Kenney, of Beckford Medical Center, will be helping with primary care including things like screening for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.
George Daye, Raemac Transportation, is going to provide transportation to/from health services.
Kaine Riggan, Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission director, has plans to help the shelter find a permanent home.
Mrs. Jeanne Harrison and Ann Grant, with Alliance Rehabilitative Care, will be helping with substance abuse screening and treatment.
Lisa Harrison and Shauna Guthrie with the Granville-Vance Health Department with be helping with patient support and education among other things.
Krystal Harris with the Vance County Department of Social Services will be helping the men to connect to other healthcare services or alternatives.
Lori Giang, CEO/Executive Director, and Nicole Banahene, Director of Partner Relations, with NC MedAssist are going to help with prescription and over the counter medications needed for treatment.
Dr. Ron Cava is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Community Partners of Hope. Cava is the Senior Minister at The First Baptist Church. He conducted the meeting and emphasized there would be no homeless shelter without the First Presbyterian Church. The Presbyterian Church has provided the space needed for the homeless men’s shelter each year it has operated.
The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation mission is to encourage, support and invest in quality efforts that measurably improve health in the Triangle North region. Val Short is the Foundation Executive Director. Carolyn Powell is Program Specialist. Dr. Roddy Drake is Chairman of the Board.
The CPOH health initiative project is to provide basic health screening, treatment and support for homeless men, with a focus on reducing morbidity due to substance abuse, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes or prostate disease.
CPOH Foundation Partners include:
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation (tnhfoundation.org)
United Way of Vance County (unitedwayvance.org)
NC Community Foundation (nccommunityfoundation.org)
The Frances Abbot Burton Powers Fund
CPOH can be found online at https://sites.google.com/site/cpohope1/home
CPOH is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hopepartners