Health & Wellness
Kaʻu Rural Health Community Association, Inc. 16th Annual Rural Health Conference
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Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently held a press conference to announce the need to “sound an alarm” on the advance of CRE, a highly drug-resistant bacteria. CRE and other superbugs are found mostly in hospitals and long-term care facilities. 
The Million Hearts™ Initiative
The Initiative
Overview
Heart disease and stroke are the first and fourth leading causes of death in the United States. Heart disease is responsible for 1 of every 3 deaths in the country. Million Hearts™ is a national initiative that has set an ambitious goal to prevention 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. The impact will be even greater over time.
Million Hearts™ aims to prevent heart disease and stroke by:
- Improving access to effective care.
- Improving the quality of care for the ABCS.
- Focusing clinical attention on the prevention of heart attack and stroke.
- Activating the public to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle.
- Improving the prescription and adherence to appropriate medications for the ABCS.
The Million Hearts™ initiative will focus, coordinate, and enhance cardiovascular disease prevention activities across the public and private sectors in an unprecedented effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over five years and demonstrate to the American people that improving the health system can save lives. Million Hearts™ will scale-up proven clinical and community strategies to prevent heart disease and stroke across the nation.
Million Hearts™ brings together existing efforts and new programs to improve health across communities and help Americans live longer, healthier, more productive lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are the co-leaders of Million Hearts™ within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, working alongside other federal agencies including the Administration for Community Living, National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Food and Drug Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Office of the National Coordinator, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Key private-sector partners include the American Heart Association, and YMCA, among many others.
Learn More
- Million Hearts™ Fact Sheet
[PDF-1M] - New Million Hearts™ Tools Announced by Partners [PDF-234K]
Press release issued on 11/03/2011 about new Million Hearts™ tools. - Million Hearts™: Strategies to Reduce the Prevalence of Leading Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Learn about the science of Million Hearts™. - The American Heart Association and the Million Hearts™ Initiative: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association [PDF-286K]
American Heart Association - The “Million Hearts™” Initiative—Preventing Heart Attacks and Strokes
New England Journal of Medicine - New Public-Private Sector Initiative Aims to Prevent 1 Million Heart Attacks and Strokes in Five Years [PDF-132K]
Press release issued 09/13/2011
Health IT Week: Health IT for You and Me
Celebrate Health IT Week! |
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Hawai‘i Health Connector September eNews
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Hawai‘i Health Connector September eNewsThe Connector Issues RFP for Communication Services
Today, we have issued a request for proposals (RFP) from qualified bidders to provide professional communication services to promote the online health insurance marketplace we are currently developing.
The RFP contains three components—market research, communication strategy, and public relations. We are looking to grow brand awareness and position the online marketplace as the premier source of health insurance information for consumers and business in Hawai‘i.
Interested companies can download the RFP and find information about the Connector’s activities online at www.hawaiihealthconnector.com. The RFP and detailed instructions can be found under the “Public Notices” section of the website. The direct link to the RFP is http://www.hawaiihealthconnector.com/Public_Notices.html
Questions about the RFP should be directed to Kathy Mitchell via email: Kathy@hawaiihealthconnector.com
Community Outreach Meeting
The next community outreach meeting will be Friday, September 21, 2012. The public is invited to participate in an open discussion regarding the Connector’s branding and logo development. We are very excited to work with consumers on this important milestone and we want as much input as possible so our logo is truly one that everyone can be proud of.
Visit our website for time and location details of the upcoming meeting.
Consumer Advisory Committee
The Community Outreach Team has extended the deadline for submitting applications to be part of the Consumer Advisory Committee to Friday, September 7, 2012.
The Consumer Advisory Committee will represent a wide variety of consumer and employer interests, including:
(a) Individuals and Small Businesses who will purchase health plans through the Connector; (b) Diverse populations throughout the state; and (c) Organizations that help individuals to enroll in health plans through the Connector, including insurance providers and advocates for hard-to-reach populations. Members who serve on this committee will represent small businesses and consumers statewide and will participate in strategic outreach initiatives.
If you are interested in serving on the Committee or know of someone, complete the attached application and submit it to info@hawaiihealthconnector.com. (For application, click here)
Note: Hawaiian diacritical marks used in this newsletter may not be compatible with all computer platforms, browsers, etc. Click here for a PDF version of this eNews.
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| Hawai‘i Health Connector P.O. Box 3767 Honolulu HI 96812 |
Celebrating Health IT Week: September 10-14
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FEDERAL REPORT DETAILS HEALTH, ECONOMIC STATUS OF OLDER AMERICANS
New report available from NIH – Older Americans 2012: Key Indicators of Well-Being is available online at : http://www.agingstats.gov/
This report provides the latest data on the 37 key indicators selected by the Forum to portray aspects of the lives of older Americans and their families. It is divided into five subject areas: population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health care.
Hawaii Health Connector’s Permanent Board
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June 2012The Connector’s Permanent BoardConfirmed by the Hawai‘i State Senate, the Hawai‘i Health Connector’s permanent board
will be seated on July 1, 2012. Board members are:
New HiresWe are pleased to welcome new staff to the Connector as we build our health insurance exchange. The Connector brings a diverse group of professionals together with the confidence, intelligence and courage needed to operate Hawai‘i’s Health Insurance Exchange. We have recently filled the positions of our chief operations officer, director of fiscal services and accounting, grants compliance manager, consumer relations manager and project coordinators.
Kevin Hause—Kevin has accepted the position of chief operations officer for the Connector. Before joining the Connector team Kevin was the vice president for a management-consulting firm where he worked globally on strategic marketing and product optimization. He is widely noted as an expert in leveraging emerging technologies for consumer media and commerce and has been quoted for publications by The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business Week, Investor’s Business Daily and Time Magazine. Kevin holds his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Vanderbilt University and his Masters in Business Administration from Owen School of Management at Vanderbilt.
Resty J. Cruz–Resty has accepted the position of director of fiscal services and accounting for the Connector. He comes to us with more than 30 years of experience as a director of finance and financial controller opening international hotels. His most recent post was in Hilton’s European headquarters in England as a regional finance controller, where he oversaw internal audits of hotels throughout Europe. His experience in training, developing, and managing global accounting departments and teams is most welcome as he establishes the accounting department and procedures for the Connector. Resty earned his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Guam and over the years has attended Cornell University’s Professional Development Programs.
Kathy Mitchell–Kathy has accepted the position of the grants compliance manager for the Connector. She has spent the last 19 years working with the State as a planning and contract specialist and is well versed in state procurement laws and administrative rules. Kathy is a graduate student at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Leaving state government and joining the connector is an exciting move for her. She explained, “The Connector is ground breaking and everyone [staff] are meeting for the first time to meet the aggressive timelines set forth in the Affordable Care Act.”
Dorene S. Davey–Dorene has accepted the position of policy analyst for the Connector. She previously worked in the legal field as a paralegal for a locally owned and operated law firm specializing in defense litigation. Most recently she worked with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs as a research specialist for the Insurance Division. She has also worked as an IT consultant and was assigned to the USS Missouri. Dorene has a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in pre-law from the University of Hawai‘i, Manoa, along with a Masters of Science in Information Systems and a Certificate in Telecommunications Security from Hawai‘i Pacific University.
Roshan F. Rodriguez–Roshan has accepted the position of project coordinator for the Connector. She is responsible for managing aspects of the Connector’s establishment process to ensure that deadlines are met and final work products reflect all policies. Prior to joining the Connector, Roshan was a client relations director with a Washington, D.C. consulting firm providing services to Trinidad and Tobago. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Spanish from George Mason University. She is currently working on her Executive Master of Business Administration.
Emerald Kapi‘olani Adams—Emerald has accepted the position of the project coordinator for the Connector. She will be working closely with Roshan and Dorene to ensure our project deliverables are thoroughly researched and completed to meet our rigorous timeline requirements. She joins the team with a background in research having worked for several years in the Health Policy Center at the Urban Institute in Washington, DC. Most recently, she provided research support on native Hawaiian well-being and demography at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Kamehameha Schools. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Scripps College in Claremont, California and a Master of Arts in Demography from the University of California, Berkeley.
Kanoelehua K. L. Renaud–Kanoelehua has accepted the position of consumer relations specialist for the Connector. She previously worked with the Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture (INPEACE), the East-West Center’s President’s Office and the Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau. She has a strong background in working with Native Hawaiian communities, collaborative partnerships and relationship building. She also brings her experience with the Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau and the Native Hawaiian Education Council. Kanoelehua graduated from the University of Hawai‘i with a Bachelor of Arts in Hawaiian Studies and has attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Professional Development Programs.
New OfficesThe Connector has moved into our new office at 201 Merchant Street, Suite 1810 Honolulu, HI 96813. We feel fortunate to have found space that is centrally located and is easily accessible to our consumer stakeholders. Although we are still working with our card tables while we await furniture and equipment, we are enjoying the extra room.
Sneak peak: The vision for our office layout is one that facilitates the cross-functional collaboration required by our team. Our new home provides conference spaces available for committee meetings and future Connector related events.
We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all of the staff at the Hawai‘i Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs for being such gracious hosts during the early start-up of the Connector and throughout our transition into our new offices.
More States Work to Implement Health Care LawSix more states are moving ahead with plans to establish Affordable Insurance Exchanges to comply with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sibelius announced in May that Illinois, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee and Washington will receive more than $181 million in federal grants to help develop their state’s Insurance Exchange.
The Affordable Care Act stipulates that by January 1, 2014, all states must operate Insurance Exchanges like Hawai‘i’s Health Care Connector to help consumers and small businesses choose a private health insurance plan at competitive prices. To date, 34 states and the District of Columbia have received Establishment grants to fund their progress toward building Exchanges.
Read more… New Federal Guidance for StatesThe U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has assigned the Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) to oversee state-based Health Insurance Exchanges. The CCIIO recently released an Exchange Blueprint to provide states with guidance to set up health exchanges that offer a wide range of competitively priced private health insurance options.
States can choose from three flexible Exchange models with varying degrees of federal involvement in operations. Due to the unique features of Hawai‘i’s Prepaid Health Care Act, our state Legislature determined that Hawai‘i’s health insurance exchange should be developed locally. The Connector will operate under the State-based Exchange model with minimal federal involvement, ensuring that the Connector is “of Hawai‘i and for Hawai‘i.”
To receive HHS Approval or Conditional Approval, as well as reinsurance and risk adjustment programs, each state must complete and submit an Exchange Blueprint that documents how its Exchange meets all legal and operational requirements by January 1, 2013.
Hawai‘i First State to Make Health DeclarationOn June 13, 2012 Governor Neil Abercrombie has issued a “declaration letter” to the U.S. Health and Human Services Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIOO) verifying that Hawai‘i is establishing a state-certified health insurance exchange, the Hawai‛i Health Connector.
In late May 2012, CCIIO issued a call for states to declare their intentions for the exchanges and how they will be structured. Hawai‘i is the first state in the nation to officially declare its intent, which is to develop a State-Based Insurance Exchange. Although some states are opting for a greater degree of federal facilitation and control of their exchanges, the Connector’s executive director Coral Andrews explained, “We’re very focused on establishing the exchange as State-Based, ensuring that the Connector is of Hawai‘i and for Hawai‘i.”
“Hawai‘i has already received two grants from the federal government to assist with planning and set up of the Connector,” stated State Healthcare Transformation Coordinator Beth Giesting. “The Hawai‘i Health Connector, a nonprofit partner with the state, will be crucial in moving Hawai‘i toward universal coverage, providing consumers clear, understandable information, and ensuring that all choices offer high quality care.”
Read more:
http://hawaii.gov/gov/newsroom/press-releases/governor-affirms-commitment-to-a-state-based-health-insurance-exchange http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/hawaii-governor-declares-intent-for-state-based-insurance-exchange-under-us-health-care-reform/2012/06/14/gJQACIz3cV_story.html http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/blog/morning_call/2012/06/abercrombie-hawaii-first-state-to.html |
| Hawaii Health Connector P.O. Box 3767 Honolulu HI 96812 |
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Ka'u Rural Health Community Association, Inc. 