Immunization

BATH — Steuben County is in the middle of reassessing its health priorities for the future, as it puts together a new Community Health Improvement Plan. The 2016-2018 plan focused on reducing childhood obesity and smoking rates and increasing access to treatment of chronic diseases. A meeting with program partners next month will measure progress and begin the formation of a new plan for 2019-2021. A report outlining progress in 2017 is posted at the Steuben County Public Health website. However, missing from the current community plan is expanding mental health access. Many counties named it as their top priority in their last round of plans. Lorelei Wagner, the Steuben County Public Health Community educator, attributed its failure to appear as a top priority to a lack of public input and the delegation of responsibilities that puts mental health services under the purview of the Department of Community Services. "For the last (plan) it was included as well, but because of...

Required by the Cures Act, the strategy lays out core issues and challenges related to health IT burden, while offering several recommendations The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a federal draft strategy designed to help reduce administrative and regulatory burden on clinicians caused by technology such as electronic health records (EHRs). The draft strategy , which is 74 pages, was developed by the health IT arm of the federal government—the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)—in partnership with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and was required in the 21st Century Cures Act. According to federal health IT officials, “The draft strategy reflects the input and feedback received by ONC and CMS from stakeholders, including clinicians, expressing concerns that EHR burden negatively affects the end user and ultimately the care delivery experience. This draft strategy includes recommendat...

November 29, 2018 Share this content: Medical students experience a significantly elevated risk for depression, suicidality, and burnout during their education, even if they matriculate in relatively good health. Medical students experience a significantly elevated risk for depression, suicidality, and burnout during their education, even if they are in relatively good health when they enroll in medical school. 1 In a perspective article published in the New England Journal of Medicine, investigators described their success in implementing mental health services for enrollees. 2 Jordan F. Karp, MD, and Arthur S. Levine, MD, of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry, shared details of the University's “dedicated medical student mental health care team.” The team is financially supported by the medical school to provide mental health care for all students: 560 medical students and 360 graduate students. The budget provides the staff psychiatrist with 30% salar...

One thing we all can agree on - there have been too many horrific stories of mass killings. It should be clear from these tragic events, which are occurring now routinely across the country, that there is a critical need for expanded access to behavioral health services to help prevent these events and to help the survivors heal. Unfortunately, the nation faces a shortage of organizations and professionals equipped to help. The Blackstone Valley is no exception. In particular, finding help for our children and adolescents is not easy. At a recent forum held at Blackstone Valley Tech, a group of some 60 teachers, guidance counselors, police, physicians, providers, state government representatives and others came together to talk about the need for expanded support for children in this fast-growing area of Massachusetts. It was a productive meeting with good participation by professionals who care about the well-being of youth in our community. Common concerns focused on staffing short...

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Prime Health Services, a national managed care company specializing in preferred provider networks, is pleased to announce the appointment of the executive position Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). Jennifer Ryon will take the helm with nearly fifteen years of experience in client strategy, sales, customer service, and account management in the medical cost containment field. In addition to continuing to oversee the business development departments, effective immediately Ryon will be responsible for revenue growth, driving customer value, and national revenue and customer success strategies for Prime Health Services. Focused on all operations, Jennifer will direct innovative delivery solutions, efficiencies, marketing integration, and customer service to address customer requirements and drive business growth in 2019 and beyond. Ryon was hired at Prime Health Services in 2006 as a National Account Manager and since then has focused on building strong ...

An opaque counseling center is the last thing you would want from a university with a distinct lack of mental health resources. Turns out, that’s precisely what UCLA has. The Daily Bruin reported Nov. 16 Counseling and Psychological Services had partnered with the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science to offer additional mental health services to engineering students. Specifically, the school of engineering is providing some funding for a program that allows engineering students to attend twice-weekly drop-in counseling sessions. Providing engineering students with greater access to care may certainly be appropriate from a policy standpoint. But we can’t forget: CAPS is short-staffed, lacks space and doesn’t have the resources to adequately provide for a student body of over 45,000. In other words, the center’s partnership with the school of engineering effectively prioritizes requests from engineering students and creates “fast lanes” for access to specia...

PIERRE — The Access to Mental Health Services Interim Study Committee will hold its fifth and final meeting of the interim on Monday, Dec. 3, at 8 a.m. (CT) in Room 414 of the State Capitol in Pierre. The meeting was rescheduled from Nov. 19 so as not to conflict with the funeral of former Speaker of the House Roger Hunt. https://ift.tt/2FO3cwI

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services today has released proposed waivers that include the ability for states to provide financial assistance for different types of health insurance, not just qualified health plans under the Affordable Care Act. States could choose to expand the availability of plans and could provide subsidies to a defined contribution, consumer-directed account for an individual to pay for premiums. Any remaining funds in an account-based subsidy could be used to offset out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, CMS said. CMS said the waivers allow consumers to purchase more affordable plans, such as for catastrophic coverage, Democrats blasted the policy as a move to undermine the Affordable Care Act and have demanded answers.  Ways & Means Ranking Member Richard Neal and Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and other top Trump Administration officials on what they calle...

As you navigate new low-cost choices, weigh the risks. By Kimberly Lankford , Contributing Editor November 29, 2018 From Kiplinger's Personal Finance If you purchase health insurance on your own, you may get some relief in 2019. Premiums for individual health insurance have risen more slowly than in the past, and more insurers have reentered the market. Even so, if you earn too much to qualify for a government subsidy, the cost of buying your own insurance can still be prohibitive. SEE ALSO: Finding Health Insurance Before Medicare But starting in 2019, you will no longer be charged a penalty for not having “minimum essential” health insurance, and recent changes to federal regulations let insurers offer more policies that aren’t subject to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements. That has allowed insurers to offer new plans that are less expensive but also carry additional risks. A rule change that took effect in October extended the maximum policy term for “short-term...

A flurry of digital-first insurers are betting they can surpass industry incumbents with a little help from technology and a lot of help from venture capitalists. The latest to land a massive check is Bright Health , a Minneapolis-headquartered provider of affordable individual, family and Medicare Advantage healthcare plans in Alabama,  Arizona ,  Colorado ,  New York City ,  Ohio  and  Tennessee. The company, founded by the former chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare Bob Sheehy; Kyle Rolfing, the former CEO of UnitedHealth-acquired Definity Health ; and Tom Valdivia, another former Definity Health executive, has brought in a $200 million Series C. The funding values Bright Health at $950 million, according to PitchBook — more than double the $400 million valuation it garnered with its $160 million Series B in June 2017. Sheehy, Bright Health’s CEO, declined to comment on the valuation. New investors Declaration Partners and Meritech Capita...

The three Montana insurers that sell on the federal exchange here say enrollment has been strong so far despite cuts to advertise the program and help people navigate sign up. Enrollment started Nov. 2 and ends Dec. 15. The period used to last three months but was shortened by the Trump administration to 45 days in 2017. Four weeks into the six-week period, Montana enrollments are slightly down from last year, when 13,926 people had enrolled . Nationally numbers are also down a bit: 500,437 this year versus 504,181 in 2017. Less time to sign up for coverage is just one of the changes made at the federal level that could lead to fewer people enrolling in 2018. Earlier this year, Republicans in Congress eliminated the tax penalty for those who did not carry coverage, essentially doing away with the individual mandate. The Trump administration also finalized a rule that extended the duration of short-term insurance plans for up to a year, creating another option that in some...

Competition in commercial health insurance markets is shrinking for half the country. That's the word from the American Medical Association 's "Competition in Health Insurance: A Comprehensive Study of U.S. Markets" report. The findings showed half of all states had commercial health insurance markets that were less competitive in 2017 than in 2016. The report offers a detailed picture of competition in health insurance markets for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 380 metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, based on 2017 data captured from commercial enrollment in fully and self-insured health maintenance organizations , preferred provider organizations and point-of-service plans, consumer-driven health plans and public health exchanges. THE IMPACT The study aims to help policymakers and regulators focus in on markets where mergers may negatively impact both patients and providers, as well as to identify markets where closer monitoring of p...

Let’s talk health insurance. Bright Health , a tech-enabled health insurance startup has raised $200 million in a round led by Declaration Partners and Meritech Capital , with participation from existing investors including Bessemer Venture Partners , NEA , and Greycroft . The company, which was founded by former UnitedHealthcare CEO  Bob Sheehy , launched in 2016 as traditional insurers abandoned the Affordable Care Act exchanges. It aims to be a provider of affordable individual and family healthcare both directly and through state-based marketplaces. The company has raised a known total of more than  $440 million. Follow Crunchbase News on Twitter Bright Health emphasizes that its “narrow network” with healthcare providers has allowed the company to present more affordable options for individuals seeking care. Per its website , that means the company has “chosen to establish an exclusive relationship” with certain health clinics, doctors, and hospitals. Bright Health...

Recent reports of a poliomyelitis (polio) outbreak in neighboring Papua New Guinea (PNG) have raised concerns about the risk of the poliovirus spreading to Indonesia. Health authorities have taken measures to prevent travelers from importing the virus, especially from Papua and West Papua, which border Papua New Guinea — even though Indonesia has been polio-free since 2014.  With vaccination coverage rates in some countries remaining stubbornly low, we are unlikely to reach the goal of being a polio-free world by 2018 in the few weeks remaining of the year. Poor polio vaccine coverage of 50 to 60 percent across PNG — according to the World Health Organization — is believed to have contributed to the country’s vaccine-derived polio outbreak in September, which saw 14 confirmed cases. The outbreak happened a mere two months before more than 20 Asia-Pacific leaders gathered in Port Moresby for the 2018 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit from Nov. 17 to 18. Swift respo...

A patient gets a flu shot in Seattle in January. Small clusters of vaccine refusers can undermine the effectiveness of immunization overall. (Ted S. Warren/AP) By Saad B. Omer Saad B Omer is the William H. Foege chair in global health and a professor of global health, epidemiology and pediatrics at Emory University. November 29 at 6:00 AM Infectious diseases such as chickenpox and measles — once a rite of passage for American children — have been made uncommon because of vaccines. However, in recent years, an increasing number of parents are refusing vaccines, resulting in outbreaks . The overall vaccination rate in the United States is still high, fortunately, despite this worrisome trend. For example, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 90 percent of 19- to 35-month-old American children are adequately vaccinated against measles and chickenpox. Why, then, do we continue to see outbreaks of diseases preventable in the United States?...

Well, it’s started snowing, and you know what that means: everyone is about to get sick! But if you want to avoid that mess you can head on over to Discount Drug Mart, and they’ll get you sorted out with all the vaccines you’ll need to get through this winter! Katie Holstein, Northeast Ohio Regional Pharmacy Supervisor, visited to tell you more! For More Information: Discount-DrugMart.com © 2018 WKYC https://ift.tt/2FLy8Og

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s state epidemiologist said she was forced out of the Oklahoma State Department of Health on Tuesday after more than 20 years of service. Before she signed the form letter announcing her resignation from the Health Department, Kristy Bradley crossed out the phrase attesting she was leaving “without duress or coercion.” “I have faithfully served the citizens of Oklahoma for over 22 years and no cause was provided to me today in requesting my resignation,” Bradley wrote below her signature. “Therefore, I do so under duress and in lieu of termination.” Another form, also dated Tuesday, showed Lori Linstead, the director of the Health Department’s immunization service, refused to sign a resignation letter. https://ift.tt/2FMRAtT

Ever since a left-leaning online website indicated Gov.-Elect Kevin Stitt empathized with parents who oppose mandatory vaccinations, the issue has re-emerged at the forefront. Stitt says he had his children vaccinated, and sees no reason to change current state laws, but the fact that the allegation was used against him in a pejorative fashion is telling. Like "climate change," the science behind vaccinations against potentially deadly diseases, though once widely accepted, has again evolved into a source of suspicion and controversy. That means it's also become a political football. But that doesn't necessarily have to be the case. NPR reported 291 Oklahomans died during the 2017-2018 influenza season, and 4,810 were hospitalized. Several deaths have been reported for this season, which got underway last month. But according to health officials, the vast number of such deaths are preventable — especially this year, because the flu vaccine is more effective than th...

HERKIMER Immunization clinic for children and adults Herkimer County Public Health at 301 N. Washington St., will be hosting an immunization clinic for children and adults from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3. The influenza vaccine will be available at this clinic. No appointment is required. Most insurance accepted. Regular walk-in clinics are from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays. Bring your insurance cards to determine coverage. For information, call 315-867-1176. ROME Holiday cookies can be ordered now The Ava Dorfman Senior & Community Center at 305 E. Locust St. is hosting its annual Holiday Bazaar and Cookie Run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. The event will feature more than 30 craft vendors for your holiday gift shopping. Homemade cookies will be available for sale at $9 per pound. Other foods include breads, fudge rolls, soup, chili, sandwiches and fried dough. The event is a major fundraiser for the center. To order cookies in advance, call 315-3...

Alcoholics Anonymous big book study, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont. Storytime, 10-10:30 a.m., Keene Memorial Library auditorium, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. Blair WIC and immunization clinic, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 17th and Colfax streets, Blair. For an appointment or for more information, call 402-385-6300. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Fremont Kiwanis Club, noon, Presidential Dining Room, Midland University. U.S. Senator Ben Sasse mobile office hours, 2-4 p.m., North Bend Public Library, 110 E. 13th St. These office hours provide Nebraskans with a face-to-face opportunity to speak with a member of Sasse’s staff about federal government-related issues. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Hamburger night, 5:30-7 p.m., Fremont Eagles Club. Everyone is welcome. The Banquet, 5:30-6:30 p.m., First Lutheran Church, 3200 E. Military Ave., Fremont. The di...