Open enrollment for health insurance kicks off today! Millions of people have used the Insurance Marketplace to enroll for healthcare coverage. In fact, the amount of Latinos with no coverage dropped from 26.2% to 15.1% under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) from 2013 to 2016. But it's still much higher than the drop among uninsured whites from 14.1% to 6.6% in that same span, according to a Salud America! research review. How can more people get covered?
5 Things to Know for Open Enrollment 2018
Here are some important things to know for those seeking healthcare coverage: Open Enrollment for 2018 runs from November 1 through December 15, 2017.
Coverage begins Jan. 1, 2018, if you buy coverage during this time.
You can apply for coverage four ways: online, phone, ...
How can Latinos and all people achieve good health? A good first step is getting health insurance. But 1 in 10 people still don't have coverage, especially among Latinos. Despite making significant gains in coverage since the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Latinos are the largest uninsured population in the nation. In 2015, 15.1% of Latinos lacked health coverage, compared to just 6.6% of whites. Why is this? What can be done? What is being done? With Open Enrollment for health insurance now underway (Nov. 1-Dec. 15, 2017), let’s use #SaludTues on Nov. 7, 2017, to discuss the importance of health care coverage for everyone! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “Open Enrollment—What You NEED to Know”
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. EST Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017
WHERE: ...
A dozen new research centers will tackle Latino and minority health problems thanks to $82 million for the next five years from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). Latinos suffer worse rates of obesity, diabetes, and certain cancers and diseases. Why? They face cultural and language barriers, lack of access to resources, and a drastic lack of health care coverage. With this new round of funding, the NIMHD will create 12 "Centers of Excellence" to investigate preventable diseases like heart disease and diabetes, along with exposure to substance use disorder, violence, and trauma, which disproportionately affect minorities. “We need strong collaborations and research based upon asking the right questions in specific areas,” said Dr. ...
Only 1 in 10 who enrolled for healthcare coverage via HealthCare.gov last year were Latino, a lower rate than their black and white peers, according to new federal data. In recent years, Latinos have made health coverage gains under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The percentage of Latinos with no health care coverage dropped from 26.2% to 15.1% from 2013 to 2016 under the Affordable Care Act (ACA); but it remains much higher than the percent drop among uninsured non-Latino whites from 14.1% to 6.6% in that same span, according to a Salud America! research review. The new data demonstrates ongoing disparities. Of HealthCare.gov users who provided racial/ethnic data during the last enrollment period from Nov. 1, 2016 to Jan. 1 2017, 76% were white, 12% black, 10% Asian, and 10% ...
About half of Latino adults lack basic health literacy. Health literacy is how well a person understands health info, and uses it to make health decisions. The lower your health literacy, the worse your health. Fortunately, advocates have many ways to improve health literacy in schools and communities! Let's use #SaludTues on Oct. 24, 2017, to share how to push for health literacy among local families, and celebrate #healthliteracymonth! WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: Healthy Literacy and Advocacy
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. EST Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludAmerica
CO-HOSTS: Society of Health and Physical Educators (@SHAPE_America); March of Dimes nacer sano (@nacersano); University of Texas Center for Health Communication ...
Latinos are the nation's second-largest population group—yet they continue to be dramatically undercounted. More than 400,000 Latino children younger than 4 were not counted in the 2010 U.S. Census, according to a recent report from the Child Trends Hispanic Institute and National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund. With the 2020 Census looming, an accurate count of Latinos is critical to ensure they get the right number of representatives in government and a fair share of funding for educational programs, healthcare, and law enforcement, as well as new schools and roads.
The U.S. Census Count
The U.S. Census Bureau counts every resident in the U.S. every 10 years, per Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. The data ...
Latino communities are getting help to tackle obesity and mental illness, thanks to $5 million in new grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH). The money is for 15 local groups from across the country. The groups will use the money to drive solutions among Latino and other minority populations that suffer higher burdens of obesity, mental illness, and opioid addiction. “We selected the opioid crisis, childhood obesity and serious mental illness as our top three clinical priorities at HHS because they are three of the country’s most pressing public health concerns,” said Dr. Tom Price, HHS leader, in a news release.
Who Will Help Latinos?
The 15 groups include several in Latino-populated areas: Mariposa ...
Salud America! Guest Blogger
Jefferson Dental Care The key to a long, healthy life isn’t fame or fortune. It's right under your nose...it's your mouth! Poor dental health—cavities, tooth loss, and gum disease—are a big problem for many Latinos ages 65 and older. In fact, Latino seniors have among the highest rates of no remaining teeth (25%) and untreated tooth decay (40%). And that's not all.
Mouth in Bad Health = Body in Bad Health
Poor dental health isn't just bad for your teeth as you age. Dental issues are linked to diabetes, cancers and heart disease, which are each more prevalent among Latinos than the overall population. Inflammation in the body also translates in the mouth, and Latino seniors who suffer from diabetes are also likely to heal less rapidly ...
Did you suffer property damage or home loss from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, or Maria? You can partake in a special enrollment period for those in Medicare or who need healthcare, thanks to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This gives hurricane victims the chance to change their Medicare health plans and get health coverage. That includes Texas (38.42% Latino population), Louisiana (4.72%), Florida (23.72%), Georgia (9.15%), South Carolina (5.32%), Puerto Rico (99%), and the U.S. Virgin Islands (17.13%). “The lives of millions of Americans have been disrupted and impacted in some way by recent hurricanes,” said CMS leader Seema Verma in a news release. “Setting up special enrollment periods gives … the opportunity to access health coverage during this ...
