December Health News
The Affordable Care Act:
The next deadline for enrollment is January 15th for coverage to begin on February 1st. Remember, open enrollment ends on February 15th.
Spotlight- Mixed Status Families – White House Blog.
Some individuals are hesitant to enroll even though they are eligible for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace because they fear that the information they provide on applications will be shared with immigration authorities and used to deport any undocumented family members. This is not the case.
Since last October, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (or ICE) has had a policy that states that the information you present on your application to enroll for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act will not be the basis for pursuing an immigration enforcement action. This policy remains in effect. The policy is available, in English and in Spanish, on ICE’s public website; it can be found here.
No one in America who is eligible should be afraid to apply for health coverage because they have a family with mixed immigration status. Enrolling in health coverage – and using the health insurance that this important law extends to eligible individuals – will not prevent your loved ones who are undocumented from getting a green card in the future or put family members who do not yet have a green card at risk.
Read the full blog post here.
There are many different types of immigration documents that can be used to show your immigration status as you are going through the Marketplace application. Additional information can be found here in English, and here in Spanish.
Reporting Issues to CMS
Although the online application is much better this year, there are still individuals who experience issues while enrolling. When you report an issue with the online marketplace, you should include screenshots, error codes, time/date, operating system, application ID, and user name, email address and whether the account was made this year or last year.
When reporting issues with the plan information displayed on HealthCare.gov, include the plan ID, zip code, and identify the issue you are experiencing.
When reporting issues with the Call Center, include the date and time of the call, the number the call was made from and as much information as possible. The more information you can provide, the more likely you will receive help.
Advocacy:
LULAC has joined LatinosAgainstAlzheimer's, the nation's first-ever coalition of Latino organizations joining together to raise awareness of Alzheimer's within the Latino community.
Nearly 55 Percent of U.S. Infants Sleep With Potentially Unsafe Bedding
A recent study by the NIH and CDC found that nearly 55% of U.S. infants are placed to sleep with bedding that increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, despite recommendations against the practice. Soft objects and loose bedding — such as thick blankets, quilts, and pillows — can obstruct an infant’s airway and pose a suffocation risk. Read more at NIH’s Safe to Sleep campaign.
“Parents receive a lot of mixed messages,” said study author Marian Willinger, Ph.D., special assistant for SIDS at the NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. “Relatives may give them quilts or fluffy blankets as presents for the new baby, and they feel obligated to use them. Or they see magazine photos of babies with potentially unsafe bedding items. But babies should be placed for sleep on a firm, safety approved mattress and fitted sheet, without any other bedding on his or her back, and not sharing a sleep surface with the infant. However, use of bedding was consistently 50 percent or higher for each of these years.
For full article click here.
US Environmental Protection Agency releases update to Air Quality Standards for Smog
Every five years, the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to update air quality standards to reflect the latest scientific evidence. New information about the harmful effects of ground-level ozone (smog) has made the EPA propose to strengthen air quality standards to within a range of 65 to 70 parts per billion (ppb), while taking comment on a level as low as 60 ppb. The current standards, set in 2008, set the level of smog at 75ppb.
"Bringing ozone pollution standards in line with the latest science will clean up our air, improve access to crucial air quality information, and protect those most at-risk. It empowers the American people with updated air quality information to protect our loved ones - because whether we work or play outdoors – we deserve to know the air we breathe is safe,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “Fulfilling the promise of the Clean Air Act has always been EPA’s responsibility. Our health protections have endured because they’re engineered to evolve, so that’s why we’re using the latest science to update air quality standards – to fulfill the law’s promise, and defend each and every person’s right to clean air.”
People most at risk from breathing air containing ozone include people with asthma, children, older adults, and those who are active or work outside. Stronger ozone standards will also provide an added measure of protection for low income and minority families who are more likely to suffer from asthma or to live in communities that are overburdened by pollution. Nationally, 1 in 10 children has been diagnosed with asthma.
For more information on EPA’s proposal to update the Air Quality Standards for Ground-Level Ozone please visit: epa.gov/glo/actions.html#nov2014
EPA Announces New ENERGY STAR Tool for Homeowners to Save Money, Energy This Winter
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching its ENERGY STAR Home Advisor, an online tool designed to help Americans save money and energy by improving the energy efficiency of their homes through recommended customized and prioritized home-improvement projects.
“When homeowners take advantage of this important tool and increase the energy efficiency of their homes, many families will notice savings on energy bills and improvements in the comfort of their homes, said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.”
The updated Advisor guides the homeowner through a “do-it-yourself” energy assessment to create an ENERGY STAR home profile. Based on the profile, the Home Advisor provides customized, prioritized recommendations for improvements. From these recommendations, users can create their own to-do lists of projects such as adding insulation to the attic or replacing an HVAC air filter.
Find the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Home Advisor: www.energystar.gov/homeadvisor
Health Programs:
LULAC Awards Five Grants for the Mars Healthy Communities Program
As part of an ongoing partnership, Mars and LULAC are announcing the Healthy Communities Program. Through this program, five LULAC councils will receive five thousand dollars to address health and wellness issues in their respective communities. This program, part of the Latinos Living Healthy Initiative, aims to complement the work LULAC does at the national level by empowering councils to make changes that encourage healthy living and address local health issues and concerns. All of the winning proposals provided a plan for addressing the unique needs of their local communities.
After a rigorous application process the LULAC Latinos Living Healthy Team and Mars have chosen the following five awardees.
LULAC Women’s Council 44040: Provo, Utah
- Host 8-week nutrition program – following Bodyworks Program with two groups – one in the morning and one in the evening.
- Organize Zumba classes throughout the grant period.
- Host health fair with screenings targeted to youth and their parents.
Wisconsin LULAC Latinas' Council 330: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Operates out of the 9th poorest city in the United States (1/3 live in poverty).
- All events will have CPR trainings and will distribute CPR kits to those who are adequately prepared.
- Program includes:
- Family Health Night in November 2014 with heart disease prevention, diabetes prevention, healthy cooking, stress reduction activities, family communication strategies, BMI, blood pressure screenings, dental and vision screenings, Zumba.
- Women and Girls Health Night with mammograms, self-care, stress reduction, osteoporosis/bone density screenings.
- Family Health Fiesta with health screenings, athletics, salsa, bachata.
Southwest Key Council #4760: Austin, Texas
- Host group fitness classes, like Zumba, yoga and other dance, nutrition education, and behavior modification strategies.
- Expand existing health and wellness program that targets women and school-aged children.
LULAC Council #682: Seguin, Texas
- Operate out of a LULAC Council run community teaching farm.
- Continue ongoing training on how to operate a small garden inside home or in yard space.
- Work in the community garden, and donate fresh produce to the local food bank.
- Organize the 'intro-bash,' a cookout with PowerPoint presentations on gardening and healthy eating and free plant giveaways to help them start their own garden.
- Host mini-seminars with live cooking demonstrations.
- Provide a semester-long course to members of the community interested in gardening, health, and wellness.
LULAC Council #3190: Riverside, California
• Host the third annual health festival on February 21, 2015, at the Cesar Chavez Community Center, 2060 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92506, with free services, including:
o Dental exams and treatment o Vision exams and eyeglasses
o Acupuncture
o Affordable Care Act and public service enrollment
o Mammograms
o Nutritional services
o Haircuts and manicures.