FRANKFORT, Ky. - When it comes to getting more uninsured Americans health care coverage under the new federal law, the group's name says it all: Enroll America. The coalition of insurers, hospitals, doctors, consumer groups, pharmaceutical companies and the like, says the timing could not be more crucial, given the latest census numbers showing America's uninsured at close to 50 million - an all-time high.

Enroll America Executive Director Rachel Klein says its mission is to secure optimal enrollment in the new health care opportunities available in 2014.

"We will help health care stakeholders at the state level promote the best practices for enrollment, so that states adopt enrollment and renewal systems that are consumer-friendly and easy for people to navigate."

In 2014, the uninsured can get benefits through either sliding-scale tax credits they earn by buying health coverage through newly established marketplaces, or Medicaid expansion. Enroll America will also launch an advertising campaign to ensure that all Americans know about the coverage opportunities from federal health reform.

Rich Umbdenstock, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association, says hospital emergency rooms bear witness to the poor health of uninsured patients, and hospitals absorb billions of dollars a year in non-compensated care - costs, he adds, that are passed along to private payers.

"Ensuring that people have the health care coverage they need will provide clear benefits, including better health, greater productivity and reduced cost burdens on private businesses and payers."

Roger Schwartz, executive branch liaison with the National Association of Community Health Centers, says 20 million patients benefit from the centers, which serve as medical homes for low-income and uninsured Americans at 8,000 sites nationwide. The new collaboration, he says, can only improve those numbers.

"We are, we believe, critical players in providing access to these new populations that will be covered under the Affordable Care Act, all of which is for naught if folks aren't enrolled in the programs."

In Kentucky, 640,000 go without health insurance. As health care reform calls for states to build their own insurance exchange or marketplace, Jodi Mitchell, executive director of Kentucky Voices for Health, says the Bluegrass State can take some cues from the new coalition.

"Kentucky Voices for Health looks forward to working with Enroll America to take these best practices and put them into reality, into what Kentucky is doing."

The Congressional Budget Office projects that more than 32 million Americans will gain access to coverage from health care reform. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that almost half of the uninsured do not know about the coverage options coming down the pike.

More information is available at www.EnrollAmerica.org.




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New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those not reimbursed by insurance. More than 56,000 New Mexicans are enrolled in a medical health insurance plan on the state exchange - an increase of 12,000 people overall.

Colin Baillio, deputy superintendent with the state's Office of Insurance, said the state has boosted its outreach and made efforts to improve the overall consumer experience.

"We saw a 40% year-over-year increase, and New Mexico saw the biggest percentage increase during the open-enrollment period among all of the state-based marketplaces," he explained

Part of the enrollment increase is due to what's called the "unwinding" - a federal directive that required all states to redetermine Medicaid eligibility following a three-year pause on checks during the COVID pandemic. He said by using expanded tools made available by the federal and state government, 8% of New Mexico's population is now uninsured - down from 23% in 2010.

Following approval by lawmakers in the 2024 legislative session, the New Mexico governor signed seven health care-related bills into law - one of which requires annual reporting of prescription drug pricing. Baililo said the Affordable Care Act built the foundation that has allowed the state to pursue additional affordability initiatives.

"I'm really glad to see that there's so much interest in the next step of health reform, really leaning into these out-of-pocket cost issues and making it easier for people to afford to stay covered and see their doctors," he continued.

Two years ago, the state also passed a one-of-a-kind law that did away with behavioral health co-pays for people in certain insurance plans.

New York's medical aid-in-dying bill is gaining further support. The Medical Society of the State of New York is supporting the bill. New York's bill allows terminally ill people with only six months to live to use this option, with safeguards requiring two physicians' approval.

The bill's Assembly sponsor Amy Paulin, D-Westchester, said despite the growing support, other hurdles lie ahead.

"Now we have what I believe, if it came to the floor, a majority. There's still a hesitation on the part of leadership. You know, we need members to assure leadership that they no longer have reservations," she said.

Other newly resolved concerns center on making sure insurance companies and doctors who don't support this aren't held liable. She's optimistic the bill will pass after nine years in the Legislature. New York would be the 11th state along with Washington, D.C. to have medical aid in dying legislation.

Corinne Carey, senior New York campaign director with Compassion and Choices finds the pandemic drew a vivid picture of a person's end-of-life experience. There were images of people dying on ventilators, apart from loved ones, and unable to communicate. She said people began thinking about a "good death."

"And, what is a good death is being surrounded by loved ones, having some measure of control, experiencing the touch of your loved ones, and being the one in the driver's seat," she explained.

Now people have different options for end-of-life care, each of which presents various challenges. Polls show medical aid in dying has garnered considerable support since being introduced in 2015. A 2022 Compassion and Choices poll finds 57% of nurses support medical aid in dying professionally, although fewer support it personally.

The California State Assembly is considering a bill to require schools to have a cardiac arrest response plan. Assembly Bill 2887 would make sure schools update their safety plans to include CPR training and an automatic external defibrillator or AED onsite.

Dr. Stephen Sanko, a professor of clinical emergency medicine at USC, and a founding member of the Cardiac Arrest Survivor Alliance, is a volunteer expert for the American Heart Association. He said having a plan in place is critical.

"The American Heart Association is promoting that schools have a cardiac arrest response plan. A written protocol for what to do in order to decrease the likelihood that if somebody collapses, that they die," he said.

Two years ago, 15-year-old Cash Hennessy collapsed on the football field due to a previously unknown heart defect. Two off-duty medics in the stands gave him CPR. The school brought out its AED - but it was useless, because the batteries were dead.

Hennessy said the experience was traumatic.

"I feel blessed that I had people there for me, that could give me C-P-R. But I think about if those people weren't there and that was another kid, who knows what would have happened? Because there wouldn't have been an AED to save them," he explained.

An AED walks people through the steps to deliver a life-saving shock to a person's heart until an ambulance arrives. Studies show that 70% of kids who suffer sudden cardiac arrest at school recover if an AED is deployed correctly - whereas the survival rate for kids and adults not in the hospital is less than 12%.