healthcare reform

What Health Advocates Need to Know about the Affordable Care Act

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It’s official and it’s not going away. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as healthcare reform, or the ACA, is changing the face of healthcare for every American. The first changes became effective shortly after its passage in 2010. New parts of the law will continue to be implemented until January 1, 2014 when the biggest part of the law, the individual mandate, will ensure (almost) every American has some form of insurance or government coverage to pay for the care they need. Are you, as an independent health advocate, prepared for those changes? Even further, are …

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Advocacy, Politics and the 2012 Elections

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I’ve been in Florida for the past week, working, advocating, feeling my jaw clench and my back go up each time I’ve seen or heard a commercial or watched a newscast that focuses on one of the Republican primary candidates. (As an aside – it’s not because they are Republican – it’s because the commercials are so nasty, denigrating, and insulting or because the candidates or their henchmen say such nasty, denigrating, insulting things about each other.) Florida, of course, is the next primary state, to where all the candidates will rush once the results are in from South Carolina. …

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Putting WOM to Work for You

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man speaking

(Originally published in November 2011. Updated November 2019) One of our APHA members got in touch after a talk he gave to his local Rotary Club. He was disappointed in the turn-out and wondered whether all his effort was worth it. After our brief email conversation, it seemed that sharing some of the important points might be a good idea since you might run into some of his same issues. Those issues are based on presentation and expectations. So let’s take a look. Public Speaking, whether there are 5, 50, 500 or 5000 people in attendance is a great form …

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Health Advocacy and Healthcare Reform

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If you know and understand healthcare reform in the United States, please raise your hand and shout “I do!” <<hmm… I hear crickets…>> That’s right. There is no one who understands it, including Kathleen Sebelius (Secretary of Health and Human Services), or Donald Berwick (nominated to lead CMS). It’s too complex, too long and frankly – just plain daunting. But we are healthcare professionals. We make our livings understanding healthcare systems. So if we are confused by the complexity of healthcare reform, just imagine how patients and caregivers feel! Add to that all the changes going on at the state …

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