Health
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- Written by: California Department of Public Health
Each local health jurisdiction awardee shall receive $750,000 in funding over three consecutive fiscal years from June 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022.
“California has more aging people than any other state in the nation, including more people living with Alzheimer’s, other age-related brain dementias, and the people who care for them,” said former first lady, Maria Shriver.
“The Healthy Brain Initiative will help reveal critical and factual insights on how communities throughout the state can prioritize brain health and caregiving. As the chair of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Task Force on Alzheimer’s Prevention, Preparedness and a Path Forward, we are excited about this initiative and look forward to collaborating as we lead the way to become a cognitively healthy country at every stage of life,” Shriver said.
“There are about 670,000 people in California who are living with Alzheimer’s dementia, with very mild to advanced symptoms,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, California Department of Public Health director and state public health officer. “Their needs and those of the families and caregivers who help support them varies across a spectrum. The time is now to work with communities and partners to find durable solutions. These awards reflect an important investment towards that goal.”
The funding, made available through the California Healthy Brain Initiative State and Local Public Health Partnerships program, will support activities in these four categories:
– Monitoring data and evaluating programs to contribute to evidence-based practice.
– Education and empowerment of the public with regard to brain health and cognitive aging.
– Mobilizing public and private partnerships to engage local stakeholders in effective community-based interventions and best practices.
– Ensuring a competent workforce by strengthening the knowledge, skills, and abilities of health care professionals who deliver care and services to people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and their family caregivers.
The following local health jurisdictions were awarded grants:
– County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Health, Area: Urban and Coastal.
– County of Placer, Public Health Division, Area: Urban and Inland.
– County of Sacramento, Department of Health Service, Division of Public Health, Area: Urban and Inland.
– County of San Diego, Department of Health Service, Division of Public Health, Area: Urban and Coastal.
– County of Santa Clara Public Health Department, Area: Urban and Inland.
– Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency, Area: Urban and Inland
For more information visit www.cdph.ca.gov.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
SACRAMENTO – On Monday, Assemblymembers Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) and Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) introduced Assembly Bill 2047 and Assembly Bill 2048, flanked on the floor of the State Assembly by advocates from the Alzheimer’s Association.
These two companion bills would promote greater awareness and earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
The bills provide seniors, providers, and caregivers with the tools they need to recognize and plan for an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and lay the groundwork for treatment strategies later in the life of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.
Alzheimer’s disease is a growing public health crisis. It is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease, which results in memory loss, impaired cognitive function, and ultimately death. The over-65 population in California is projected to grow to 8.6 million by 2030, and though Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of growing old, aging is the greatest known risk factor for developing the disease.
According to the California Department of Public Health, deaths in California due to Alzheimer’s disease increased 243% from 2000 to 2015, and in 2015 Alzheimer’s was the third leading cause of death.
AB 2047, authored by Assemblymember Aguiar-Curry, directs the Consortium of California Alzheimer's Disease Centers to widely disseminate and implement the “Assessment of Cognitive Complaints Toolkit” to healthcare providers.
The consortium has already completed the work to develop this provider toolkit, using state budget funding from 2016.
However, the toolkit resource has not been made widely available beyond the expert urban academic medical centers that collaborated to develop it.
“There is a critical need for increased and early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and Dementia,” said Aguiar-Curry. “Receiving an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be devastating, but now we have the tools to ensure that individuals and families receive timely and accurate information. If we fully deploy these tools, we can save families valuable time to find and access benefits and develop a plan for their loved ones’ care. For every moment saved through early diagnosis, we will extend quality of life and rescue moments for Alzheimer’s patients to meaningfully interact with friends and loved ones.”
AB 2048, authored by Assemblymember Monique Limón creates an informational tool to assist individuals who are experiencing cognitive impairment, and their caregivers, in communicating with health care providers before and after receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
“California has the largest number of people impacted by this disease. This tool would assist individuals and their caregivers navigate the oftentimes difficult conversations with their health care providers”, said Limón. “Understanding the diagnosis, treatment options, and the disease would provide individuals better assurance when making decisions or asking questions.”
"I knew something was wrong and almost everyone kept saying my symptoms were ‘normal.’ But Alzheimer's is not just a normal part of aging." said Pam Montana, member of Gov. Newsom's Alzheimer's Taskforce and former member of the National Alzheimer's Association Board of Directors. "Once I finally received a diagnosis, I started prioritizing things in my life that bring me happiness. We need to fight for everyone with any form of dementia to have that same opportunity."
The U.S. Census Bureau has estimated that approximately one in five Californians will be 65 or older by 2030. Together, AB 2047 and AB 2048 will increase Californians’ quality of life by making sure that seniors, healthcare providers, and caregivers have access to established Alzheimer’s information and tools to support their needs.
Aguiar-Curry represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all of Lake and Napa Counties, parts of Colusa, Solano and Sonoma Counties, and all of Yolo County except West Sacramento.
Monique Limón represents the 37th Assembly District, which includes Santa Barbara, Ventura, Goleta, Carpinteria, Ojai, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Buellton, Solvang, Summerland, Isla Vista, Montecito and parts of Oxnard.
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- Written by: Healthy California for All Commission
“All Californians deserve a health care system that covers everyone, is high quality and affordable – and most importantly – creates a healthier California for all,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services and Commission Chair Dr. Mark Ghaly. “California can be proud of its many accomplishments related to expanded coverage and improved access to health care. Still, there is more we can do to create the accessible, affordable, equitable, high-quality and universal system that Californians deserve.”
The commission will explore and develop potential policy pathways, including single-payer, which could address gaps in coverage, improve affordability, access and quality, and assure a more equitable system for all.
Members of the commission are California and national experts who offer deep expertise in the domains of health policy and health care delivery. In addition to Secretary Ghaly, voting members include eight gubernatorial appointees and four legislative appointees. There are also five ex-officio, non-voting members.
At the meeting, commissioners reviewed the history of health reform proposals in California and took stock of recent achievements and remaining challenges under California’s existing system of fragmented health care financing.
The commission engaged in an initial discussion of the policy pathways and design considerations that merit further exploration on the path toward a unified financing system and heard public comments.
The commission will meet quarterly through January 2022. It will deliver an initial report to the governor and Legislature by July 2020 and a final report in February 2021.
The next meeting of the commission will take place April 6 in Sacramento. To learn more about and follow the work of the Healthy California for All Commission, visit Healthy California for All.
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- Written by: Covered California
As of Wednesday, Jan. 22, more than 318,000 consumers had newly signed up for health insurance through Covered California during the current open-enrollment period, which surpassed last year’s total of 295,000.
“With one week to go in open enrollment, Covered California has surpassed last year’s open enrollment total, but thousands are signing up every day and we’re not done yet,” said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. “Californians have until midnight on Jan. 31 to sign up and not only avoid paying a penalty to the Franchise Tax Board but — for almost a million Californians — get new help from the state to lower their health care costs.”
The open-enrollment period runs through Jan. 31. It is the one time of the year when consumers can freely sign up for coverage without having to experience a qualifying life change. People who sign up by the deadline will have their coverage start on Feb. 1.
Having a health insurance plan in place this year is critical because of a new law that the state of California enacted that requires Californians to have coverage in 2020. Those who can afford coverage, but choose to go without it, could face a penalty when they file their taxes with the California Franchise Tax Board in 2021. The penalty can be more than $2,000 for a family of four.
“We do not want Californians to write a check to the Franchise Tax Board when they could get coverage that is way more affordable than they think,” Lee said. “This year there is new financial help that will help nearly one million people lower the cost of their coverage.”
A recent survey released by Covered California, Californians’ Understanding of the Mandate to Have Health Coverage and the Awareness of Financial Help, found that many people, particularly the uninsured, are unaware of the new penalty and additional financial help.
Among the findings:
– Many Californians reported being unaware of the new requirement to have health coverage in 2020 or face a penalty, including a majority of the uninsured (56 percent).
– Among the uninsured, 62 percent are unaware that Covered California offers financial help to help pay for health insurance. In addition, only 27 percent of the uninsured are aware that Californians can receive even more financial help than ever before for health coverage.
“The new state subsidies and the requirement to have coverage are the two biggest changes affecting individuals who do not have employer coverage since Covered California first opened our doors in 2014 and we want to make sure consumers know that health insurance could be more affordable than they think,” Lee said. “People need to take action by next Friday, so they do not get caught paying a significant penalty when they file their taxes a year from now.”
In addition to the new state penalty California also expanded the amount of financial help available to many consumers, including a first-in-the-nation program to help middle-income consumers afford coverage.
The new state subsidies could extend to an individual making up to $74,940 and a family of four with a household income of up to $154,500.
Right now, the average subsidy for eligible consumers earning less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level is $447 per month; the average state subsidy for eligible middle-income consumers is $469 per month.
Covered California’s open-enrollment period runs through Jan. 31. Consumers can easily find out if they are eligible for financial help and see which plans are available in their area by entering their ZIP code, household income and the ages of those who need coverage into Covered California’s Shop and Compare Tool.
Those interested in learning more about their coverage options can:
– Visit www.CoveredCA.com.
– Get free and confidential in-person assistance, in a variety of languages, from a certified enroller.
– Have a certified enroller call them and help them for free.
– Call Covered California at 800-300-1506.
“Californians owe it to themselves to take a few minutes of their day to see whether they qualify for financial help from the federal government, the state, or both,” Lee said. “Visit CoveredCA.com and check out your options before the end of the month.”
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