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Sunday, 25 May 2014

Saturday, 24 May 2014

Princess Health and Princess Health andCenters for Disease Control honors Lexington physician for her work in promoting immunizations in Kentucky.Princessiccia

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Grace F. Maguire
Grace F. Maguire, medical director of the Thomas H. Pinkstaff Medical Home Clinic in Lexington, has been named 2014 Childhood Immunization Champion in Kentucky by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for her efforts to promote childhood immunization in central Kentucky.

As a pediatrician, Maguire has seen patients with almost every vaccine-preventable disease and has long been a vaccine information resource for her medical colleagues.

For many years, she was the primary immunization educator for trainees at the University of Kentucky in the Department of Pediatrics. She led the immunization programs for the university's outpatient clinics and helped develop the state's immunization registry.

Now she is medical director of a clinic that serves a unique population of children � those in foster care and those with birth defects, brain injury, cerebral palsy, and other special health care needs. The clinic, under her direction, assures these children receive all appropriate vaccines, including those indicated for high-risk populations.

�Dr. Maguire's leadership and dedication to protecting vulnerable children against disease is not only admirable, but vital to public health�s work in preventing the spread of communicable disease,� Stephanie Mayfield, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, said in a news release.

Each year, the CDC and its foundation honor health professionals and community leaders around the country with immunization-champion awards to acknowledge exemplary individuals who go above and beyond to promote immunization among children in their communities.
Princess Health and Princess Health andFoundation for a Healthy Kentucky seeks nominations for its board and Community Advisory Committee by June 30.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andFoundation for a Healthy Kentucky seeks nominations for its board and Community Advisory Committee by June 30.Princessiccia

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The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky is accepting nominations for qualified persons to join its board of directors and its Community Advisory Committee.

The 15-member board is responsible for preserving the foundation�s endowment and upholding its charitable mission of addressing the unmet health care needs of Kentuckians. It is advised by the 31-member advisory committee.

Nominations are being accepted for a directorship from Kentucky Supreme Court District 2, the counties of Barren, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Daviess, Grayson, Hancock, Hardin, Hart, Henderson, Larue, Meade, Ohio, Union and Warren.

The board expects to elect four new Community Advisory Committee members, who make recommendations to the board, serve as community liaisons, serve on foundation committees, take part in the foundation's annual policy forum and appoint or nominate candidates to the board.

Nominations for the advisory committee are sought from residents of five area development districts: Purchase, Barren River, Lincoln Trail, Buffalo Trace and Fivco. Members should bring diversity to the foundation and not be currently employed in the health sector.

You may nominate yourself or someone else via the online nomination form and attach a resume or bio by June 30. You may submit the nomination online, by mail or vuia email to: Mary Jo Shircliffe, chief operating officer; Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky; 1640 Lyndon Farm Court, Suite 100; Louisville, KY 40223. Her email is mshircliffe@healthy-ky.org. You will receive an email acknowledgement of the receipt of your submitted nomination. For more information call 502-326-2583 or (toll free) 877-326-2584. 

Friday, 23 May 2014

Princess Health and Princess Health andMcConnell presses Democratic foe Grimes to say how she feels about Obamacare, but won't bite on questions about Kynect.Princessiccia

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By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News

At his first press conference after winning the Republican nomination for a sixth term, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell pressed Democratic nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes to clarify her position on the federal health-care reform law but wouldn't say whether his plan to "start over" on the issue would include shutting down the state's successful health-insurance exchange.

"She's been dodging it for a year," McConnell said Friday. "She's been in this race for a year. It's time for her to answer the question, "How do you feel about it?" Grimes, Kentucky's secretary of state, twice refused Wednesday to say how she would have voted on the 2010 law if she had been a senator.

McConnell speaks at half-hour press conference.
(Associated Press photo by Timothy D. Easley)
The topic arose when McConnell was asked to reply to Democratic assertions that his pledge to "pull it out root and branch" would end the law's insurance coverage for 415,000 Kentuckians through the state exchange.

The senator didn't answer directly. "This is another good reason why the two of us ought to have a real debate," he said, recalling his post-primary proposal for three Lincoln-Douglas-style debates by the middle of September.

Asked if he would dismantle the state exchanges created under the law, McConnell said he would have created a national market -- "tear down the walls, the 50 separate silos in which health insurance is sold" -- passed medical-malpractice reform, and allowed small businesses to "band together in this international [sic] market."

Asked again, specifically, if he would shut down Kentucky's exchange, which is branded as Kynect, he said "I think that's unconnected to my comments about the overall question here."

While polls have shown the law to be unpopular in Kentucky, a small plurality of voters in a recent poll had a favorable opinion of Kynect. Last fall, the Kentucky Health Issues Poll found that people who weren't sure how the law would affect them and their families had an unfavorable opinion of it, while those who said they did know how it would affect them had a favorable opinion.

In his overall comments about the law, McConnell said a Congressional Budget Office study has predicted that full implementation of the law would still leave 30 million Americans uninsured, covering only 10 million. "What is the cost-benefit ratio of this kind of destruction, this kind of impact, on 16 percent of the economy?" he asked. "The people of this state are entitled to know the answer to the question, 'How do you feel about it?' and I think my opponent has tried to dodge that question."

UPDATE: Joe Sonka of LEO Weekly writes, "According to the CBO, by 2024 the number of uninsured will, in fact, be 31 million people, but without the ACA there would have been 56 million people uninsured. This number takes into account the undocumented immigrants who can�t get insurance because of the lack of immigration reform, and the people who can�t get Medicaid in states that opted out of the Medicaid expansion. That means that when the ACA 'kicks in fully' . . . 26 million will have gained access to health-care coverage because of it."

Asked if repealing the law would be his top priority as majority leader if Republicans take control of the Senate, he said he wasn't ready to say because he's not in the majority yet, "but I think it's reasonable to assume that would be a high priority for us." He noted that Obama will be president until January 2017, an implicit acknowledgement that Obama would veto any repeal and two-thirds votes of the House and Senate would be required to override him.

Jason Millman of The Washington Post writes that the issue could be pivotal in the race. "Kentucky is about as big of an Obamacare paradox that you could find: the state's exchange is working well, but Obamacare remains unpopular in the state," he writes. "It�s also home to one of the more successful Obamacare health insurance exchanges." He concludes, "Grimes may want to have a better answer the next time she's asked whether she would have voted for the health-care law." She has refused to say.
Princess Health and Princess Health andSummer and water recreation offer fun and risk at the same time; prevention is the key to decrease the risk.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andSummer and water recreation offer fun and risk at the same time; prevention is the key to decrease the risk.Princessiccia

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One of the best parts of summer is splashing in a pool, playing in the back yard sprinkler or swimming in a lake or stream, but recreational water activity always comes with a risk of drowning.

It's important not to lose sight of this risk as you strive to keep your children and adolescents safe, writes Susan Pollack, director of the Pediatric and Adolescent Injury Prevention Program at the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center at the University of Kentucky.

"Every year in Kentucky, an average of 14 children die by drowning. About half the drowning deaths occur among children ages 1 to 4," Pollack writes in the Lexington Herald-Leader. "From 2009-11, 80 percent of childhood drowning deaths occurred at the child�s residence or someone else�s home. A quarter of drowning deaths occurred among adolescents, mostly while swimming, boating or fishing on lakes and rivers."

Prevention requires constant supervision of toddlers and children around all types of water. This not only includes the obvious such as pools, swift-flowing creeks and large bodies of water, but also bath-tubs, car-washing buckets and ornamental ponds, Pollack says. Toddlers can fall in and drown even in just a few inches of standing water in a bucket. It is also important to empty baby pools immediately after use.

Drowning can happen "swiftly and silently," Pollack writes. This requires a responsible adult to supervise children at all times, even if lifeguards are present. And if a child can't swim, this adult should be within arms-reach. Supervision is needed even if the child is wearing an appropriately sized Coast Guard-approved life vest. Floaties and water-wings are not sufficient life-saving devices.

It is also important to create barriers to water sources. This can be accomplished by putting a four-sided, 4-foot-high fence with a self-closing gate around backyard pools or removing the ladder from above-ground pools that are not fenced.

While teaching children to swim does not replace supervision, it is an important life-saving skill children should learn, Pollack writes. The YMCA, Red Cross and university swim programs all offer lessons.

Adolescents should be reminded to never swim without a buddy and that alcohol and boating never mix, Pollack says. They should also be reminded of the dangers of swimming while fatigued and the importance of wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when boating. (Read more)
Princess Health and Princess Health andMost Kentucky Medicaid members are allowed to switch managed-care organizations until June 18.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andMost Kentucky Medicaid members are allowed to switch managed-care organizations until June 18.Princessiccia

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Kentucky citizens with traditional Medicaid coverage may switch to a different managed-care organization (MCO) until June 18, Kentucky Voices for Health Board Chair Sheila Schuster notes in a press release.

The option is open to traditional Medicaid members enrolled with Coventry/MH Net or WellCare, except those in Region 3 (Jefferson and 15 area counties). Switching is voluntary. If members take advantage of the option, coverage with any new MCO will start July 1.

Until June 18 eligible Medicaid members can switch to Humana-CareSource, Passport Health Plan, Anthem Health Plans, CoventryCares/MH Net or WellCare. To learn details about each of the MCOs call 1-855-446-1245 or click here or here.

Eligible members can change MCOs by calling 1-855-446-1245 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT and speaking with a Medicaid member representative. They should be prepared to give the birthdate and Social Security number of each person listed on their letter from Kentucky Medicaid. (Read more)

Thursday, 22 May 2014

Princess Health and Princess Health andPsychiatric patients' demand for emergency-room care presents a problem the Affordable Care Act won't solve.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Princess Health andPsychiatric patients' demand for emergency-room care presents a problem the Affordable Care Act won't solve.Princessiccia

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Psychiatric patients' demand for emergency-room care has been a concern in hospitals, and it's going to get worse. Even though ERs are not properly equipped to help psychiatric patients, people still often go there with psychiatric concerns. Most ERs simply lack room to deal with such situations. According to a survey, 84 percent of emergency physicians say they have psychiatric patients "boarded" in their emergency departments awaiting transfer to a mental-health facility, Adrianna McIntyre writes for Vox.

"People having a mental-health crisis seek care in emergency departments because other parts of the health care system have failed them," said Alex Rosenau, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

A psychiatric patient who shows up to the emergency room may require immediate care at the hospital, and sometimes there isn't an open bed in the right department. Those shortages often necessitate psychiatric patients to wait in the emergency room, or board, until space elsewhere opens for them. Both the closure of psychiatric facilities and diminished state funding have contributed to the issue. "Between 1955 and 1997, total state spending on mental health fell 30 percent, a period during which most health spending grew rapidly," McIntyre writes.

If hospitals don't figure out how to deal with the problem, it's going to get worse. In fact, experts say the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will only exacerbate the problem. Some studies reveal that insured patients are more inclined to go to the emergency room�even for non-urgent issues�because the cost usually isn't as high. Lower-income people are even more likely to do that, and this population will comprise many of the newly insured citizens.

Though hospitals want people to use the health system properly, they also want to make sure patients do visit the ER when it really is necessary. "We don't want to impose any barriers on people going to the emergency room," said Hans House, a clinical professor at the Iowa University Carver College of Medicine. "We don't want people to be afraid to go to the ER."

The Affordable Care Act has provided more funding for reimbursement of emergency psychiatric care in Medicaid, a service the public program doesn't generally cover. However, this doesn't address the lack of space in emergency departments. "We know that a lack of psychiatrists available and staffing patient beds is a barrier," House said. "That's a personnel issue." (Read more)
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