Washington DC Update News
Below are recent articles from the Washington DC Update newsletter, a weekly Family Voices newsletter that provides the latest on national policy affecting children/youth with special health care needs and their families, and also shares relevant resources and happenings in the field.
Of Possible Interest (Washington Update, October 25, 2018)
Down Syndrome Association steps up efforts to reach minority families in central Ohio (Columbus Post Dispatch, 10/16/18) Study: High-deductible employer plans contribute to financial burden for low-income patients (FierceHealthcare, 10/9/18)
Your Input Sought (Washington Update, October 25, 2018)
MCHB Grand Challenges – deadline extended to Nov. 9 for CYSHCN Challenge As reported earlier, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau will award four prizes in a Grand Challenges competition to develop innovative, low-cost, and scalable solutions to improve the health of...
Resources for Open Enrollment (Washington Update, October 25, 2018)
2019 Open Enrollment runs from November 1 through December 15, 2018 Plans sold during Open Enrollment start January 1, 2019. After December 15, consumers can enroll in 2019 health insurance only if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Resources for...
Webinars from the Field (Washington Update, October 11, 2018)
Certification for I&R Specialists in Aging/Disabilities (CIRS-A/D) Webinar Training Thursday, October 11, 1:00-5:00 pm ET (4 hours) National Information and Referral Support Center, National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (The webinar will...
For Those Assisting Victims of Hurricane Florence (Washington Update, October 11, 2018)
[From Health Insurance Marketplace email of 9/20/18. No URL found for this info.] On August 9, 2018, CMS released guidance clarifying Federally-facilitated Exchange (FFE) Special Enrollment Period (SEP) policy for consumers impacted by an emergency or major disaster...
THE COURTS (Washington Update, October 11, 2018)
The Supreme Court began its October term on October 1, and now has its new ninth member, Brett Kavanaugh, who replaced retired Justice Anthony Kennedy, for whom Kavanaugh once served as a clerk. Kavanaugh was sworn in shortly after being confirmed on Saturday, October...
The Administration (Washington Update, October 11, 2018)
“Public Charge” Rule published As reported in earlier Updates, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is proposing to change the way in which determinations are made about the likelihood that an immigrant will become a “public charge,” and thus should not be...
CONGRESS (Washington Update, October 11, 2018)
Opioid Legislation Passed As reported in earlier Updates, House and Senate negotiators of both parties reached an agreement on a wide-ranging bill to address the nation’s opioid epidemic. The House passed the bill -- the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes...
Medicaid and CHIP News, Information, and Resources (Washington Update, October 11, 2018)
Explanation of Provisions from Last Year’s CHIP Extension On October 5, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a letter to State Health Officials explaining some key provisions of the HEALTHY KIDS and ACCESS Acts that are related to the...
Affordable Care Act (Washington Update, October 11, 2018)
2019 Open Enrollment runs from November 1 through December 15, 2018. Plans sold during Open Enrollment start January 1, 2019. After December 15, consumers can enroll in 2019 health insurance only if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Resources for...
Encourage confidence to act