National News Obamacare: better options for better health
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his January, millions of Americans will ring in the new year with the security and peace of mind that has eluded them for decades: They will finally have quality health insurance. For nearly 500,000 of our fellow citizens here in Wisconsin, the opportunity to obtain new, quality coverage will only be a click, call or conversation away when the six-month open enrollment period for the new Health Insurance Marketplace begins on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the 85% of Americans who currently have coverage will continue to benefit from new rights and legal protections. In Wisconsin, there are 1,459,000 people with private insurance who are now guaranteed access to free preventive services such as cholesterol tests, mammograms and blood pressure screenings. And 43,000 young adults between the ages of 19 and 25 are now able to stay on their parents' plan. Furthermore, more than 63,000 seniors in this state are better able to afford their prescription drugs, as we close the Medicare doughnut hole. It is all thanks to the new health care law: the Affordable Care Act. We have a number of resources available to help you and your family learn about your new options under the new law. Our website — HealthCare.gov — is a great place to start. We think you will agree that it is not your typical government website. When you visit, you will find that information is clear, user-friendly and interactive.
health centers and pharmacies. Coverage under the marketplace begins as soon as Jan. 1. But in order to access your new and better options, you have to enroll.
by Kathleen Sebelius HHS Secretary There is even an online web chat feature — just like if you are shopping for shoes or clothing online. And there are strong secu-
rity safeguards to protect people's personal information from fraud. If you'd prefer to speak with someone over the phone, we have staff standing by to answer your questions 24/7 — and in 150 languages — at our call center: (800) 3182596. There also are people in your community who have been trained and certified to help you in-person at places such as community
been working for months to make sure we can offer some help and clarity,” said County Executive Chris Abele. “Taxpayers should be assured that our efforts are focused on leveraging resources to benefit the community. We’re using our existing services and the cooperative relationships I’ve
The County’s core services provide an opportunity to leverage contacts with the community into enrollment. Using existing resources and staff, County Departments will help clients they are already serving understand and enroll in the ACA.
been building since taking office as a platform to expand enrollment.”
HealthyStartt (MCJ) September, 2013
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ilwaukee County is taking a proactive approach to help people understand and enroll in health plans as the Affordable Healthcare Care Act (ACA) that was rolled out on October 1st.
Milwaukee County is also partnering with the Milwaukee Enrollment Network to educate and assist residents with enrollment. The network is made up of several organizations including the Milwaukee Healthcare Partnership, the State of Wisconsin, Covering Kids & Families and IMPACT 2-1-1. “When the healthcare exchanges open, we know there will be a lot of questions. We’ve
Numerous Milwaukee County Departments are taking part in the effort, including: The Disabilities Services Division has trained 60 staff members to help clients understand where to go and how to get services through ACA exchanges. The Behavioral Health Division (BHD) Community Services Branch has four staff trained as Certified Application Counselors, these staff members will provide individuals every opportunity to understand and enroll
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omen who take a daily baby aspirin may be able to lower their breast cancer risk, according to a new study that reinforces a growing body of research showing the age-old pain remedy has potent anti-cancer properties.
More good news: Being a woman no longer will be a pre-existing condition. Insurance companies are forbidden by law from discriminating against a consumer or potential consumer just because she happens to be female. Living without health insurance can feel like you are in a nonstop game of Russian roulette.
Milwaukee County Offers Help in ACA Enrollment
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Make no mistake: The plans offered on the Marketplace will be actual, honest-togoodness health insurance. By law, they must cover a set of essential benefits, including visits to your doctor, prescription medications, hospital stays and preventive care such as cancer and cholesterol screenings. Furthermore, your insurance company will be prohibited — by law — from denying you coverage just because you have a pre-existing condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
Aspirin Found to Shut Down Breast Cancer
Even if you think that you are too healthy to need coverage, we are all just an accident or illness away from a devastating medical bill. We never know when we will need to make that unexpected trip to the emergency room; when we will get into a car accident, when we will get a sudden diagnosis or when we will simply need a new prescription. Without insurance, we have to pay for all these things out of our own pockets. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, it has never been more easy or more affordable to obtain coverage. Jan. 1 will be a new day for millions of Americans. Better options for better health are only a click, call or conversation away. But to get these better options, you have to enroll, starting Tuesday. Kathleen Sebelius is secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Researchers from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo., and the University of Kansas Medical Center found regular use of low-dose aspirin appears to prevent the progression of breast cancer — slowing the growth and spread of tumors in laboratory studies and experiments involving mice. The study — presented by VA Medical Center cancer researcher Gargi Maity at a meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Boston this week — found that aspirin interferes with cancer cells' ability to become aggressive and spread. In the mouse study, for instance, the researchers found tumors treated with aspirin formed no or only partial stem cells, which fuel the growth and spread of the disease. Aspirin — acetylsalicylic acid — has been found in numerous studies to prevent and treat a wide variety of cancers, including colorectal, esophageal, and prostate cancers. Past research has suggested breast cancer was less likely to return in women who took aspirin to lower their risk of heart attack or stroke, but precisely how and why has not been explained.
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