Health reform resources

This post is a result of a conversation during the March Finance Committee meeting. We were discussing how difficult planning is in the age of health reform (the Affordable Care Act or ACA), sequesters, and continuing resolutions. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read my last blog post and then come back to get some other sources for reliable and essential explanations on health reform. Here's a primer on the ACA and Ryan White Program, if you need a refresher.

The links below are the sources I go to most often.  Please leave links to your favorite resources in the comments. 

If you don't know what an RSS feed is or how to use it, check this out before you go any further. RSS feeds are your friend for access to the latest information with little to no effort. I love Google Reader, here's a short video on how to use it. 

Health Reform 

Kaiser Family Foundation

Kaiser Family Foundation is one of the best sources for all things related to health policy. The outstanding health reform section includes interactive content, videos, charts and graphs, and reports. I highly recommend subscribing to some Kaiser email newsletters for the latest news on health policy. You can also subscribe to RSS feeds of their content.

Other useful content from Kaiser Family Foundation:

Kaiser also provides great fact sheets for different topics or issues, including HIV.

They also wrote an excellent report on Medicaid and HIV.

Commonwealth Fund

Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation focused on improving the quality of our health system. They have a nice interactive health reform timeline and a resource tool for searching for particular topics. You can also subscribe to email newsletters and RSS feeds for regular updates.

Families USA

This national consumer advocacy organization dedicated to realizing high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans is a well respected voice in health policy circles.

Navigators and Exchange Assisters are going to be needed as the ACA is fully implemented. Find out how you can get ready to implement a navigator/assister program.

Medicaid Defense Center 
This section highlights what's happening in Washington and the impact on Medicaid,includes resources for advocacy at a state and national level.

Sign up for the email updates and if you include your state in your contact information you will get state-specific information and resources.

Healthcare.gov

The federal government created this resource for consumers and small businesses to learn about enrollment in the new insurance products and how health reform affects individuals and families.

HIV and Health Reform

HRSA: Ryan White and the Affordable Care Act

HRSA just announced (3/5/2013), a new web source for information on the relationship between health reform and Ryan White, including a comprehensive review (PDF) of the key provisions of the ACA for the Ryan White Program.
 

HIV Health Reform

This site is the go-to source for HIV-specific health reform information. They offer webinars,  fact sheets, email alerts, and have a blog. There is also a section written for people living with HIV.

Health HIV

This organization is dedicated to providing education and capacity bulding to improve HIV care and prevention services.  Webinars are offered for Ryan White providers, primary care providers and other organizations. They also have an RSS feed and other ways to keep up to date on their work.

Impact on Health Reform in PA and NJ

State Essential Health Benefits Benchmark Plans

Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) lists the summaries of state essential health benefits plans, including a short explanation.

Pennsylvania EHB Benchmark Plan

New Jersey EHB Benchmark Plan

Pennsylvania Health Access Network

This coalition of several PA health and consumer advocates offers PA-specific information on health access and equality issues, including a blog.

Pennsylvania Health Law Project

PHLP is a nationally recognized expert and consultant on access to health care for low-income consumers, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Learn about how health reform impacts Pennsylvanians.

NJ For Healthcare

The NJ For Health Care Campaign is made up of a broad-based alliance of health care, consumer, senior, student, disability, women's, labor, faith-based, civil rights and social justice organizations working to bring guaranteed, high quality, affordable health care to all New Jersey residents. Resources include a report on the impact of the ACA on NJ's families.