Taking a look health care news in the Queen City and beyond. . .
Open Enrollment 2019 – it’s that time again. The New Hampshire Department of Insurance is reminding local consumers that the annual open enrollment for health insurance will run from November 1 to December 15, 2019.
The department is suggesting that individuals and families ask themselves some basic questions as a starting place, including why buy coverage, who is being covered and does the insured have a chronic health condition or need for prescription medications. The department has a wealth of information on its website. For information on Medicare and other senior health resources, the department also recommends Service Link. Browse the site or call the Service Link Resource Center at 1-866-634-9412.
Welcome aboard!
Tracey Miller has been appointed as Development and Outreach Manager of the New Hampshire Musculoskeletal Institute (NHMI)/Safe Sports Network. Miller has a broad range of professional experience including communications experience in the health and environment sectors. She is a published author of academic publications around behavior change as well as a women’s self-care journal and ran a successful wellness company offering health coaching, nutritional programs, corporate seminars, retreats and online programs for ten years.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University and a master’s degree in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Miller has served on the Board of the New Outlook Teen Center and currently volunteers for Global Grassroots, a non-profit whose mission is to catalyze women and girls in Africa as leaders of Conscious Social Change in their communities.
“We’re very fortunate to have Tracey on our team,” said Laura Decoster, Executive Director at NHMI. “She’s passionate about keeping kids safer and she’s dedicated to moving the cause forward.”
The mission of the non-profit is to promote and advocate for a safe sports environment for young athletes across the city and state. The learn more, please visit www.nhmi.net .
A roaring success
Thanks to an innovative partnership between Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire and the Hooksett Lions Club, local non-profits are in a better place. Thirty employees from the state’s largest health insurer and several members of the Hooksett Lions Club recently tackled projects at the Webster House and FIT/New Horizons for New Hampshire. The effort is part of Anthem’s 2019 volunteer campaign which pairs thousands of Anthem employees and members of local Lions Clubs for service projects in more than 20 cities across the U.S. The Anthem Foundation promotes the organization’s commitment to improving lives and communities. Through strategic partnerships and programs, the foundation seeks to address the social determinants of health to help create a healthier generation of Americans. In 2018, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in New Hampshire made nearly two million dollars of charitable donations to Granite State non-profits. . .
Cost drivers explained
The New Hampshire Insurance Department recently held its annual public hearing on health insurance premiums and medical care cost drivers. The hearing focused on insurance coverage and access to mental health care services as well as presentations from health care and policy leaders.
“The New Hampshire Insurance Department’s annual hearing is an important tool to increase transparency and foster dialogue about health care costs in New Hampshire. Each year, we convene key stakeholders to examine what’s behind those high health care costs,” said New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner John Elias in the news release.
In addition to numerous public events, the insurance department provides a broad range of online resources to local consumers, please visit https://www.nh.gov/insurance/ or https://nhhealthcost.nh.gov/ to learn more.
Did you know?
With the summer entry of AmeriHealth Caritas, New Hampshire now has three companies (WellSense and NH Healthy Families are the others) offering Medicaid Managed Care plans. Lisabritt Solsky, president of Well Sense notes that an important component in better health outcomes includes not only connecting members to healthcare services but also to other critical services like transportation, housing, medical equipment and food and nutrition. “We seek to address the social determinants of health to ensure whole person health,” she said, adding that fitness memberships and baby car seats are among the benefits her plan offers.
While open enrollment period for these plans has concluded, eligible members can enroll if they have had a so-called qualifying event. These include loss of health coverage, changes in household, marital status or changes in residence. It is estimated that about 180,000 NH resident may be eligible for these plans
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has established a special website, www.nheasy.nh.gov to help consumers determine what coverage they may qualify for. Consumers can also contact the carriers directly:
- AmeriHealth Caritas-NH: https://www.amerihealthcaritasnh.com/
- NH Healthy Families: https://www.nhhealthyfamilies.com/
- Well Sense: https://www.wellsense.org/
Have a health care news tip or announcement? Please email me at Chrisdugan@Manchesterink.com
