Critical Health Areas Project (CHAP) Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 6

September 27, 2007

IN THIS ISSUE

Announcement:

Annual Meeting Overview
CHAP Meeting October 3-5, Saint Louis, MO

Chronic Care and Quality:

Utilization Rate of Services by Formerly Uninsured

Healthcare Access:

Financial Impact on the Health Care System of Community Health Center
State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

Addiction Prevention and Treatment:

Parents Held Responsible
Montana to Fund Treatment Facilities

Providers and Workforce:

Temporary Nurses

Technical Assistance support available

Announcements

Annual Meeting Overview

NCSL had another highly successful Annual Meeting this year in Boston. It was great to see all the CHAPs who were able to make it out to the Annual Chairs/CHAP tea. To see all the excellent health programs that took place this year please go here http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/am07summary_health.htm

Video and audio from a number of non-health sessions from Annual Meeting can be found here http://www.ncsl.org/annualmeeting/multimedia.htm

We Look Forward to seeing you at the CHAP Meeting October 3-5, Saint Louis, MO

The CHAP meeting is rapidly approaching and we look forward to seeing everyone in Saint Louis. If you are unable to attend the meeting we will be posting the slides and other materials from the meeting on the web. The link to these documents will be in the next CHAP Newsletter. This meeting will give new legislative leaders in health the opportunity to delve into each of our four issue areas: health care access, addiction prevention and treatment, providers and workforce, and quality care for chronic conditions. You will also have ample time for networking and discussion around the issues. We will have two keynote addresses given by widely respected health policy experts, to frame our conversation. If you have any last minute questions please contact Deborah Sward at 202.624.3585 or at Deborah.sward@ncsl.org.

Chronic Care and Quality

Utilization Rate of Services by Formerly Uninsured

Researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed data from the federal Health and Retirement Study to ascertain differences in medical service utilization for those individuals who were previously uninsured but now are eligible for Medicare. This study found that for people who were uninsured and had been previously diagnosed with a chronic condition, their health expenditures and physicians visits were greater than their always-insured counterparts. For more information please visit http://www.hcp.med.harvard.edu/research/projects/ayanian_uninsured_near-elderly.

Healthcare Access

Financial Impact on the Health Care System of Community Health Centers

The Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care, the National Association of Community Health Centers and Capitol Link produced a report last month analyzing community health centers and their financial impact on the health care system. A t present, there are 1,100 community health centers in the U.S. To view this report please visit http://www.nachc.com/press/08062007advisory.asp.

State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

The State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC) released “Protecting America’s Future: A State-by-State Look at SCHIP and Uninsured Kids.” This report includes data on such items as the total number of children ever enrolled in SCHIP, percent of children without health insurance, and the percent of children not receiving any medical care, as well as some items segregated by race/ethnicity. To view this report please visit: http://covertheuninsured.org/pdf/americasfuture.pdf.

Addiction Prevention and Treatment

Parents Held Responsible

Parents who knowingly permit underage drinking in their homes, with the result that someone is injured or killed, could face felony charges under a new law signed by the Illinois Governor on August 31. Sponsored by Senator Susan Garrett, SB 158 was drafted after two students who had been drinking at a party died in a car crash, reports the Chicago Tribune. Previous law allowed misdemeanor charges with possible jail time and a fine. The new law provides for one to three years in prison and a $25,000 fine. “This isn’t meant to be heavy-handed,” the Senator said. “The key word here is ‘knowingly.’ The only way parents can be subject to this is if they clearly know what’s going on.” Meanwhile, an investigation by the Cook County Daily Herald found that, despite stricter laws, a large number of repeat offenders in the state continue to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Over the past four years, Illinois has passed 24 drunk-driving laws and increased awareness about the dangers of impaired driving, but the Daily Herald found that 20 percent of alcohol-related crash fatalities in the state are caused by drivers who have had a drunken-driving arrest within the previous three years.

Montana to Fund Treatment Facilities

For the first time ever, Montana will directly pay for drug and alcohol treatment. Governor Brian Schweitzer has set aside $4 million in state funds to open eight drug and alcohol treatment centers in the state. The centers will provide long-term (six to nine months) of residential care for individuals with addiction disorders, with charges based on ability to pay. Each center will have room for eight people at a time, who will live in the facilities for six to nine months.

Providers and Workforce

Temporary Nurses

The Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania published a report accessing changes in the quality of care when temporary nurses are utilized. Their findings indicate that there are “no adverse implications for quality of care” when supplemental nurses are used in hospitals. This report also concludes that temporary nurses are more likely to hold baccalaureate or advanced degrees, and have received their medical training within the last ten years. The report’s abstract can be accessed at http://www.jonajournal.com/pt/re/jona/abstract.00005110-200707000-00005.htm;jsessionid=G3CZRyZ29NZmZjBQdQp1HpGCfLbT1YvYDr9RbZg14vn9JpX12nvG!29071008!181195628!8091!-1

Technical Assistance Support Available…just give us a call

Through the Critical Health Areas Project (CHAP), NCSL has been funded to respond in greater depth to state legislatures’ requests for technical assistance concerning chronic care and quality, healthcare access, addiction prevention and treatment, and providers and workforce. Topics are, of course, tailored to your state's needs. Examples of types of assistance available include support for a briefing or workshop for a legislative committee or study commission that provides information from other states and experts in the field or working with legislative staff to identify related actions in other states and useful resources. If you are interested in learning more about the services NCSL could provide, please contact any of the individuals listed here.

Chronic Care & Quality: Carla Curran, carla.curran@ncsl.org, 303-364-1373

Healthcare Access: Donna Folkemer, donna.folkemer@ncsl.org, 202-624-8171

Addiction Prevention & Treatment: Allison Colker, allison.colker@ncsl.org, 202-624-3581

Providers & Workforce: Tara Lubin, tara.lubin@ncsl.org, 202-624-3558

For more information on CHAP and these critical issue areas, visit our website! http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/forum/chap/index.htm

The Critical Health Areas Project (CHAP) newsletter is published monthly by the Forum for State Health Policy Leadership at NCSL and funded through the generous support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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