The Uninsured: A Kansas City Survival Guide

Even though Congress has just voted to overhaul the nation’s healthcare system, medical observers caution that it will take years to implement many of its key provisions, and even then, not all uninsured Americans will be guaranteed coverage.

In THE UNINSURED: A Kansas City Survival Guide, KCPT sets aside the divisive politics to navigate the places metro residents can turn when they find themselves without health insurance.

From emergency room care to free health clinics, KCPT takes a realistic look at what’s available and what you might expect when you get there. Host Nick Haines talks with Kansas City residents who are already struggling to access the medical system without an insurance card. He also consults with area experts on less obvious ways to get free or reduced health services in the metro.

 

As frustrating as the search can be, there are places to turn for people who have lost their insurance because of layoffs or cutbacks or who are not offered affordable coverage by their employers.

In the one-hour broadcast, KCPT tracks options for residents:

  • without health insurance
  • older children aging out of their parents insurance plans
  • employees who work for small -businesses that don’t  offer a health insurance benefit
  • insured patients who have pre-existing conditions not covered by their health plans

KCPT’S HEALTHCARE PROBLEM SOLVERS…

Amanda Lowe, CEO
Health Partnership Clinic, Johnson County

Dr. Bridget McCandless
LINC/ Jackson County Free Health Clinic

Sheri Wood, CEO
Kansas City Free Health Clinic

Graciela Couchonnal
Healthcare Foundation of Greater KC

Cary Hall
Benefits by Design, Inc.

Todd Knupp,
HRS Erase Inc.

Funding Provided by:

BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas City

Additional Resources provided by:

Cover the Uninsured

Deciphering the Healthcare Code: The Affordable Care Act 101

This week, The Local Show tries to help crack the code of the Affordable Care Act in a panel discussion with regional healthcare leaders shot on location at The Kauffman Foundation.

It is more than two and a half years since Congress passed and the President signed the Affordable Care Act. And it has been a good three months now since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal healthcare law. This week, The Local Show goes on location at the Kauffman Foundation for a conversation with regional health leaders to get a status report on how Kansas and Missouri are implementing these reforms and how the law is impacting small business owners, the uninsured, college students and those with pre-existing medical conditions.

It’s complicated…head scratching stuff. Do you know what a state health insurance exchange is? It’s one of the basic questions we get to the bottom of in this program.

Also, a quick reality check on the Affordable Care Act. Did you Know that while many of its most controversial provisions don’t go into effect until 2014, you can keep your college age kids on your health insurance plan until their 26. That is in effect now. And insurers are no longer allowed to charge women more than men simply because of their gender. Plus, insurance companies can no longer charge or require a co-pay for over 60 preventative care services.

Currently, 48 million Americans don’t have health insurance. The Affordable Care Act is supposed to dramatically diminish that number by providing, finally in this country, an affordable option for most Americans through the creation of new insurance pools managed by the states where people could get coverage at a reasonable price.

States are to start enrolling patients starting next year so that by 2014 they would be covered by health insurance, but as of now, only 15 states have established those so called “state health exchanges” and Kansas and Missouri are not among them.

In Missouri, there’s a statewide issue on the ballot November 6th that, if approved by voters, would block the governor or any Missouri agency from creating a state health exchange without approval from voters or the legislature.

In Kansas, Governor Brownback has chosen not to work towards establishing an exchange until the results of the Presidential election are known.

The panelists for this discussion include:

Jay Anghoff, Regional Director
U.S. Health Department

Andrea Routh, Executive Director
Missouri Health Advocacy Alliance

Sheldon Weisgrau, Director
Health Reform Resource Project

Ryan Barker, Public Policy Director
Missouri Foundation for Health

Cindy Hermes
Kansas Insurance Commission


Additional Resources

Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City

Kansas Health Institute

Missouri Foundation for Health

Missouri Health Advocacy Alliance

Kansas Insurance Commission

Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved (KAMU)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Healthcare.gov

White House: Health Reform in Action

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The Uninsured Booklet: Vietnamese Language Version

A Vietnamese language version of The Uninsured: A Survival Guide is now available for download.

Download the The Uninsured Booklet: Vietnamese language verison

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Health Care Resources

United Way 2-1-1 United Way 2-1-1 is a comprehensive information and referral for community services to find help and give help.  It is free, confidential and available 24 hours a...

The Uninsured: A Kansas City Survival Guide presented by KCPT funded by Blue Cross Blue Sheild of Kansas City with additional resources from Cover the Uninsured

United Way 2-1-1

United Way 2-1-1 is a comprehensive information and referral for community services to find help and give help.  It is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day.

http://www.unitedwaygkc.org

United Way 2-1-1 Health Care Advocate

A full-time advocate provides response to callers with health and medical issues, particularly those requiring advocacy. The health care advocate can help with prescription assistance, medical supplies and equipment, medical transportation, referrals to community clinics, in-home health aid, support groups, immunizations and more.

Call 2-1-1 or 816-474-5112 or toll free at 866-320-5764

Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet

Kansas City’s Medicine Cabinet provides emergency assistance one time per year for clients with a pressing need. Does NOT cover Medicare/Medicaid copays, emergency room visits, pre-existing medical expenses, routine doctor’s visits or hospitalization.

This program of the Baptist–Trinity Lutheran Legacy Foundation provides much needed assistance in these main areas:

  • Dental emergencies, including dentures
  • Diabetic supplies
  • Durable medical goods, including hearing aids
  • Prescriptions (no controlled substances)
  • Vision care.

Partnerships with Price Chopper, the UMKC Dental Clinic, and other organizations make it more convenient and practical to find the help you need.

Call ahead for an intake appointment. [Photo ID, Social Security card, proof of address for the past 30 days, and proof of income for everyone in household required. Household income must be lower than 200 percent of federal poverty level—for example, a single person with income of less than $1,805 per month.]

Bishop Sullivan Center/St. James, KCMO, 816-561-8515

Community Assistance Council, KCMO, 816-763-3277

Community Services League, Independence, 816-254-4100

CrossLines Community Outreach, KCK, 913-281-3388

Johnson County Human Services and Aging, 913-715-8924

Northland Assistance Center, NKCMO, 816-421-2243

Reconciliation Services, KCMO, 816-931-4751

St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, KCK, 913-281-3102

 

Health Insurance Eligibility Quiz

With just a few simple steps, you will learn your options and be given all the resources you need to sign up for your best health coverage plan!

http://www.coverageforall.org

Uninsured Help Line, 800-234-1317

The Help Line is designed to help you find free and low-cost health insurance. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in multiple languages, the service is staffed by friendly Information Specialists who can provide callers with three main services. They can:

  • describe the public or private options for which the caller may be eligible.
  • connect a caller to representatives from various plans.
  • help find special resources pertaining to a caller’s unique health insurance eligibility situation.

Health Care Options Matrix Guide

This hand-held guide outlines your state’s public and private health care choices for individuals and groups in almost every demographic profile, as well as offers a reference list of phone numbers and Web sites. This is an ideal tool for professionals—insurance agents and brokers, health care professionals, business owners, social workers, legislators, teachers, librarians and consumers—who have a basic knowledge of health insurance and need a quick-reference format.

Application and Enrollment Database

This database provides state by state applications to sign up for private and public health coverage. Some programs have applications you can print and some have links to Web sites where you can apply or get a quote.

Kansas Guide and Database

Missouri Guide and Database

Call 816-395-BLUE (2583).

Text the word Blue to 2 2 2 7 5 2.

Visit a Blue KC representative at an AAA Office in Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, Shawnee, or Platte Woods.

Click on “Plans & Coverage” at www.BlueKC.com.

Or contact your insurance agent.

Medicaid and HealthWave

The Medicaid and HealthWave division of KHPA is responsible for purchasing health services for children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, the aged, and the elderly through the Medicaid program, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP/HealthWave), and the state-funded MediKan program.  HealthWave provides assistance to Kansans who do not have access to affordable health insurance for their children. Participants must meet income guidelines. Some families qualify for no-premium health insurance. Others will have small monthly premiums.

Call 800-792-4884 or apply online.

Health Insurance Topics:

  • National Health Insurance Reform
  • Continuation of Coverage and COBRA Q&A
  • Health Savings Accounts
  • Discount Health Plans
  • Individual Major Medical Coverage
  • Dental Insurance
  • Small Business
  • Prompt Pay Act
  • Finding and Filling the Gaps:  Making Health Insurance Affordable for All Kansans
  • Kansas Health Insurance Association (High-Risk Pool)
  • Publications

InsureU

The Insure U online curriculum teaches users about insurance in an informal atmosphere. Research the topics that affect you, then take quizzes to test your knowledge.

MO HealthNet for Kids (MHK) is Missouri’s health insurance program for children.  Eligible children are under the age of 19, are citizens or “eligible, qualified aliens,” and have household incomes within certain guidelines. For most families, MHK is provided at no cost. Families with higher incomes may have to pay a premium. There are no deductibles or co-payments.  There are also MO HealthNet insurance programs available for pregnant women (MO HealthNet for Pregnant Women) and low-income parents (MO HealthNet for Families).

Missouri Family Support Division (FSD)

MO HealthNet Service Center:  888-275-5908, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Health Insurance Topics:

  • Federal Health Care Reform
  • Section 125 Premium-Only Plans (POP)
  • Small Business Health Insurance
  • Missouri Health Insurance Pool (High-Risk Pool)
  • Mandated Health Coverage
  • Health Maintenance Organizations
  • Complaint Index
  • Medicare Disability
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • H1N1 (Swine Flu) Information
  • Glossary of Insurance Terms


Advocates for Family Health

Advocates for Family Health program provides legal representation at no cost for MO HealthNet education and resources to families and service providers for:  rejected applications, terminated coverage, health plan problems, and billing problems.

Call 816-474-6750, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.


Regional Health Care Initiative

The Regional Health Care Initiative at the Mid-America Regional Council works collaboratively to develop systems that increase capacity, access and the quality of safety net health care and behavioral health services for medically vulnerable members of greater Kansas City.

Call 816-474-4240 or http://www.marc.org/healthinitiative/.

2010 Caring Communities Citizens Guide

This guide provides information about LINC’s work, locations of its school and neighborhood Caring Communities sites and information about area elected officials.   The booklet includes maps showing legislatives districts and other useful information.

Get the latest news on health reform implementation in your state and get the latest statistics on why reform is so important.

Kansas Health Reform Implementation News:

Missouri Health Reform Implementation News

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City’s
Health Reform Resources and Health Summit Information

Key Provisions That Take Effect Immediately

More Resources:

Missouri Healthcare Support Service

Kansas Healthcare Support Services

Health Coverage Eligibility Quiz

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Health Care Bill Provisions

Health Care ReformKey Provisions That Take Effect Immediately SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDITS—Offers tax credits to small businesses to make employee coverage more affordable. Tax credits of up to 35 percent...

Health Care ReformKey Provisions That Take Effect Immediately

  1. SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDITS—Offers tax credits to small businesses to make employee coverage more affordable. Tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums will be available to firms that choose to offer coverage. Effective beginning calendar year 2010. (Beginning in 2014, the small business tax credits will cover 50 percent of premiums.)
  2. NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CHILDREN WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS—Prohibits new health plans in all markets plus grandfathered group health plans from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions. Effective 6 months after enactment. (Beginning in 2014, this prohibition would apply to all persons.)
  3. HELP FOR UNINSURED AMERICANS WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS UNTIL EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE (INTERIM HIGH-RISK POOL)—Provides access to affordable insurance for Americans who are uninsured because of a pre-existing condition through a temporary subsidized high-risk pool. Effective in 2010.
  4. ENDS RESCISSIONS—Bans insurance companies from dropping people from coverage when they get sick. Effective 6 months after enactment.
  5. BEGINS TO CLOSE THE MEDICARE PART D DONUT HOLE—Provides a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the donut hole in 2010. Effective for calendar year 2010. (Beginning in 2011, institutes a 50% discount on prescription drugs in the donut hole; also completely closes the donut hole by 2020.)
  6. FREE PREVENTIVE CARE UNDER MEDICARE—Eliminates co-payments for preventive services and exempts preventive services from deductibles under the Medicare program. Effective beginning January 1, 2011.
  7. EXTENDS COVERAGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO 26TH BIRTHDAY THROUGH PARENTS’ INSURANCE—Requires new health plans and certain grandfathered plans to allow young people up to their 26th birthday to remain on their parents’ insurance policy, at the parents’ choice. Effective 6 months after enactment.
  8. HELP FOR EARLY RETIREES—Creates a temporary re-insurance program (until the Exchanges are available) to help offset the costs of expensive premiums for employers and retirees for health benefits for retirees age 55-64. Effective in 2010.
  9. BANS LIFETIME LIMITS ON COVERAGE—Prohibits health insurance companies from placing lifetime caps on coverage. Effective 6 months after enactment.
  10. BANS RESTRICTIVE ANNUAL LIMITS ON COVERAGE—Tightly restricts the use of annual limits to ensure access to needed care in all new plans and grandfathered group health plans. These tight restrictions will be defined by HHS. Effective 6 months after enactment. (Beginning in 2014, the use of any annual limits would be prohibited for all new plans and grandfathered group health plans.)
  11. FREE PREVENTIVE CARE UNDER NEW PRIVATE PLANS—Requires new private plans to cover preventive services with no co-payments and with preventive services being exempt from deductibles. Effective 6 months after enactment.
  12. NEW, INDEPENDENT APPEALS PROCESS—Ensures consumers in new plans have access to an effective internal and external appeals process to appeal decisions by their health insurance plan. Effective 6 months after enactment.
  13. ENSURES VALUE FOR PREMIUM PAYMENTS—Requires plans in the individual and small group market to spend 80 percent of premium dollars on medical services, and plans in the large group market to spend 85 percent. Insurers that do not meet these thresholds must provide rebates to policyholders. Effective on January 1, 2011.
  14. COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS—Increases funding for Community Health Centers to allow for nearly a doubling of the number of patients seen by the centers over the next 5 years. Effective beginning in fiscal year 2011.
  15. INCREASES THE NUMBER OF PRIMARY CARE PRACTITIONERS—Provides new investments to increase the number of primary care practitioners, including doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Effective beginning in fiscal year 2011.
  16. PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SALARY—Prohibits new group health plans from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that have the effect of discriminating in favor of higher wage employees. Effective 6 months after enactment.
  17. HEALTH INSURANCE CONSUMER INFORMATION—Provides aid to states in establishing offices of health insurance consumer assistance in order to help individuals with the filing of complaints and appeals. Effective beginning in fiscal year 2010.
  18. HOLDS INSURANCE COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR UNREASONABLE RATE HIKES—Creates a grant program to support States in requiring health insurance companies to submit justification for all requested premium increases, and insurance companies with excessive or unjustified premium exchanges may not be able to participate in the new Health Insurance Exchanges. Starting in plan year 2011.
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