CKF NEWS & VIEWS
Covering Kids & Families of Indiana Newsletter   
November 9, 2023
POLICY UPDATES

A CDC report shows the U.S. infant mortality rate rose 3% in 2022. There were 610 more infant deaths in 2022 over 2021, with increases among all ethnicity groups except for infants born to Asian women. Deaths among infants of Black women remained the highest of all ethnicity groups, and the mortality rate for infants of Native American or Alaskan Native women also increased significantly. One of the report’s authors said 2023 data will need to be closely examined to determine if the increase in mortality rate is a “blip” or indicator of a larger health care issue. This is the first year-over-year increase since 2001-2002.
Proposed Federal Legislation

S.2415 – Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2023 - was introduced by Senator Shelly Moore Capito [R-WV], would address the maternal health crisis by reauthorizing federal support for maternal mortality review committees. These committees allow states to better understand pregnancy-associated and related deaths and reduce disparities in maternal health outcomes. The bill would also require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to annually publish best practices for preventing maternal mortality and morbidity to hospitals, professional societies, and perinatal quality collaboratives to improve pregnancy outcomes. The bill was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar. 

S.3060 – Youth Mental Health Research Act - was introduced by Senator Amy Klobuchar [D-MN], would allow the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) to partner and conduct fundamental and applied research to improve youth mental health. It would also support social, behavioral, cognitive and developmental research to increase tools to identify, support and best care for young people at-risk and those in crisis. The bill would also establish funding to coordinate research that improves the targeting and delivery of mental health interventions in clinical and community settings. The bill was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
NEWS FROM THE INDIANA SCHOOL HEALTH NETWORK
Save the Date for the 2024 Indiana School Health Network Conference
ISHN Conference Call for Proposals
 
The Indiana School Health Network (ISHN) is inviting school health professionals and advocates to submit proposals to present a session at the 2024 Indiana School Health Network Conference on June 4-5, 2024. The conference will be held at the Embassy Suites Plainfield Hotel. This year's theme is "Seeds of Hope: Growing a Strong Future for Hoosier Kids."
 
All sessions are 60 minutes long, including Q&A and evaluation. Proposals will be selected based on the speaker's knowledge and expertise on the subject. Proposals of interest include but are not limited to the following:

  • Policies, practices or programs that promote cross-sector collaboration
  • Managing physical, behavioral, and mental health conditions that affect educational achievement, especially proposals on chronic diseases, suicide and substance use disorder
  • Role of school-based health centers in childhood development
  • Emerging trends in early childhood education and health
  • Promising practices advancing diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Best practices in school-based Medicaid billing
  • EPSDT screenings in schools
  • Care of children with special health care needs in school
  • Best practices addressing ethics and boundaries
  • Policies and legislation that advance school health outcomes for all students
  • Effective Navigator outreach and enrollment practices for healthcare coverage
  • Innovative Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model implementation

Special consideration will be given to proposals focused on alignment and coordination of services and resources, policy changes, social justice in education, and evidence-based programs promoting physical and mental health in schools.

For more information or questions on submitting a proposal, please contact Sarah Thompson at sthompson@ckfindiana.org.

Deadline for submission is January 9, 2024
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OUTREACH & ENROLLMENT
Marketplace Open Enrollment Tools for Navigators

Marketplace’s annual open enrollment is happening now through January 15, 2024.

Toolkits (these are in addition to ones shared in previous newsletters)

  • Through 2025, financial assistance continues to be available to more consumers at greater levels. Four in five consumers will find a plan for $10 or less per month after subsidies.
  • There are more plans than ever offered on the Marketplace. To make it easier to compare, insurers must offer standardized plans and there are limits on the number of non-standardized plans each can offer.
  • The automatic re-enrollment process should now take into consideration eligibility for cost sharing reductions (CSRs) and move certain consumers from Bronze to Silver Plans.
  • With a focus on health equity and reducing barriers, the Marketplace application now includes optional demographic questions about sexual orientation, gender identity and sex assigned at birth. Out2Enroll has an 18 minute video for assisters on ways to address these questions with consumers.
  • There are additions to the shopping experience to make the process easier including the ability to pause and return to the application, a better design to help with plan comparison, and more.

Specifically for Assisters
  • Marketplace will again have a special phone number for assisters only. Call 1-855-879-2683 and use the unique code assigned to CACs.
  • Marketplace has a Complex Case Web Form for an assister unable to resolve a specific issue. Assisters should attempt to resolve cases through the Marketplace call center first. For more information about using the form, assisters can review slides from an October webinar Complex Case Web Form or the User Guide.
9 Trends for Stakeholders To Watch During ACA Marketplace 2024 Open Enrollment

Going into the 2024 open enrollment season, healthcare stakeholders should be prepared for nine key trends in Affordable Care Act marketplace enrollment, according to experts from KFF.

  1. Stakeholders should expect unsubsidized premiums to rise due to inflation. Premiums grew on average 5 percent for the second-lowest-cost silver plan and 6 percent for the lowest cost bronze plan. The KFF experts noted that the Inflation Reduction Act’s subsidy enhancements remain in effect and can reduce the impacts of these premium increases.
  2. High enrollment should be repeated in 2024. The Medicaid unwinding which left adults and children without coverage in 2023 might contribute to this spike.
  3. Insurer competition will be greater in 2024 than in other enrollment periods of recent history.
  4. Individuals who are at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level and who do not make any changes to their plans during open enrollment might see their coverage change to silver plans, which offer higher cost-sharing reductions.
  5. Changes to the auto-reenrollment policy are new. In past years, individuals who did not act during open enrollment were re-enrolled in the same plan, in 2024 states will seek to re-enroll them in a lower-cost plan. The silver plan will be provided by the same insurer and will share the original plan’s provider network.
  6. Enrollees will have more time to submit proof of income in 2024. Previously, enrollees had 90 days to send regulators income proof. During the 2024 enrollment period, they will have a 60-day extension.
  7. Adults turning 26 in 2024 can stay on their parents’ plans until the next enrollment cycle. In the past, states could terminate young enrollees’ parental coverage on their 26th birthday, even if the birthday fell in the middle of the year. Under the new policy, plans cannot terminate coverage until the end of the calendar year.
  8. Certain life events will allow individuals to change plans or enroll in plans even after the open enrollment period ends. Medicaid disenrollment, a natural disaster, loss of other coverage, and a pandemic can initiate a special enrollment period.
  9. Any enrollees receiving tax credits for coverage have to file tax returns to remain eligible. Those who do not file and reconcile their tax returns for two consecutive years cannot receive advance premium tax credits in the third year.

RESOURCES
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Indiana 988 recently updated their resource toolkit to include 15 languages. Included in the toolkit are social media graphics and copy, template email, fliers, text message copy, and coloring sheets. Social service agencies are encouraged to promote these important updates.

Native American Heritage Month is observed each November to celebrate the diverse traditions, cultures, histories and achievements of American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) are celebrating Native American Heritage Month by promoting Better Health Through Better Understanding for AI/AN communities through culturally and linguistically respectful health care services, information and resources. Visit the Native American Heritage Month website to learn about health disparities in AI/AN communities, access social media graphics and messages, and to find information on upcoming events focused on AI/AN communities.
TRAININGS & WEBINARS
OWH Informational Webinar Series:
HHS Innovation Challenge to Prevent Human Trafficking Among Women and Girls

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) is seeking innovative ways to address human trafficking prevention among women and girls in the United States through the HHS Innovation Challenge to Prevent Human Trafficking.

OWH will be hosting an informational webinar for those who are interested in participating in the competition. The webinar will take place TODAY, Thursday, November 9, 2023 at 7:00pm ET. Please use the registration below to join and visit Challenge.gov or contact TraffickingChallenge@hhs.gov if you have any questions.
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Meeting Updates
 
In this webinar, Dr. John Christenson will provide updates from the October 25-27 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting. John Christenson, MD, is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the IU School of Medicine. He is also the Associate Medical Director, Pediatric Infection Prevention, at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
 
CME, Pharmacy, and Continuing Nursing Education will be offered for live view only.
 
Date: November 9, 2023 - TODAY!
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST
Reducing Barriers to Care for Patients with Autism
 
In this webinar, Rachel Deaton, Director of Training and Legislation at the Autism Society of Indiana, will present ideas that providers can use to calm autistic patients and improve their vaccination experience.
 
CNE will be offered.
 
Date: December 5, 2023
Time: 3:00pm to 4:00pm EST
ENROLLMENT TRENDS
Total Membership decreased in September.

With 2,080,925 members, there were 28,596, or -1.36%, fewer members in September 2023 than in August 2023.
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