Health Insurance Information for Consumers

The Kansas Health Policy Authority, Kansas Insurance Department and Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services websites provide valuable resources to help people in Kansas make informed decisions about health insurance and medical benefits


Health Insurance
High Deductible Health Insurance Policies
Health Savings Accounts
Discount Health Cards - Discount Health Cards are not insurance!
Companies which may offer Individual Major Medical Coverage in Kansas
Companies which may offer Dental Insurance in Kansas
The Kansas Health Care Prompt Payment Act and what to do if you need to report slow claim payment
The Kansas Health Insurance Association's plan to provide health care benefits for Kansas residents who are unable to purchase health insurance
Insure U lessons that allow users to learn about insurance topics online and then test their knowledge by taking quizzes

Medicare and Medicaid
HealthWave - Health insurance program for uninsured children and low income families in Kansas
Fact Sheet
Eligibility -Children Pregnant Women
Medicare Part D - What you should know about this drug prescription plan.
Medicare Supplement On-Line Shopper's Guide compare medicare supplement rates
Kansas Partnership for Long-Term Care - A new Long-Term Care Partnership Program to protect your assets if you need to apply for Medicaid services
Medicare.gov Official U.S Government site for people with Medicare
Kansas
Working Healthy - Program that allows people with disabilities who are working or interested in working the opportunity to get or keep Medicaid coverage while on the job
Citizen Requirements to apply for federally funded medical benefits
Medikan - Short-term program for people with disabilities with low income and don't qualify for other state or federal programs

Long Term Care
Kansas Long-Term Care Insurance Information about long term care insurance in Kansas
Long-Term Care Insurance Shopper's Guide compare insurance rates for long term care

Assistance
Consumer Assistance - What to do if you need assistance with insurance or how to file a complaint
Kansas Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association - What happens if your insurance company goes out of business
Citizen requirements

Family Budget Calculator indicates how much of their income is spent on health care

The Economic Policy Institute has an interesting tool to determine the amount of money a family can expect to spend on health care and other basic needs. Historically, the poverty level has been used to determine if families make enough to support basic needs, however, many researchers indicate that "poverty line" isn't a reliable measure.

The Economic Policy Institute's Basic Family Budget Calculator provides a customized budget for all U.S. communities.

I was surprised to see how accurate this calculator was for my family. Check it out and let us know what you think.

The latest KHO schedule for workshops and focus groups

We're looking forward to hearing from consumers and librarians this week in western Kansas.

Please let us know if you would be interested in participating or learning more about Kansas Health Online. Contact Julie Broski at Jbroski@kumc.edu for more information!


Consumer Health Focus Groups

Russell Focus Group
Tuesday, Sept. 16
5:00-6:00 PM
Russell Kansas Public Library
126 E 6th Street Russell KS 67665

Quinter Focus Group
Wednesday, Sept. 17
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Quinter Public Library
411 Main St
Quinter, KS 67752

Goodland Focus Group
Wednesday, September 17
1:00 pm - 2:00 PM MST
Goodland Public Library
812 Broadway
Goodland, KS

Ulysses Focus Group
Thursday, September 18
10:30 -11:30 AM
Ulysses Public Library
215 East Grant
Ulysses, KS 6788

Dodge City Focus Group
Thursday, September 18
6:00-7:00 PM
Dodge City Public Library
1001 N 2nd Ave
Dodge City, KS 67801

Belleville Focus Group
Wednesday, September 24
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Belleville Public Library
1327 19th StBelleville, KS 66935


Wichita Focus Group
Friday, October 3
1:30 – 2:30 PM
Wichita Public Library
223 S. MainWichita, KS 67202

Topeka Focus Group
Tuesday, October 7
10:00-11:00 AM
Topeka Public Library
1515 SW 10th AveTopeka, KS 66604-1374

Manhattan Focus Group
Thursday, October 9
9:00-10:00 AM
629 Poyntz AveManhattan, KS 66502

El Dorado Focus Group - TBA

Hutchinson Focus Group - TBA

Kansas Health Online Training, Workshops and Meet and Greet

Norton KHO Day
Wednesday, September 17
10:00 to noon
Norton Public Library
#2 Washington Square Norton, KS

Stockton KHO Day
Wednesday, September 17
2:00-3:30 PM
Nova Theatre 517 Main
Stockton KS

Garden City KHO
Meet and Greet
Thursday, September 18
10:00 AM – Noon
KU Area Health Education Center1501 Fulton TerraceGarden City, KS
Dodge City KHO Day
Dodge City Public Library Friday, September 19
1:00-3:00 PM
1001 N 2nd Ave
Dodge City, KS 67801

Topeka KHO Day
Thursday, October 16
Time: TBA
1717 SW Topeka BlvdTopeka, KS 66612

Clearwater KHO Day

KCK KHO Day
November, date and time TBA

Overland Park KHO Day
Date and Time TBA

Participate in a National Health Care Discussion in Johnson County

You can be a part of the community discussion on health care. Johnson County Library will host a community discussion to explore how to make health care more affordable.

Program: Health Care in America: How Can We Make it More Affordable?
When: Thursday, Sept. 18, 6:15-8:30 p.m.
Where: Johnson County Public Library Central Resource Library, 9875 W. 87th Street, Overland Park, KS
RSVP: Those who register will receive their discussion guide in advance.

To register, fill out the online registration form or call (913) 495-2497 to register by phone. Space is limited.
For more information, contact Lisa Louis

Kansas Health Online Partners with Kansas Reads to Preschoolers About Health

Kansas Health Online is delighted to promote the importance of reading to preschoolers by partnering with Kansas Reads to Preschoolers About Health.

Julie Broski, Project Manager for Kansas Health Online shares information with Senior Citizens in Leavenworth abouth Kansas Center for the Book and Kansa Reads to Preschoolers About Health.

KHO and Kansas Reads to Preschoolers About Health

"Reading fluency is a more powerful variable than education for examining the association between socioeconomic status and health."
David W. Baker, M.D.,Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine,Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers About Health is sponsored by the State Library of Kansas and the Kansas Center for the Book. This year's book, Bear Feels Sick is written by Karma Wilson.

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Awesome Activities!

Kansas Reading Facts
Half of all young children in Kansas are reported to be read to daily (50.6%)
Kansas ranks 23rd in the nation for being read to daily
Kansas ranks 10th in the nation for young people being served by libraries

Reading and Health Literacy
Daily reading is the strongest factor in predicting higher levels of health literacy
The simple act of reading every day is associated with improved health-literacy scores

Benefits of Health Literacy
Improved communication
Greater adherence to treatment
Greater ability to engage in self-care
Improved health status
More efficient health system
Reduced cost to health system

Parenting Tips from the Center For Disease ControlDevelopmental Milestones for Preschoolers - CDC

Consumer Health Focus Group in Lawrence, KS

Anna Lambertson, of Kansas Health Consumer Coalition, moderated the consumer health focus group for Kansas Health Online in Lawrence, KS. Participants in the focus group shared their views about health care in Kansas. Information gathered during the consumer health focus groups will be used by Kansas Health Online to learn the kind of information Kansans would like to see on the state's new health website.

KHO in Leaveworth, KS

Kansas Health Online met with senior citizens Monday, August 18, 2008 to share information about the new health information website for Kansans.

Marguerite Spencer, the Assistant Director of the Leavenworth Public Library and Mike Keohane of Cushing Memorial Hospital helped coordinate the meeting.

Although some of the participants don't use computers at home, Marguerite encouraged participants to visit the public library. The library provides internet access to quality web sites such as Kansas Health Online and also conducts one on one computer training.

Participants also completed a health information survey that Kansas Health Online will use to help guide future development on the website. Results from the surveys will also be provided to members of the Kansas Health Policy Authority Data Consortium. The Data Consortium is developing a process to collect data that will be used by policymakers, businesses and consumers. In the future, consumers will be able to access price and quality information through Kansas Health Online.

Kansas Health Online Schedules Focus Groups and Librarian Workshops

Kansas Health Online to Conduct Consumer Health Focus Groups and Workshops with Librarians

Kansas City - KansasHealthOnline.com will be meeting with consumers across the state to hear about the health information needs of Kansans. These focus groups give consumers an excellent opportunity to help shape the kind of information that will be available on Kansas Health Online. In addition to providing information about how consumers use health information on the internet, the information gathered during the focus group will be made available to policy makers at a time when health reform is gaining increasing interest at the state and national level.

Kansas Health Online is a new web site that provides health information for consumers. It's a collaborative project developed by the Kansas Health Policy Authority, the State Library of Kansas, and Dykes Library at KU Medical Center.

Kansas Health Online empowers Kansans to make more informed decisions by providing information on health and health care in an easy to use and easy to understand format. Consumers will find tools, links, and information to compare hospitals, find doctors, compare health plans, analyze symptoms, get the latest information on medical conditions, make healthy lifestyle choices, and learn more about health policy.

Public libraries and the Internet are often the first place consumers turn for medical information. Research has indicated consumers who use the library as a health resource bring new information to their healthcare providers, make lifestyle changes, ask additional questions, and reduce their anxiety levels. In focus groups conducted by the Reference Point Foundation, consumers report that health information found through libraries is valuable and affects their health care decisions. In fact, 60 percent of the participants in the Reference Point Foundation project said that libraries were among their preferred sources of health information.

In addition to conducting these focus groups, Kansas Health Online representatives will be hosting Kansas Health Online Days across the state. Aimed at librarians, public health workers, and other health care providers, workshop will highlight features of Kansas Health Online. It also includes a roundtable discussion to allow a conversation about common questions and concerns received from the public. This feedback will also help shape the content of Kansas Health Online.

Related topics for stories and interviews: Public Libraries and Public Health

• Dykes Medical Library teams up with the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library to promote health and fitness
  
• Dykes Medical Library and the State Library of Kansas and the Health Policy Authority work together to bring health information to Kansans

For more information or to set up an interview please contact:

Julie Broski at jbroski@kumc.edu
Dykes Medical Library
University of Kansas Medical Center

913-945-6681

Kansas Health Online in Lawrence and South Central Kansas October and Novermber 2008

10/7/2008 10:00 AM	10am-11:00 am	Focus Group		Topeka Focus Group
11/5/2008 12:00 AM	TBA	Focus Group		Wichita
11/5/2008 12:00 AM	TBA	Mini KHO		Wichita Mini KHO Day
11/6/2008 12:00 AM	firm date, still awaiting exact times	KHO Day		SCKLS KHO Day - Clearwater

KHO in Western and Central Kansas September 2008

9/16/2008 5:00 PM	5:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Focus Group		Russel Focus Group
9/17/2008 9:00 AM	9:00 am - 10:00 am	Focus Group		Quinter Focus Group
9/17/2008 10:00 AM	10:00 am - noon	KHO Day		Norton Kansas Health Online Day
9/17/2008 1:00 PM	1:00 pm - 2:00 pm MST (2:00P-3P CST)	Focus Group		Goodland Focus Group
9/17/2008 2:00 PM	2:00 pm - 3:30 pm	KHO Day		Stockton KHO Day CKLS
9/18/2008 10:00 AM	TBA	Mini KHO		Garden City Mini KHO
9/18/2008 10:30 AM	10:30 AM - 11:30 AM	Focus Group		Ulysses Focus Group
9/18/2008 6:00 PM	6:00 pm- 7:00 PM	Focus Group		Dodge City Focus Group
9/19/2008 1:00 PM	1:00 pm-3:00 pm	KHO Day		Dodge City KHO Day
9/24/2008 9:00 AM	9 am -10am	Focus Group		Manhattan Focus Group 9-10am
9/24/2008 9:00 AM	10:30-12:30	KHO Day		Manhattan KHO 10:30 - 12:30 am
9/24/2008 2:00 PM	2:00 pm-3:00pm	Focus Group		Belleville Focus Group
9/25/2008 12:00 AM	TBA	Mini KHO		Emporia Mini KHO
9/25/2008 9:00 AM	this will be either 9:00 am - 10:00 am or 10-11	Focus Group		Council Grove Focus Group

KHO in Northeast Kansas August 2008

8/18/2008 11:00 AM	11:00 am - noon	Mini KHO	Amy; Julie; Karen; Victoria	Leavenworth
8/18/2008 3:00 PM	3:00 pm - 4:00 pm	Focus Group	Amy; Julie; Karen; Anna; Victoria	Lawrence Public Library

Kansas Health Online hears from consumers in Iola, Coffeyville and Pittsburg

Kansas Health Online traveled to Iola, Pittsburg and Coffeyville earlier this month to learn about the health concerns and health information needs of those communities.


Kansas Health Online will be conducting additional focus groups throughout the state through November 6th. A final report summarizing the discussions will be available in in January of 2009.

The focus group reports were compiled by Kansas Health Consumer Coalition.

Healthy People 2020

Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 Meeting Announcement

The Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 will hold its fourth meeting on July 30, 2008, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on the Internet (via WebEx software). This meeting will be the equivalent of an in-person meeting of the Committee and will be open to the public.

Members of the public are invited to listen to the online Committee meeting. To listen to the Committee meeting, individuals must pre-register to attend at the Healthy People Website at http://www.healthypeople.gov. There will be no opportunity for oral public comments during the online meeting. Written comments are welcome throughout the development process of the national health promotion and disease prevention objectives for 2020. They can be submitted through the Healthy People Web site at: http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/comments/ or they can be e-mailed to HP2020@hhs.gov. Please note that the public comment Website will be updated throughout the Healthy People development process, so people should return to the site frequently to provide their input.

Participation in the meeting is limited. Registrations will be accepted until maximum WebEx capacity is reached and must be completed by close of business EDT on July 29, 2008. A waiting list will be maintained should registrations exceed WebEx capacity. Individuals on the waiting list will be contacted as additional space for the meeting becomes available. For detailed instructions about how to make sure that your windows-based computer and browser are set up for WebEx, please visit the “Secretary’s Advisory Committee” page of the Healthy People Web site at: http://www.healthypeople.gov/hp2020/advisory/default.asp

Registration questions may be directed to Hilary Scherer at HP2020@norc.org (e-mail), (301) 634-9374 (phone), or (301) 634-9301 (fax).

Recommend a website to Kansas Health Online

Do you know of a website that should be included on Kansas Health Online or have a suggestion for us?

Send your recommendations or suggestions to Jbroski@kumc.edu

Spread the Word

Add a link to

Let your readers know about Kansas Health Online by adding a link to your website.
Everything you need including press release information and Kansas Health Online Logos in a horizontal or compact format is here.

Although it's not necessary, we'd love to hear from you if you do link to us.

Thank you for helping to spread the word about Kansas Health Online!


Kansas Health Online is a new website with a focus on health transparency for consumers. It is a collaborative project developed by the Kansas Health Policy Authority, the State Library of Kansas, and Dykes Library at KU Medical Center. Kansas Health Online is part of the health policy reform package recommended by the Health Policy Authority.

Kansas Health Online empowers Kansans to make more informed decisions by providing information on health and health care in an easy to use and easy to understand format. Consumers will find tools, links, and information to compare hospitals, find doctors, compare health plans, analyze symptoms, get latest information on medical conditions, make healthy lifestyle choices and learn more about health policy. Information on Kansas Health Online is reviewed by Medical Librarians to ensure reliability and relevance to Kansas consumers. More information will be added in the coming weeks and months, including information on health care costs and on local health resources such as hospitals, clinics, associations, and support groups.

Health of Children and Families in Kansas

Kansas Action for Children has released information for 2008 about the health, education and economic status of Kansas children and families.

Additional state and local data for health of children and families in Kansas:

• Kansas Kids Count Data (PDF)
• Kids Count County Level Data
• The Kansas Deparment of Health and Environment Office of Local and Rural Health website provides links to additional public health data resources.
• Kids Count 2007 Data Book Online
• Promising Practices Network - Evidence-based information on programs, practices, tools and resources to help improve communities

Urgent Health Reform News in Kansas

Open Letter to Kansas Health Care Consumers from the Kansas Health Policy Authority
From 3.28.2008 KHPA Legislative Pulse


" Early next week, legislators from the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives are expected to meet in Conference Committee to make a pivotal decision about health reform in our state. Active discussion about health reform in Kansas started in November last year with the release of the 21 health reform recommendations developed by the Kansas Health Policy Authority.

Those recommendations were the result of conversations with hundreds of health care consumers, advocates, and providers across Kansas and were designed to transform the Kansas health system, lower health care costs, and make Kansas a healthier state.

Last week, bipartisan leadership in the House played an important role in advancing the compromise health reform bill. Action next week in Conference Committee could result in meaningful Kansas health reform if the House compromise provisions are included in the final bill.....

....Next week’s Conference Committee will be a defining moment for true
Kansas Health Reform. Please contact your legislator in the coming days
to express your opinion about this issue.
Sincerely,
Marcia Nielsen, Executive Director Kansas
Health Policy Authority

Connie Hubbell, Chair
Kansas Health Policy Authority

Health Declines in Kansas

The Federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality relased their annual report that identifies areas of health care delivery that needs quality improvement.

In 7 out of 12 areas there has been a decline in the quality of health care as compared to the baseline. The State Snapshots Web tool also tracks states’ progress toward reaching government-set health goals for 2010.

The report indicates the challenges we face in Kansas to improve the quality of health care. Although there has been improvement in some areas, this report highlights the ongoing need for health reform in Kansas.

Partnerships Build Possibilities

The collaborative partnerships that are being developed through Kansas Health Online demonstrate the willingness and commitment these organizations have toward improving the health of Kansans.

Regional Library Systems
KHO staff met with Regional Library Systems Managers at the beginning of March to discuss how libraries in Kansas could support Kansas Health Online. During the next year KHO will work with library liaisons across the state who will assist in developing Kansas Go Local, a database of Kansas Health Care Providers. Kansas Go Local is part of the National Library of Medicine's Go Local Project.

KHO staff at Dykes Library is also working with Regional Library Systems to schedule a Kansas Health Online Day in each region during this spring and summer.

Kansas Public Health Association
Dykes Library, Kansas Public Health Association and The State Library of Kansas are looking forward to working together to improve access to health information in Kansas.

University of Kansas Center for Healthcare Informatics
The Center for Healthcare Informatics has approached KHO about the possibility of providing health literacy content as well as important information about privacy issues.

Johnson County Infant Toddler Services
KHO has met with Johnson County Infant Toddler. Early Childhood Service Providers are on the front lines working with families who will benefit from KHO resources. KHO and Infant Toddler Services are looking at ways we can work together in conjunction with public libraries across the state to get the word out to service providers and families about KHO.

Families Together
Families Together contacted KHO to offer to provide data for Kansas Go Local. In addition, Families Together has informed us that they will be providing information about Kansas Health Online in their workshops and conferences.

United Way
KHO has met with United Way staff in Kansas to discuss how we can leverage our resources to improve the health of Kansans by working together. United Way 2-1-1 provides a valuable service to Kansans and we are happy to promote this important service. The complimentary resources available on 2-1-1 and Kansas Health Online are excellent examples of how collaborative relationships benefit Kansans by promoting the availability of services. We are looking forward to working with United Way of Greater Kansas City and United Way of the Plains.

National Network of Libraries of Medicine
The biomedical librarians at Dykes Library on the KU Med Campus are responsible for reviewing the content to make sure it meets the criteria developed for Kansas Health Online. Rebecca Brown is the liaison to the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. Rebecca's knowledge of NNLM materials is a valuable resource for Kansas Health Online.

Kansas Health Online
Kansas Health Online is a collaborative project developed by the Kansas Health Policy Authority, the State Library of Kansas, and Dykes Library at KU Medical Center and is part of the health policy reform package recommended by the Health Policy Authority.

This unique collaboration provides a powerful foundation for Kansas Health Online. Public libraries are often the first place people where individuals look for health information. Kansas Health Online answers the need for reliable information. Biomedical librarians and public librarians will now be able to pool their resources to meet the information needs of Kansans. Biomedical librarians will bring expertise in their specialized areas. Public librarians bring their communication skills as well as their knowledge and connections in their community. All of which demonstrates the exponential power of collaboration.

Fair Season

Information to help you plan for your school or company's health fair.
How to Plan a Health Fair - Center for Disease Control
Health Fair Planning Guide (PDF)
Time Table for planning a Health Fair
A Guide to Organizing and Planning your Health Fair - AAP

Additional resources are available at the State Library Of Kansas website. Search for "Health Fair" Planning

No More Distractions!

How The State Library of Kansas Makes it Easier to Stay On Task

There's some online excitement in store for Kansans with a penchant for research that goes beyond Google.

The State Library of Kansas has a new search engine that is able to recognize Kansas IP addresses and will automatically allow access to resources that previously required jumping through a couple of hoops before you could get to the information.

You would either need to:
1. apply for a Kansas Library Card online or
2. Get up from the computer to search for your Kansas Library Card. This may mean finding your wallet or for some of us is much more ominous like trying to remember what pair of blue jeans you were wearing the last time you used your Kansas Library Card . By the time you've located your card the opportunity for distraction may have veered your initial search, the one you were doing online, completely off course.

Here's what my search on "Health Fair" Planning returned.

Kansas Main Catalog The first items on the list are book titles
World Book Encyclopedia These returns don't provide any information I'm interested in
Gale Expanded Academic ASAP There are some useful resources here.

To find resources that you can read the entire article online, look for Titles that have an "F" (stands for Full Text) at the end of the description.

To Read Wellness Promotion how to plan a college health fair, click on the title.
You will be directed to Gale Expanded Academic.
To read the article click on "full text" under the title.

If the extent of your online search is to Google, Visit The Online Library Learning Center. They have an excellent guide on Using Online Databases and Catalogs.

The optimized search on the State Library of Kansas makes online research easier and faster. There's still room for distraction, but at least it will be wanderings through the "virtual stacks" of the State Library of Kansas and not somewhere in your laundry room while you search for your library card.