Health Insurance Literacy Webinar

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Communications/Partner Relations Group invite you to a “Health Insurance Literacy” Webinar.

During the call, we will provide brief updates on the Health Insurance Marketplace and share information on health insurance literacy. This will help you communicate the value of health insurance, provide appropriate resources and tools to address potential health insurance literacy challenges, and will help you assist people in your community make informed decisions about their health coverage needs.

Please submit your questions in advance to Partnership@cms.hhs.gov (include “Health Insurance Literacy Webinar” in the email subject line).

Please forward this invitation to any of your colleagues who may want to participate. 

What:	National Health Insurance Literacy Webinar for HHS Office of Minority Health Partners
Who Should Attend:	OMH partners and others who are interested in learning about health insurance literacy resources and tools to support community outreach and education efforts.
When:	Wednesday, February 5, 2014, at 1 pm ET
Webinar Info.:	Webinar link: http://engage.vevent.com/rt/betah_associates_inc~020514
Note:	The audio will be available through your computer via the webinar link.

We encourage you to check out the new information for consumers at HealthCare.gov and sign up for Marketplace email and text message updates. Please visit the Marketplace page for partners to sign up for Marketplace updates. You may also download relevant resources, training or learn about partnership opportunities.

Please direct any questions to Partnership@cms.hhs.gov.

Workforce Diversity, Cultural Competency and Eliminating Disparities

Penned by J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE, OMH Director, and Chazeman Jackson, PhD, OMH Health Science Advisor, this article offers rationale for increasing the diversity and cultural competency of the health and health care workforce, and reviews key strategies led by the Office of Minority Health. Read the full article in Public Health Reports' supplement on workforce diversity and health disparities. 

What's New in the Knowledge Center

The Knowledge Center at the Office of Minority Health Resource Center is the largest dedicated repository of health disparities information in the nation, with a collection of 50,000 documents, articles, reports, books, journals and media related to the health status of racial and ethnic minority populations. The library collection also includes sources of consumer health material in more than 35 languages.

• View the latest Knowledge Center acquisitions list.
• Search the online catalog.

New Health Disparities Newsletter

Health Disparities Pulse is the new quarterly newsletter on minority health and health disparities from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health. In this issue: funding opportunities, exploring the environment in health disparities, web-based software for limited English proficiency patients and more. Download the inaugural issue.

From The Office of Minority Health and Health Equity

 To You: 

McDonnell reneges on vow to draw rural health professionals

“The McDonnell administration will expand loan forgiveness and scholarship programs for health care professionals with an emphasis on placing health care professionals in rural areas,” the campaign said.

In our first evaluation of the promise, we said the effort was “Stalled.” The administration had made progress on some aspects of rural health care but had not pushed the General Assembly to restart a loan forgiveness program.

Each year, the state receives $400,000 from the federal government for the Virginia State Loan Repayment Program, but local clinics, not the state government, pay out the required 50 percent match. The award number varies each year — in 2011, there were five awards; in 2012, there was one; and in 2013, there were five..... Click here to learn more.

Nominate Rural Health's Finest

Each year NRHA honors outstanding individuals and organizations in the field of rural health who have dedicated their time and talents to improving the health and well-being of others. Recipients will be recognized at NRHA's 37th Annual Rural Health Conference April 22-25, 2014, in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Consider nominating your favorite rural health professionals starting Dec. 2 so that they may be honored nationally for their contributions to rural health.

For more information go to: http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/go/left/about-rural-health/rural-health-awards/2009-rural-health-awards-nominations