Help Medicaid Members Keep Their Coverage |
|
Do you work with or serve Virginians covered through Medicaid, FAMIS or CHIP?
Help them receive important information regarding their health coverage by updating their contact information (mailing address, email, and phone numbers). They can go online to commonhelp.virginia.gov, call Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282, or call their local Department of Social Services to update their information.
In April, the Department of Health and Human Services is expected to announce the end to the COVID public health emergency (PHE). This will also put an end to the federal mandate that prevented Medicaid members from losing coverage during the pandemic. At that time, the Virginia Medicaid program will review all members’ health coverage as it returns to a normal enrollment process. The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) must have members’ current contact information in order to reach out to them about renewing their coverage.
How can you spread the word?
Community partners, government agencies, health plan administrators, and health clinic staff who work with or serve Medicaid members can use the Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) Unwinding Toolkit to ensure Medicaid members have the information they need to maintain their coverage. Use these messages and templates to reach out to members through flyers, posters, phone messages, social media posts, website updates, and email newsletters. DMAS will continue to add resources to this toolkit as new federal guidance becomes available.
Why is the end of the PHE important?
Almost 500,000 Virginians enrolled in Medicaid since the pandemic began. Many will continue to be eligible when the PHE ends, but others may not meet the eligibility criteria. Some people, often those from intentionally marginalized groups, such as those for whom English is a second language, risk falling through the “care gap” and losing Medicaid coverage, limiting their access to health care.
DMAS wants to ensure as many eligible Virginians as possible remain covered after the PHE ends. Help Medicaid members update their contact information by going online to commonhelp.virginia.gov, call Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282, or call their local Department of Social Services. Wait times at Medicaid call centers may increase as members call to update their information.
|
|
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month |
|
Developing strong oral health habits as a child can lead to a healthy mouth and body as they get older. Do you work with children, families, or pregnant people? Use the handouts below to talk about the importance of oral health and how to stay healthy at home:
|
|
Partner Spotlight:
Virginia Household Drinking Water Program
|
|
About 1 in 5 Virginians, mostly in rural areas, rely on private water supplies, like wells or springs, for their household water. These aren’t tested regularly like public water supplies and are also less likely to contain fluoride, the naturally-occurring element that prevents cavities and builds strong teeth. Knowing the safety and quality of private water supplies is crucial to the health of its consumers.
The Virginia Household Water Quality Program (VHWQP) offers people using private water supplies access to affordable and confidential water testing. Each participant receives a meeting to clearly interpret their test results and steps to manage or maintain a healthy water supply. Community water experts at Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension run this program to make water testing more accessible and improve water quality for individuals using private water supplies.
VHWQP holds drinking water clinics in 60 counties around Virginia. Find the next clinic date near you, and learn about the safety of your private water. Anyone on a private water supply can participate!
The Water Equity Taskforce (WET), a Catalyst workgroup with the goal of increasing equity in water access and safety across Virginia, understands that access to water quality tests and accurate interpretations of the results are crucial to improve trust in the water supply. WET members are developing recommendations to create concrete, measurable action steps that will push Virginia towards equity in water access and quality, such as ways to improve water quality communications within the community. Check back later this year to see the WET recommendations!
|
|
Resource: Health Information Technology Resource Guide
Health information technology (HIT) is crucial to evaluate and report the progress and effectiveness of health services in community health centers. As care becomes more patient-centered and integrated, integrated health records will improve clinic efficiencies, cross-staff communication, and health outcomes.
With the Health Information Technology Resource Guide, dental program staff can find technical assistance on IT topics, like selecting software for your electronic health records, tips on customization, and suggested questions for the vendor. It also includes considerations that are unique to your needs, like teledentistry, medical/dental integration, and ePrescribing.
The National Network for Oral Health Access developed this guide with input from members nationwide as a tool to support the entire leadership team of your community health center, since these decisions include more than just the dental director.
|
|
Virginia Legislation Tracker |
|
The 2022 Virginia legislative session will continue through March 12. Catalyst is tracking health and equity-related legislation throughout session, such as funding an increase to Medicaid’s dental reimbursement. You can view our online legislation tracker to learn about what we’re watching.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
