Missouri Medicaid Expansion is Changing Lives for Those Aware of New Eligibility Guidelines |
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Last year, Missouri expanded Medicaid coverage guidelines to include an estimated more than 275,000 newly eligible adults. The new requirements allow for those who have previously fallen through the cracks to now receive low-cost or even free coverage for routine services, emergency care, mental health care, addiction services, and more. However, Missouri’s fumbled expansion rollout created confusion, resulting in tens of thousands of now eligible adults to believe they still aren’t covered for the care they deserve.
For the newly enrolled Missourians who have taken advantage of the changes, Medicaid through MO HealthNet has proven to be a dream come true. Patients avoiding care due to fear of the hospital bill are now able to comfortably manage their health. Improved individual investment in patient health also eases burdens on health providers, both by improving illness and injury overall and by retaining emergency resources and subsequent costs.
HCC Network Community Health Worker Shelly Harden helps combat the confusion surrounding Medicaid by educating communities in rural Missouri about the new guideline changes. As a certified application counselor, Harden also assists patients applying for Medicaid, food stamps, and Social Security Disability, as well as provides resources such as legal aid.
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Cervical Cancer is Preventable with Routine Screenings and Vaccines |
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January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month |
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The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many elective procedures being put on hold, and this has led to a substantial decline in cancer screening. Health care facilities are providing cancer screening during the pandemic with many safety precautions in place.
The American Cancer Society recommends that individuals with a cervix follow these guidelines to help find cervical cancer early. Following these guidelines can also find pre-cancers, which can be treated to keep cervical cancer from starting.
- Cervical cancer testing (screening) should begin at age 25.
- Those aged 25 to 65 should have a primary HPV test every 5 years. If primary HPV testing is not available, screening may be done with either a co-test that combines an HPV test with a Papanicolaou (Pap) test every 5 years or a Pap test alone every 3 years.
The most important thing to remember is to get screened regularly, no matter which test you get.
HPV is a common virus that can cause 6 types of cancer. While there is no treatment for HPV, there is a vaccine that can prevent it.
If your child is between ages 9 and 12, talk to their doctor about the HPV vaccine. The vaccine is safe, effective, and long-lasting.
Vaccinating your child at the recommended ages can help keep them healthy well into adulthood and is the best way to prevent HPV cancers, such as cervical cancer, later in life.
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Booster Shots Make Us Stronger, Longer |
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Why do I need a booster shot?
Booster shots are an important way to prolong protection against COVID-19 and prevent serious illness. Research shows that immunity against COVID-19 diminishes over time, and a booster shot can help your body stay protected longer.
Additionally, if you are experiencing “long-haul” COVID-19 symptoms, a booster shot can be helpful. Long-haul symptoms include: brain fog, fatigue, headaches, dizziness and shortness of breath, among others.
Are boosters safe?
Researchers evaluated 1.1 million individuals who got a COVID-19 booster shot. After 12 days, they were almost 20 times less likely to test positive for COVID-19 and less likely to have severe symptoms compared with people who did not get a booster shot.
People who have received booster shots report experiencing mild side effects, if any. Booster doses help prevent serious complications, hospitalization, and death.
Who is eligible?
Booster shots are available for all three COVID-19 vaccines for individuals aged 12 and older.
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Is It Safe for My Children to #GetTheShot? |
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Children ages 5 to 11 are now eligible for the low-dose Pfizer vaccine to get immunized against COVID-19. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all eligible children get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.
Clinical trials reveal vaccines for children are safe and offer strong protection against COVID-19, including against the Delta and Omicron variants. Trials included thousands of children who were closely monitored by pediatricians and experts to help ensure safety.
The COVID-19 vaccine is free of charge to all people living in the United States, regardless of health insurance or residency status.
The Lafayette County Health Department offers the pediatric Pfizer vaccine for ages 5 to 11 every Monday and Wednesday by appointment only.
Still have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for kids? Get answers.
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The pediatric Pfizer vaccine for ages 5 to 11 is also available every Monday and Wednesday by appointment only.
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HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, and the combination of drugs used to treat it is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART is recommended for all people living with HIV, regardless of how long they’ve had the virus or how healthy they are. People living with HIV who take HIV medication daily as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting HIV to their HIV-negative partners. This is called treatment as prevention.
Learn more about HIV medicines and how they reduce the risk of transmitting HIV.
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El VIH es un tipo de virus llamado retrovirus y la combinación de medicamentos que se usan para tratarlo se llama terapia antirretroviral (TAR). Se recomienda el TAR para todas las personas que viven con el VIH, independientemente de cuánto tiempo hayan tenido el virus o cuán saludables estén. Las personas que viven con el VIH que toman los medicamentos contra el VIH diariamente según lo prescrito y obtienen y mantienen una carga viral indetectable no tienen ningún riesgo de transmisión sexual del VIH a sus parejas VIH negativas. A esto se le llama tratamiento como prevención.
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ICYMI: HCC Rides Bridges the Access Gap in Health Care |
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One obstacle of existing public transportation services, including the services for Medicaid enrollees, is the lack of flexibility. While these programs are helpful for appointments scheduled in advance, they offer little wiggle room for changes or emergencies. The same is true for public buses; even if there is no cost, hours of operation and routes are limited.
Because of these challenges, HCC Rides focuses on flexibility. The program aims to promote independence, especially for those who feel like a burden relying on others or miss appointments due to inconvenience. “We’ve had people say, I would not have been able to get to and from my dialysis because my kids would have had to take off work,” said Smith. “We’re able to alleviate the burden some older patients may feel when relying on others.”
While the program primarily provides rides to and from health and wellness appointments, flexible access to care-adjacent errands prevent patients from missing or delaying necessary medication or tests. Riders can request stops to the pharmacy to drop off prescriptions or pick up medication. Patients undergoing dialysis, chemotherapy, and other treatments, or patients who feel too sick to drive, are also able to utilize HCC Rides. If a patient needs a test from an outside facility, drivers capable of and comfortable driving that distance will be available.
According to Smith, many HCC patients don’t have insurance, access to transportation, or both, and will utilize the emergency room (ER) for care. “A lot of the clients we see don’t have transportation or Medicaid and use the ER as primary care," she said. "We want to try and get as many people away from that as we can so that the ambulances and emergency rooms can be used for true emergencies.”
Establishing a reliable service for uninsured residents helps bridge the access barrier gap both financially and geographically. This also allows emergency resources and services to be retained, a critical need as rural facilities often face resource shortages, especially in emergency departments.
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Aging in Place in Rural America: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Initiatives
Jan. 18, 2022
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