Tri-Lakes Uninsured Task Force Continues Efforts

     SARANAC LAKE - As the Tri-Lakes Uninsured Task Force enters its fifth year of reducing the number of those without health insurance, there has been recent action on the state level in response to the need for expanded accessibility to affordable coverage.
     The timing could not be better, as the task force is sponsoring several events to educate the public and promote the availability of health insurance options during Cover The Uninsured Week, April 23 to 29.
     This year, the state has expanded eligibility requirements for Child Health Plus to families with incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, making coverage accessible to the 400,000 currently uninsured children under the age of 19 in New York. This expanded coverage initiative squares with one of the task force's founding goals to have no Tri-Lakes child left without insurance.
     Child Health Plus is a state health insurance program that provides health benefits including preventative care, hospital care and prescription drugs. For example, a family of three with a combined income of less than $68,680 would be eligible for a 10 percent discount on these services under the expanded eligibility requirements.
     In addition to expanding Child Health Plus, the state has streamlined the enrollment process to assist roughly 900,000 uninsured adults and children to obtain and retain Medicaid coverage. Once insured, these individuals will have access to the primary and preventative care they need and reduce reliance on more expensive emergency or hospital care.
     Likewise, this initiative matches the task force's other founding goal of reducing the number of uninsured in the Tri-Lake's region by 25 percent, which was achieved in the task force's third year in existence.
     In order to make area residents more aware of these initiatives and to facilitate eligibility screenings for those who need health insurance, the Tri-Lakes Uninsured Task Force has scheduled a series of events during Cover the Uninsured Week, April 23 to29, throughout the region.
     Cover the Uninsured Week is national initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation's largest coordinated effort to promote the goal of affordable health coverage for all Americans. During this week, the task force has a number of events scheduled to reach the community and help facilitate eligibility screenings of those within the communities who need health insurance.
     The events are as follows:
* Tuesday, April 24th from 4-7 p.m., Harrietstown Town Hall, Saranac Lake
* Wednesday, April 25th, 4-7 p.m., Tupper Lake High School, Tupper Lake
* Thursday April 26th, 4-7 p.m., Lake Placid High School, Lake Placid
* Friday April 27th, 11-2 p.m., Mountain Health Center, Keene.
     Facilitated enrollers, who will assist enrollees in determining which insurance product is appropriate, will be at these community locations during Cover the Uninsured Week. They will work to determine if an uninsured individual is eligible for one of the many available insurance products including Family Health Plus, Child Health Plus, Healthy New York, Medicaid, Medicare, ValuMed Plus, and Healthy Living Partnership. Staff will also assist visitors with filling out paperwork and answering questions.
The task force is also working to engage the business community.  A 2005 survey measuring employer-based health insurance coverage was distributed to 780 businesses throughout Saranac Lake, Lake Placid and Tupper Lake. A response rate of approximately 29 percent was achieved with results that showed 26 percent of employers didn't offer insurance coverage to their employees.
     "While most employers want to do right by their employees when it comes to health insurance, many struggle to meet the rising cost of providing that coverage," said Cynthia C. Hummel, regional president of Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. "That's why we're continuing to develop new products and benefit designs to assure that as many people as possible have access to the health care they need at a price they can afford. We hope that by sponsoring this forum, we can match employers with affordable options to ensure that their employees get the coverage they deserve."
     Results also showed that nearly 60 percent of all businesses responding to the survey wanted more information on health insurance coverage options. To meet this need, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is hosting a luncheon for business owners during National Cover the Uninsured Week on April 27 at the Lake Placid Hilton.  At the luncheon information will be shared to educate business owners and managers of the insurance options they may offer their employees. For those who wish to attend the luncheon, call 897-2301 or e-mail mbaker@amccares.org by April 25. The luncheon is free, but reservations are required.
     Past task force accomplishments include a phone survey of Tri-Lakes resident insurance needs, placement of facilitated enrollers throughout the Tri-Lakes region and at Adirondack Medical Center, and the establishment of a charity care policy at AMC. AMC's charity care policy has also provided financial relief to individuals in need and identifying whether they qualified for any of the low or no-cost health insurance options available.  Since the program's implementation in 2003, AMC has enrolled over 220 patients and forgiven over $1.3 million in hospital bills.
     If you would like to speak to a facilitated enroller, call (518) 897-2725, or e-mail insurance@amcCares.org.
     You can also learn more about AMC's Charity Care Policy and eligibility requirements by logging onto http://www.amccares.org/, click on Insurance Enrollment under Programs & Services.

    

CAPTION:
Chandler Ralph, President & CEO of AMC, (left) and Dan Hill, AMC Director of Wellness, discuss on going advocacy efforts for the uninsured at a press conference to kick Cover The Uninsured Week, April 23 to 28. Throughout the week there will be enrollment and screening sessions in the Tri-Lakes region.

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