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November 2015
 In communities from coast-to-coast, Open Enrollment outreach efforts will help Americans learn about the coverage options available in their area. This is important work and it’s changing the lives of millions. Open Enrollment is an important opportunity to help more Americans get covered.
From nonprofit organizations and health care providers to businesses and government agencies, these outreach efforts play a vital role in helping more and more Americans gain access to quality health insurance that meets their needs and fits their budget.
Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage runs through January 31, 2016. Health coverage can start as soon as January 1, 2016, for consumers who sign up by December 15, 2015. Consumers who have already received health coverage through the Marketplace should come back to shop and review their coverage options by December 15, 2015, as new, better and more affordable plans may be available for them in 2016.
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Resources for Consumers
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Resources for Professionals
The American Indian and Alaska Native Health Research Advisory Council (HRAC) addresses health disparities in Indian County by supporting collaborative research efforts between HHS and tribal partners. The HHS Office of Minority Health is currently recruiting to fill several vacancies on the council. Learn more about joining the council, including the eligibility, selection process and how to nominate a candidate.
The HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (HHS Disparities Action Plan) is the most comprehensive federal commitment to addressing health disparities. As the U.S. continues to face significant racial and ethnic health disparities, the HHS Disparities Action Plan provides a coordinated framework for HHS agencies and offices to heighten the impact of the agency’s policies and programs to reduce health disparities. The HHS Office of Minority Health, which oversees implementation of the HHS Disparities Action Plan, has released the 2014 Implementation Progress Report, which details several HHS efforts to address disparities in health and health care among racial and ethnic minorities. View the report.
Join the Office of Minority Health Resource Center for a webinar on breast cancer and genetic counseling. Dr. Lori Wilson, an oncologist at Howard University Hospital and College of Medicine, will share her personal experience with coping with her cancer diagnosis after the birth of her son. Nicole Thompson of Howard University will also discuss the role of genetic counseling in breast cancer screening. Register for the webinar on November 11.
The CMS Office of Minority Health (OMH) is supporting five (5) “seats” in the CMS Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC) for a period of 36 months each to assist researchers in gaining access to and understanding of CMS restricted access data for the conduct of health services research in health equity focusing on minority populations which are experiencing health care inequities due to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and people with disabilities. This announcement seeks brief Project Narratives for small applied research projects that relate to creative and innovative methods for using CMS data to identify, document, assess, and evaluate health disparities among Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Additionally, the project should enhance the capacity of the researcher to understand and utilize CMS data in future research projects. While project narratives focusing solely on exploring health disparities and health equity in any of the populations are acceptable, CMS OMH encourages cutting-edge proposals that explore intersectionality, that is when an individual is a member of two or more of these groups. For more information please visit: http://www.resdac.org/news/cms-office-minority-health-promotes-health-equity-research/2015/11.
More than 4 million minority youth smoke or experiment with cigarettes, highlighting a need for stronger, more targeted youth tobacco prevention efforts. Fresh Empire is FDA's first public education campaign designed to reduce and prevent tobacco use among at-risk multicultural youth ages 12-17 who identify with hip-hop culture. Learn more about the campaign and visit the Fresh Empire website.
The popular Fuel Up to Play 60 youth health and fitness collaboration between the National Football League, National Dairy Council and U.S. Department of Agriculture, is expanding its efforts to engage Spanish-speaking children and teens. With support from HHS and the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, Fuel Up to Play 60 en Español, seeks to educate Latino students, parents and communities about healthy eating and physical activity; create healthier school environments; and encourage students to make better choices about their health. Learn more about Fuel Up to Play 60 en Español.
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The Knowledge Center online library catalog now is included as a collection resource in the Government Publishing Office (GPO) federated search engine MetaLib. This deep web technology retrieves government documents by simultaneously searching across multiple federal databases. To date, over 60 federal agency collections are included in this electronic resource. MetaLib also links to the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications, which dates back to the early |
1800’s. This collaboration recently was announced by GPO staff at the 2015 Federal Depository Library Conference. Contact the Knowledge Center Team for more information about this free online resource.
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