The California Endowment Launches Statewide Effort to Educate Californians About the Benefits of the Health Care Law

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The California Endowment today announced a major statewide health consumer education effort to raise awareness of the facts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law in March 2010.

“This new landmark law will provide Californians more options and real benefits. We want to help people understand these new opportunities and take full advantage of them”

In spite of several key provisions already in effect and new provisions becoming effective this month, public opinion data shows that very few Californians understand the law or how it will affect them and their families. In response, The California Endowment and its partners are undertaking the largest public education effort in the state to educate Californians about the benefits of the law. Targeted groups for the initial phase of the education effort include Latinos, the business community and young adults under the age of 26.

“This new landmark law will provide Californians more options and real benefits. We want to help people understand these new opportunities and take full advantage of them,” said Dr. Robert Ross, President and CEO of The California Endowment. “Successful implementation of the new Affordable Care Act is critical for all Californians and our state’s bottom line. When it is fully implemented, the Affordable Care Act will bring in more than $120 billion federal dollars that will be invested in the health and well-being of Californians and their communities.”

This broad effort will include:

Paid media through Latino media outlets;
Online and social media outreach, targeted largely to the under-26 audience;
Local events in or near The Endowment’s 14 Building Healthy Communities (BHC) sites to educate Californians about the provision of the Affordable Care Act.

Dr. Ross, joined by Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado at The California Endowment’s Center for Healthy Communities in Los Angeles, helped announce the statewide education effort and unveiled a 60-second television spot (which can be viewed here http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid76484778001?bctid=601287656001) that will air on Spanish-language stations across California starting today (transcripts in both Spanish and English are attached).

“In order to be productive, people need to be healthy. In order to be healthy, people need to know about their health care benefits and use them,” Lt. Governor Maldonado said. “I commend The California Endowment and their partner organizations throughout the state for launching this important effort to educate every Californian about their health care opportunities.”

California Endowment Senior Vice President Daniel Zingale said this education effort is the first phase of a larger multi-year effort to educate every Californian about their access to health care.

“The California Endowment’s mission is to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians,” remarked Zingale. “Making Californians aware of the new law’s benefits is critical to the success of our mission – especially in the 14 Building Healthy Communities locations where too often, people go without basic health care.”

The California Endowment and Lt. Governor Maldonado were joined at the consumer education launch event by:

Yvonne Mariajimenez, Esq., Deputy Director, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
Dr. Felix Aguilar, Chief Medical Officer, South Central Family Health Center (South Central BHC site)
Paulina Gonzalez, Executive Director, Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (South Central BHC site)
Dr. Elisa Nicholas, CEO, The Children’s Clinic of Long Beach (Long Beach BHC site)

The California Endowment will also provide educational materials about the Affordable Care Act law. This includes a timeline of when specific provisions of the law become effective.

Affordable Care Act Provisions Effective within the Next Year

Effective Now

High-Risk Pool. Californians who have been excluded from coverage because of pre-existing conditions can buy a plan they can afford. Californians are now able to pay their fair share for insurance - and have peace of mind knowing they'll be able to get the care they need without having to worry about going bankrupt.

Small Business Health Insurance Tax Credit. California’s small business owners are getting tax credits this year to make healthcare coverage for their employees more affordable. Millions of small business owners will have the ability to provide the coverage they've wanted to be able to give their employees, but haven't always been able to afford. This gives them the freedom to do what they do best - innovate, reinvest in their companies, and bring aboard new talented workers.

Prescription Drug Relief for Seniors. Right after passage, there were rebates for seniors who fall in the prescription drug coverage gap in Medicare. First checks mailed in June, 2010, and will continue monthly throughout 2010 as seniors hit the coverage gap.

Funding Prevention. A new $15 billion Prevention and Public Health Fund will invest in prevention and public health programs that can help keep Americans healthy, such as programs to combat obesity. $500 million in funding was made available in the Summer 2010.

Primary Care Workforce Training. New incentives in the law will expand the number of primary care doctors, nurses and physician assistants by offering scholarships, training, and tax relief to encourage training.

Effective September 23, 2010

No Discrimination Against Children With Existing Illnesses. The law takes a great step forward for children’s health. From now on, insurers must cover any child with a pre-existing condition. More children will now have regular medical attention and access to needed care. This is a critical foundation that puts us on track to raise the healthiest next generation of Californians.

Insurance Companies Prohibited from Dropping Coverage Because Someone Gets Sick. Californians are able to count on that coverage to protect them during a major illness. The law holds insurance companies accountable, so that they deliver the coverage that Californians have paid for.

Preventive Care. The new health care law rewards people who take responsibility for their health by covering preventive health services. Californians will not be charged anything – even a co-pay – for a yearly checkup. This is a great first step toward a healthier California, where illness is prevented, not just treated.

Young Adults Covered Until Age 26. Californians up to age 26 can remain on their parents’ health insurance plans. But even more importantly, our youth have the opportunity to get regular medical attention and access to needed care. This is a critical foundation that puts us on track to raise healthy children who will grow into healthier adults.

Effective January 1, 2011

Strengthening Community Health Centers. The health care law increases funding to community health centers to improve access to medical, dental, and mental health care and clinic employees will be better trained to care for patients who don’t speak English.

More information can be found at www.healthcare.gov and www.cuidadodesalud.gov.

About The California Endowment

The California Endowment, a private, statewide health foundation, was established in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians. The Endowment makes grants to organizations and institutions that directly benefit the health and well-being of the people of California. For more information on The California Endowment, visit www.calendow.org.

About Building Healthy Communities

The California Endowment has dedicated almost all of its grant-making over the next 10 years, starting with $100 million this year, to the Building Healthy Communities Initiative. Some of the grants will directly assist the communities with the implementation of their approved action plans, while the rest of the support will provide technical assistance to the communities and their participating organizations, research, evaluation, and policy support.

The Building Healthy Communities Initiative is the result of years of work by The California Endowment and its grantees that determined:

If unhealthy places can make people sick, then healthy places can contribute to their health.
The people who live and work in a neighborhood know what's wrong, know what needs to be fixed and, if given training and support, can take action to fix what needs to be fixed.
Sick people cost more money to treat than healthy people.

The results could be remarkable:

Easy access to large supermarkets is associated with lower obesity prevalence and adolescent body mass index (BMI) in adolescents.
If neighborhoods have five parks or other places to play, kids' odds of being obese decrease 25 percent and their odds of getting the recommended amount of physical activity increase 20 percent.
According to the Trust for America's Health, an investment of just $10 per person per year to increase physical activity, improve nutrition and prevent tobacco use could, within 5 years, save California $1.7 billion and the entire nation more than $16 billion annually.

The initiative targets urban, suburban and rural communities across California:

The City Heights community of San Diego,
Coachella and Thermal in Eastern Riverside County,
Central Santa Ana,
Central Long Beach,
Boyle Heights, in East Los Angeles,
Targeted sections of South Los Angeles,
South Kern County,
Central and West Fresno,
Southwest Merced and East Merced County,
South Sacramento,
East Salinas,
East Oakland,
Richmond and
Del Norte County.

NO HAY DUDA – SPANISH TO CAMERA SCRIPT

Les saluda la Doctora Isabel.

Hace unos meses el Presidente Obama firmo la nueva ley de salud que tendra un impacto muy POSITIVO para nuestra comunidad.

Muchos dicen que la nueva ley no nos ayudara.

NO ES ASI.

La nueva ley garantiza que la gran mayoria de los Latinos tendra seguro medico y ACCESO a los doctores y hospitales de California.

Familias de bajos ingresos podran obtener seguro a un COSTO MINIMO y familias de cuatro personas con ingresos menores a $88,000 anuales - recibiran AYUDA ECONOMICA del gobierno para financiar un seguro de calidad.

La nueva ley nos protegera de los ABUSOS de las compañias de seguro. Ya no podran - COMO AHORA - quitarnos el seguro por una enfermedad o negarnos un seguro a razon de nuestro historial medico.

La nueva ley de salud es HISTORICA.

Cuando se implemente en unos años, sera una BENDICION para millones de familias Latinas.

DE ESO NO HAY DUDA.

NO HAY DUDA - ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Greetings from Dr. Isabel

A few months ago President Obama signed a new health care law that will have a very positive impact for our community.

But many suggest the new law will not help us.

It is not so.

The new health care law guarantees that the great majority of Latinos will have health insurance coverage and access to doctors and hospitals in California. Low income families will be able to get medical insurance at minimum cost and families of four that earn less than $88,000 annually - will receive financial assistance from the government to pay for quality medical insurance.

The new health care law will also protect us from insurance company abuses. They will no longer be able to, like today, cancel our insurance because of an illness or deny coverage for pre-existing conditions.

The new health care law is historic.

When it is implemented in complete form, in a few years, it will be a blessing for millions of Latino families.

Of this, there is no doubt.