Health Care Reform 2011-2012

A year-long conversation series hosted by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors Health Committee

Alameda County Board of Supervisors Health Committee members Wilma Chan and Keith Carson have planned a year-long conversation series to discuss local implementations of the Affordable Care Act. The series’ goal is to help Alameda County prepare for the opportunities and challenges associated with health reform in 2014 and beyond. The format will foster listening and learning about the changes ahead and discussion on how best to move forward as a community. The hearings will address a different issue area each month, featuring experts and local community health leaders. They will combine the “big picture” with specific local issues and community feedback and generate policy recommendations for Alameda County. For more information about the series of hearings, please see the link below.

Hearings

December 10, 2012: The Patient Experience

The yearlong series will culminate with an examination of the local health care delivery system through the lens of patients. Consumer experts and local patients will share stories about care delivery experiences, needs, concerns and priorities.

Background

Presentations

Video

November 5, 2012: Building Strong Linkages to Specialty Care

Health reform encourages transformation of the health care system. This session will examine new models of care delivery promoted by the ACA and how they’re being developed in Alameda County. It will look at models trying to coordinate patient services along the continuum of care from prevention to specialty to care to acute care.

Background

Presentations

October 22, 2012: Health Information Exchanges and Coordinating Care Delivery

Health Information Exchanges will be a critical component of a health care system capable of providing coordinated care across the delivery system. This session will provide an overview of the national and statewide issues related to these exchanges, as well as an overview of Alameda County’s current status of electronic medical records and interoperability.

Presentations

Video

September 24, 2012: Understanding Changes in the Health Insurance Market

Health reform means transformative changes to the health insurance market – from increased regulation of private insurers’ enrollment practices and profit to purchasing subsidies for individuals and families earning up to 400% FPL. This session will provide updates on the State Health Benefits Exchange and local insurers’ plans for recruitment and enrollment.

Background

Presentations

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August 27, 2012: Hearing Cancelled

Hearing Cancelled

July 23, 2012: Behavioral Health

This session will focus on new interests and opportunities related to integrating behavioral health and physical health services, with a specific focus on the work being done in this arena in Alameda County

Background

Presentations

June 25, 2012: Building a Strong Health Care Workforce

With an additional 150,000 people insured in 2014, additional workforce will be needed to ensure all Alameda County residents have adequate access to care. This session will provide an overview of projected workforce needs, and an update on local efforts to develop tomorrow’s diverse and capable health care workforce.

Background

Presentations

April 23, 2012: Innovation in Prevention

In contrast to the current system, health reform prioritizes prevention of disease. Additionally, providers are leveraging grants to work on improving integration of physical, mental health and substance use services. This session will look at new funding and initiatives available and what Alameda County is doing locally in these key areas.

Background

Presentations

March 26, 2012: Laying the Foundation of Strong Eligibility and Enrollment Systems

Roughly 56,000 Alameda County residents will be eligible for the Medi-Cal expansion. The County will be responsible for enrolling them using new, simplified tools. This session will focus on ways to promote enrollment, needed cooperation with local unions, and the development of California’s Health Benefits Exchange that will help people purchase private insurance coverage starting in 2014.

Background

Presentations

February 27, 2012: Preparing the Primary Care System for Health Reform

Access to primary care will be an ongoing issue as more people gain health coverage. This session will discuss new models for delivering primary care, such as patient centered medical homes and new competition for patients among providers.

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Presentations

January 30, 2012: Improving Care Delivery for Dual Eligibles: Aligning Incentives and Coordinating Long-term Care Supports and Services

Dual Eligibles are individuals who receive both Medicare and Medi-Cal benefits. Most have multiple chronic conditions that make them among the most vulnerable and expensive patients in the system. California is developing new models of coordinated care delivery for dual eligibles. This conversation will examine the opportunities and challenges with this proposal statewide and locally.

Background

Presentations

December 12, 2011: Health Reform's Impacts on Acute Care Delivery

The ACA includes provisions that will impact hospital service delivery, including the increased number of people with insurance who now will be able to choose where they receive care. New financial reimbursement structures encourage hospitals to become part of larger coordinated networks of care and improve patient transitions back to the community. This hearing provided an overview of these provisions and perspectives from local hospital directors about a post-reform care delivery system.

Background

Presentations

November 14, 2011: Overview of the Affordable Care Act and Alameda County

This kick-off session provided an introduction to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and summary of issues that may impact Alameda County.