Links to other resources

Health benefits, Medi-Cal, Medicaid, Medicare, managed care, private health plans

• NEW - California Health Advocates - Fact Sheet - Medicare and People with Disabilities: An Overview
• NEW - Kids Data - www.kidsdata.org/ - Data for all counties, cities and school districts in California. Wide range of topics measuring the health and welfare of children - Child Safety, Demographics, Diesabilities, Special Health Care Needs, Education & Child Care, Emotional & Behavioral Health, Family Economics, Physical Health and Public Opinion. (11/19/09)
• NEW - Home and Community-Based Long-Term Care: Recommendations to Improve Access for Californians, California Community Choices, 11/12/09
• Medicaid Waiver 101 Workshop materials, 6/11/09
  • Medicaid_Waiver_101, Peter Harbage, Peter Harbage Consulting LLC, and Theresa Sachs & Jim Frizzera, Health Management Associates;
  • A Roadmap to Coverage - Working Committee Summary Report - Implementing a Childless Adult Medi-Cal Waiver in California, Blue Shield of California;
  • Playing Catch-Up: California Can Improve Medi-Cal Access and Coverage by Obtaining Available and Additional Federal Support, Blue Shield of California;
  • Medi-Cal’s Most Costly FFS Populations: A Look at the Population, Costs, and Diseases, DHCS Research and Analytical Studies Section;
  • Comparison_of_State_Waivers (draft - do not cite), Harbage Consulting LLC and Health Management Associates.
• Consumer Alert - Get Health Care in Your Language!, - a new law (SB853) that went into effect in January 2009, says private health plans must give you health care in your language.
• 250% Working Disabled Medi-Cal Program - provides full-scope Medi-Cal to working disabled individuals with countable income below 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
• ADAP Advocacy Association - www.adapadvocacyassociation.org - the ADAP Advocacy Association (aaa+) promotes and enhances the AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) and improves access to care for persons living with HIV/AIDS.
• AHCPR - Agency for Health Care Policy Research - www.guideline.gov - a searchable clearinghouse for medical information, to "help the practice of medicine catch up with the science of medicine" - posts clinical practice guidelines, guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and guidelines from medical associations.
• California Health Advocates - www.cahealthadvocates.org - information on Medicare coverage for Californians and resources for professionals working with California's Medicare population
• California Healthline - www.californiahealthline.org/ - daily digest of health news, policy and opinion from the California Healthcare Foundation
• California Patient's Guide - www.calpatientguide.org is from the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), California's HMO watchdog agency. Designed to help consumers and advocates deal with HMO problems.
• California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. - http://www.crihb.org - quarterly newsletter, Tribal Health Advisor.
• CANHR - California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform - www.canhr.org - lawyer referral service for abuse, neglect, estate planning and trust cases - 1-800-474-1116 - also has information about nursing facilities (including IMDs); lists of nursing facility citations; publication lists; recent articles from CANHR newsletters; legislative updates.
• California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) - www.dhs.ca.gov/ - mission is to protect and promote the health status of Californians through the financing and delivery of individual health care services.
• California Department of Managed Health Care – www.hmohelp.ca.gov – 1-888-466-2219 – help for resolving problems with HMOs, complaint process, independent medical review for those who qualify, valuable information to keep California health care consumers informed.
• California Department of Public Health (CDPH) - www.dhs.ca.gov/ - will provide more focused state leadership in public health and health care financing and create a more effective public health infrastructure in California. 
• Disability Benefits 101 (DB101) - www.db101.org – a site that helps workers, job seekers, and service providers understand the connections between work and benefits.
• Disability Benefits 101 - www.disabilitybenefits101.org - health coverage and benefit programs for workers and job seekers - descriptions of state, federal and private benefit programs, articles, guides to health and benefit programs, access to local resources, search engine, site map, tutorial, newsletter.
• Disability Health Coalition - a coalition of organizations with the common goal of increasing access to health care for people with disabilities.
• Families USA Foundation - www.familiesusa.org - the voice for health care consumers, a national nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health and long-term care for all Americans; many publications available at no charge to advocates; links to related sites, jobs, news releases, federal legislation.
• Foster Care Resource List 2008 - links to ombudsmen, health and mental health contacts, and more for foster families.
• Steve Gold's Treasured Nuggets of Information - www.stevegoldada.com - tools to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act in the areas of Housing, Medical Assistance/Medicaid, Nursing Homes, Education, Miscellaneous ADA Information.
• The HCBS Waiver Primer and Policy Manual - www.dds.cahwnet.gov/waiver/home.cfm - The Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Primer and Policy Manual provides information on California's Waiver for individuals with a developmental disability, and how they can receive care in their homes and communities instead of in institutions.
• Health Advocates Guide to the Internet - www.healthlaw.org/ - working for justice in health care for low income people.
• Health information for people with developmental disabilities - www.ddhealthinfo.org - a free source of medically accurate, continuously updated clinical information about developmental disabilities created by physicians for health care providers.
• Health Rights Hotline - www.hrh.org - tells consumers in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties about their health care rights; answers questions about health care coverage and managed care. Also available: referrals to other resources and advocacy materials.
• Healthfinder - www.healthfinder.gov - Department of Health and Human Services site. Searchable by subject; has links to information from government health agencies, public health groups, professional groups, universities, support groups, medical journals.
• Healthlaw - NHeLP - National Health Law Program, Inc. - www.healthlaw.org/ a national public interest law firm that seeks to improve health care for America's working and unemployed poor, minorities, the elderly and people with disabilities. NHeLP serves legal services programs, community-based organizations, the private bar, providers and individuals who work to preserve a health care safety net for the millions of uninsured or under insured low-income people. Publications on Medicaid, Medi-Cal, managed care, EPSDT
• Healthopedia.com - www.healthopedia.com - Medical and health consumer information in patient-friendly language on 1,500 topics, 70 focused health centers, 11,000 drugs and medications.
• Healthy Families and MRMIB regulations - www.mrmib.ca.gov/ - Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB) was created to advise the Governor and the legislature on strategies for reducing the number of uninsured persons in the state. MRMIB is dedicated to improving the health of Californians by increasing access to affordable, comprehensive, quality health care coverage. MRMIB administers four health care programs. They are: Access for Infants and Mothers (AIM) program; The Healthy Families Program (HFP); the Health Insurance Plan of California (HIPC); and the Major Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP).
• Help Central - www.helpcentral.org - search on line for health and human services in Butte County; also offers a seasonal list of low- and no-cost services for individuals and families during the winter holidays.
• Med-Solutions - www.freemedsandsolutions.com - Help for people who have no drug coverage and can't afford medications. Referrals to patient assistant programs. Site says that volunteers provide instant, accurate information, and applications for more than 100 programs offering brand name drugs. Fee ($10, $5, sometimes waived) covers costs of maintaining all-volunteer site.
• Medicare - www.medicare.gov - Part of the National Medicare Education Program - answers questions about Medicare. Or call 1-800-MEDICARE
• Medicare Part D: California has extended, but also restricted, the state emergency drug program for Californians who are eligible for Medicare and Medi-Cal and who are unable to get their medications through the federal Medicare prescription drug benefit. The state will be the payer of last resort, with strict controls; the program will end on January 31, 2007. Read the latest Medi-Cal emergency coverage bulletin (PDF) and Read more about Medi-Cal and Medicare Part D emergency coverage ...
• Medscape - www.medscape.com - Technical information for doctors that non-doctors can access; also has a special section for lay people. Searchable, access to journals, news, links to more information on specialties and drugs.
• California Medicare Options - http://www.CalMedicareOptions.org - Rates every Medicare HMO in California, as well as select Medigap policies, giving each a one- to five-star rating based on total benefits for the money
• National Coalition on Healthcare - http://www.nchc.org/facts/coverage.shtml - facts on health insurance coverage
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - www.dhhs.gov/ - improving the health, safety, and well-being of America.
• U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services ACF - Administration for Children and Families - www.acf.dhhs.gov/ - a searchable site with information about programs for children and families, welfare reform, and guidance on the new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (was AFDC).

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• Last Updated:December 17, 2009
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