Watch the video archive of the August 27th Webcast on what pregnant women and new mothers can do to prepare for the H1N1 flu. Email questions were answered by the expert panel during the broadcast.

What Pregnant Women Should Know About H1N1 (swine) Flu

August Recess

We will be taking a break from the Health Care Reform Roundup while Congress is in recess (through September 7). We still encourage you to attend Town Hall Meetings throughout the month of August and write to your members of Congress about health care reform.

We are sending announcements to Advocacy Listserv members when we hear of a Town Hall Meeting in your district or state. Personal stories are very effective at these Town Hall Meetings. Make sure you identify yourself as a social worker. Here are some talking points you can use at the Town Hall Meeting:

1. Pass health care reform now.
2. We want all people covered; national policy must ensure a universal right to insurance coverage for a continuum of health and behavioral health services.
3. We want quality health care. Health care reform must promote wellness, maintain optimal health, prevent illness and disability, ameliorate the effects of unavoidable incapacities, and provide supportive long-term palliative end-of-life care.
4. We want health care that recognizes the need for social work services; social workers are an important part of the health care team.

President Obama hosted Town Hall Meetings on health care reform in New Hampshire, Montana, and Colorado. You can find out about these on the White House Web page. See the blog and pictures from NASW New Hampshire Executive Director, Stephen Gorin about his experiences at the town hall meeting in New Hampshire.

Executive Branch Meetings

Women for Health Insurance Reform

On Wednesday, August 12, NASW was invited to attend a meeting in the Executive Office Building of the White House regarding Women for Health Insurance Reform – Stability and Security for All Americans.   The goal of the meeting was to emphasize how important women are in discussing the need for health care reform.  The speakers for the meeting were Valerie Jarrett, Senior Adviser to the President; Tina Tchen, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement; David Simas, White House Communications Office, Office of Health  Reform; Buffy Wicks, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement; Kavita Patel, White House Office of Public Engagement; and Neera Tanden, Senior Advisor, HHS Office of Health Reform.  The overall message from the meeting was that it is important to remember that reforming the current health care system can:

• ensure health care stability and security for all Americans
• reduce costs to make health care affordable
• bring stability and improved care to Americans by offering new consumer protections
• protect a patient’s  choice of doctors, hospitals, and insurance plans
• assure quality affordable health care for all Americans

The White House also discussed eight Health insurance Consumer Protections. They can be found at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections

Status of Health Care Reform

On Friday, August 14, NASW participated in a conference call with the White House to discuss the current status of the health care reform/insurance debate, messaging and strategy.  The White House also announced its new web page, www.whitehouse.gov/RealityCheck to help separate fact from fiction about health insurance reform.  The conference call speakers included Tina Tchen, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement; Michael Strautmanis, Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement; Michael Hash and Lauren Aaronson, Senior Advisers; and David Simas, White House Communications Office, Office of Health Reform.

Health Care Reform and Older Adults

On Friday, August 14, NASW was invited to the White House for a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss health care/insurance reform and aging issues.  The round table discussion was facilitated by Nancy-Ann DeParle, Counselor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Health Reform; and Tina Tchen, Director of White House Office of Public Engagement. Valerie Jarrett, Senior Adviser to the President welcomed the groups to the meeting.  The hour-long discussion began after the group watched the President as he conducted a live town hall meeting from Montana.  The specific focus of the meeting was to talk with organizations that had an interest in aging issues. The organizations discussed their views about how to engage older Americans in the health care reform debate, as well as how to dispel myths and offer specific facts about health care reform.

Legislation

Senator Grassley, Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee, has indicated he would like to take out the end of life planning provisions in the Senate bill.

Resources

Speaker Pelosi has created FAQ’s about H.R. 3200 and Myths and Facts about H.R. 3200.

Chairman Waxman provided responses to health care reform claims on his Web page.

For ongoing information, please visit our health care page.

Keep up with the latest from NASW on Facebook, Twitter, and the NASW Advocacy Blog.  We want your feedback:  post to the Wall and leave your comments on the blog.

NASW has posted briefing papers on a range of issues. You may want to check out the briefing papers on Health Care Reform, Health Care Disparities, and Care Coordination.

On Friday, August 14, NASW was invited to the White House for a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss health care/insurance reform and aging issues.  The roundtable discussion was facilitated by Nancy-Ann DeParle, Counselor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Health Reform; and Tina Tchen, Director of White House Office of Public Engagement. Valerie Jarrett, Senior Adviser to the President welcomed the groups to the meeting.  The hour-long discussion began after the group watched the President as he conducted a live town hall meeting from Montana.  The specific focus of the meeting was to talk with organizations that had an interests in aging issues. The organizations discussed their views about how to engage older Americans in the health care reform debate, as well as how to dispel myths and offer specific facts about health care reform.

On Friday, August 14, NASW participated in a conference call with the White House to discuss the current status of the health care reform/insurance debate, messaging and strategy.  The White House also announced its new webpage, www.whitehouse.gov/RealityCheck to help separate fact from fiction about health insurance reform.  The conference call speakers included Tina Tchen, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement; Michael Strautmanis, Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement;  Michael Hash and Lauren Aaronson, Senior Advisors; and David Simas, White House Communications Office, Office of Health Reform.

On Wednesday, August 12, NASW was invited to attend a meeting in the Executive Office Building of the White House regarding Women for Health Insurance Reform – Stability and Security for All Americans.   The goal of the meeting was to emphasize how important women are in discussing the need for health care reform.  The speakers for the meeting were Valerie Jarrett, Senior Adviser to the President; Tina Tchen, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement; David Simas, White House Communications Office, Office of Health  Reform; Buffy Wicks, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement; Kavita Patel, White House Office of Public Engagement; and Neera Tanden, Senior Advisor, HHS Office of Health Reform.  The overall message from the meeting was that it is important to remember that reforming the current health care system can:

• ensure health care stability and security for all Americans
• reduce costs to make health care affordable
• bring stability and improved care to Americans by offering new consumer protections
• protect a patient’s  choice of doctors, hospitals, and insurance plans
• assure quality affordable health care for all Americans

The White House also discussed eight Health insurance Consumer Protections. They can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections

As a professional social worker, educator, Executive Director of the NASW New Hampshire Chapter, and long-time advocate for universal health care, I was privileged to attend the President’s town hall meeting in Portsmouth, NH on August 11. I wasn’t sure what to expect as the high school where the event was held was surrounded by supporters and opponents carrying signs and bullhorns. However, inside the crowd was diverse and the discourse civil. President Obama did an excellent job answering a range of questions and explaining his vision for healthcare reform. He elaborated on the need for a public option and gave a strong, solid defense of it in response to a critic. He further explained that the public option would need to be self-supporting and could not rely on government funds. He said competition from a public option is necessary to keep the insurance companies honest and was quite critical of both the insurance and drug companies. My sense is that the administration’s new focus on insurance reform is aimed at individuals who currently have coverage and do not see what stake they have in reform. I think it’s more a change of emphasis than substance.

President Obama assured older attendees that he did not intend to cut Medicare benefits.  He refuted the idea that his goal was a single-payer system, which he argued would be disruptive since so many peple have coverage through an employer-based system.  It is becoming increasingly obvious that it is going to be difficult to garner enough votes to secure a public option, and at this point a single-payer system seems an impossible goal.  Finally, he strongly supported the importance of mental health benefits and parity.

This experience was encouraging and I think most people walked away with a renewed sense that we can and will accomplish healthcare reform. Moreover, my sense, as well as my wife’s (who is also a social worker), was that the president’s supporters outnumbered his opponents.  Obama did an excellent job: he had the knowledge and understanding to answer every question and the skill to deflect distractions.

Stephen Gorin, PhD, MSW

Executive Director, NASW New Hampshire Chapter

Photos

Photo Credit: Stephen Gorin, PhD, MSW

For ongoing information on health care reform, please visit NASW’s health care reform page.

Legislation

Medicare payment rates for clinical social worker services and payments for all physician services, delivered independently under Part B are scheduled for a 21% cut in 2010. Congress is addressing Medicare provider payment rates in health care reform legislation. In addition, NASW seeks inclusion of a Medicare provision expanding clinical social work services delivered to certain Medicare beneficiaries in nursing homes. These very important improvements in clinical social work payments are included in the House health reform bill (H.R. 3200), and NASW is strongly supporting these provisions. They appear likely to remain in the House bill, but their status in the forthcoming Senate bill is still unknown.

The FY 2010 Senate Labor Health and Human Services (LHHS) bill included report language encouraging Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to increase funding for the minority fellowship program.   The LHHS Committee notes that the demographics of our society are changing dramatically. Minorities represent 30 percent of the population and are projected to increase to 40 percent by 2025. Yet only 23 percent of recent doctorates in psychology, social work and nursing were awarded to minorities. The Committee encourages SAMHSA to increase funding for the minority fellowship program in order to train an increasing number of culturally competent mental health professionals. Increased funding is also needed given the recent expansion of eligibility for this program to include additional professions.

Legislative Climate

With both houses of Congress now in recess, the dialogue on health care reform will shift over the next month in both nature and tone.  The “inside the Beltway” approach to constructing specific bills is now on hiatus, and the process of selling Americans on the benefits of reform (for most Democratic members of Congress) or the hazards of it (for many Republican members of Congress) is now underway.  Town halls and Q&A sessions will be predominant for a few weeks, while Washington-based interest groups ponder strategies to support or hinder reform after Labor Day.  Since multiple bills still exist and there is not yet one specific health care reform proposal at present, Members of Congress will be challenged to explain the ideas and concepts behind health care reform without getting too specific.

August Recess

Over the August recess we encourage social workers to attend Town Hall Meetings and discuss health care reform. We are sending announcements to Advocacy Listserv members when we hear of a Town Hall Meeting in your district or state. Personal stories are very effective at these Town Hall Meetings. Make sure you identify yourself as a social worker. Here are some talking points you can use at the Town Hall Meeting:

1. Pass health care reform now
2. We want all people covered; national policy must ensure a universal right to insurance coverage for a continuum of health and behavioral health services.
3. We want quality health care. Health care reform must promote wellness, maintain optimal health, prevent illness and disability, ameliorate the effects of unavoidable incapacities, and provide supportive long-term palliative end-of-life care.
4. We want health care that recognizes the need for social work services; social workers are an important part of the health care team.

Resources

For ongoing information, please visit our health care page.

Keep up with the latest from NASW on Facebook, Twitter, and the NASW Advocacy Blog.  We want your feedback:  post to the Wall and leave your comments on the blog.

NASW has posted briefing papers on a range of issues. You may want to check out the briefing papers on Health Care Reform, Health Care Disparities, and Care Coordination.

August 3, 2009

Edward M. Kennedy
Chair
Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Kennedy:

On behalf of the 150,000 members of the National Association of Social Workers, I am writing in support of the confirmation of Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Founded in 1955, NASW is the largest membership organization of social workers and seeks to enhance the well-being of individuals, families and communities through its work and advocacy.

Professional social workers have an important and growing presence at NIH.  This is not only through the provision of clinical services, but also due to a portfolio of research grants on psychosocial care, health disparities, family caregiving, and innovative, community-based health, mental health, and substance abuse intervention.

Dr. Collins’ lengthy career has focused on revolutionizing our collective understanding of disease genes and the human genome map. Thanks to this work, social workers and a wide range of other medical care providers are able to better understand the personalized nature of illnesses.    Dr. Collins’ work shines a light on the entire spectrum of human conditions, and the need to more fully address the interactions of genes, behavior and the environment.

Dr. Collins’ work has a direct and invaluable impact for our society.  In addition to his long list of contributions to basic genetic research and scientific leadership, Dr. Collins is known for his close attention to ethical and legal issues in research. He has been a strong advocate for protecting the privacy of genetic information and has served as a national leader in efforts to prohibit gene-based insurance discrimination.

We know that understanding genetics is one key to the research work of NIH, because of the way such research changes how disease will be addressed.  For example, in the case of schizophrenia,  this understanding can lead to new possibilities for cure or disease management, but may also  create dilemmas stemming from earlier awareness that a person will develop a disease.  All of these factors have psychosocial dimensions that will benefit from the knowledge, skills and practice of social work.

Dr. Collins leadership and management skills, broad-based scientific knowledge, his understanding of the linkages between research and clinical services, including social work services, his long-standing engagement with the research and advocacy community make him an excellent choice to lead NIH at this time of attention to translational research and personalized medicine.

NASW looks forward to working with Dr. Collins to continue to address the critical issues of health disparities and the elimination of diseases through behavioral change and addressing social and environmental conditions.  Because Dr. Collins understands the field of social work’s contribution to health and well-being, and his commitment to enhancing the health of Americans everywhere, it gives me great pleasure to support Dr. Collin’s nomination and I ask for his confirmation. Thank you for your consideration.

Yours truly,

Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH
Executive Director

During the August Congressional recess, your member of Congress may be hosting a Town Hall Meeting. We would like you to go to the Town Hall Meeting and talk to your member about Health Care Reform.

While many Members of Congress notify constituents of Town Hall Meetings, you can join NASW’s Advocacy Listserv to receive notices regarding planned meetings by your members of Congress. Join the NASW Advocacy Listserv here. You can also go to www.house.gov, search for your member of Congress, and find the district office phone number to call for information about Town Hall Meetings.

Here are some talking points on Health Care Reform

1. Pass health care reform now
2. We want all people covered; national policy must ensure a universal right to insurance coverage for a continuum of health and behavioral health services.
3. We want quality health care.  Health care reform must promote wellness, maintain optimal health, prevent illness and disability, ameliorate the effects of unavoidable incapacities, and provide supportive long-term palliative end-of-life care.
4. We want health care that recognizes the need for social work services; social workers are an important part of the health care team.

You can also relate your personal experience with the health care system. Members of Congress love to hear real stories about what people face in their district.

After you attend the Town Hall meeting, it would be very helpful to NASW’s legislative efforts to have your feedback.  We can then follow up with the Member of Congress.  Click here for an online form or email advocacy@naswdc.org.

If you’d like additional information about health care reform and NASW’s efforts, visit our health care reform Web site page.

Legislation

The Energy and Commerce Committee reached a deal on America’s Affordable Health Choice Act of 2009, H.R. 3200. The Ways and Means Committee and Education and Labor Committee had already reported the bill out of committee. On the Senate side, the Senate Finance Committee has six members meeting to reconcile differences.

Legislative Climate

With the House in recess and the Senate headed out on Aug. 7, the nature of the health care reform discussion has shifted. Rather than worrying about legislative minutiae that can’t be resolved until September, both parties are now focused on how to explain the issue once they’re back home in their respective districts and states. On one hand, both Democrats and Republicans need a narrative that is simple enough to understand, but not so simple that it insults voters’ intelligence and oversimplifies a complex issue.

President Obama has travel plans throughout the West to sell his understanding of recent developments. Meanwhile, Democrats of every stripe (progressive, conservative Blue Dogs, and others) will be sharing their experiences with voters, while Republicans face the challenge of explaining to voters why Democrat-driven reform constitutes a needless and expensive government takeover.

Meetings Attended

NASW has attended several meetings on health care reform over the past week, including:

• Alliance for Health Reform briefing on Financing Health Care Reform.
• Families USA field organizing meetings.
• Meeting with representatives of non-medical professions concerned with coverage requirements in health care reform.

· Conference call with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sibelius and Mary Wakefield, Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) regarding new funding for health care professions training. See http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2009pres/07/20090728c.html for the press release.

Conference call with Tina Tchen, White House Office of Public Engagement and with Christina Romer, Chair, Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) regarding small business and health care reform. See http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Weekly-Address-Health-Insurance-Reform-Small-Business-and-Your-Questions/ for a video by the President, as well as links to the findings in the report.

• Meeting with Dr. Mary Wakefield, Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and additional HRSA staff on areas of mutual interest regarding the health care professions. Dr. Wakefield expressed support for the importance of social workers in health care.

Letters

• NASW sent a letter of support for H.R. 3200 to Speaker Pelosi, Chairmen Waxman, Miller and Rangel.

Resources

Families USA has an August Recess Tool Kit available on their Web site for outreach efforts to members of Congress during the August recess. It’s a one-stop shop of tools and resources to help you galvanize your communities around the message that health reform cannot wait.

For ongoing information, please visit our health care page.

Keep up with the latest from NASW on Facebook, Twitter, and the NASW Advocacy Blog. We want your feedback: post to the Wall and leave your comments on the blog.

The White House has posted eight benefits of Health Insurance Reform and asked people to comment on them. You can go to the Slide Share Web page and comment on them.

The White House Council of Economic Advisors released a report about the Economic Effects of Health Care Reform on Small Businesses and their Employees.