With the Presidential election complete, the White House needs social workers and other health advocates to join the effort to promote speedy implementation of the Affordable Care Act. NASW offers members three tools to further their efforts to promote successful implementation of the ACA at the state level:
Consumer fact sheet on the ACA:
Although major components of the ACA go into effect in 11 months, public opinion polls show continued misunderstanding of the law. Social workers have an important role to play in educating Americans about the many benefits of the ACA. Social workers are encouraged to circulate the new NASW fact sheet – What Consumers Should Know About Health Reform – to their clients, colleagues and within their communities.
http://www.socialworkers.org/assets/secured/documents/practice/health/hcronsumerfactsheet.pdf
Lunchtime Webinar: Implementing the Affordable Care Act in the Post-Election Era: Implications for Social Workers – Nov 28th :
This presentation will update NASW members on the status of the ACA implementation following the Presidential election and discuss implications for social work practice. This presentation has been approved for one contact hour of general social work CE credit. A recorded version of the webinar will be available for future use.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET
http://www.socialworkers.org/ce/online/lunchtime/lCourses/Home.aspx
Practice Perspective on Essential Health Benefits:
NASW recently released Essential Health Benefits & the Affordable Care Act: What Social Workers Need to Know, a practice perspective that examines a component of the ACA that will impact more than 70 million Americans. Beginning in January 2014, most individual and small group health plans operating in the U.S. will be required to provide “essential health benefits” (EHB), a package of health services defined broadly by the ACA, but customized by each state. Social workers should be aware of the EHB development process in their states, to ensure that their state EHB plan addresses the needs of people with chronic disease, disabilities, and other complex health issues, including individuals with mental health and substance use disorders, and that access to social work services is maintained and strengthened.
http://www.socialworkers.org/assets/secured/documents/practice/health/essentialhealthbenefits.pdf
