Orange County NC Website
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■ North Carolina ranks 37th in overall health status and 40th in premature deaths in 2009 <br /> (with "1" being the state with the best health status). <br /> ■ North Carolina ranks in the bottom third for many health indicators including: <br /> •Adults who are current smokers (371) <br /> •Obese adults (41st) <br /> •Air pollution (361h) <br /> •4-year graduation rate (371) <br /> ■ North Carolina cannot "treat" its way to health <br /> Overview of "Health Care Reform" <br /> - Opportunities provided by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) <br /> o Underlying reasons for health reform <br /> o Coverage expansion <br /> o Other ACA provisions <br /> o Prevention and wellness <br /> o Cost containment and financing <br /> Underlying Reasons <br /> ►Estimates of the uninsured: <br /> •Recent Census numbers showed approximately 1.7 million non-elderly uninsured in NC <br /> (2009) <br /> •23% of Orange County adults under 65 uninsured <br /> ►Lack of health insurance impacts on a person's health <br /> •People who are uninsured are less likely to receive preventive services, more likely to end up <br /> in the hospital for preventable conditions or late stage cancer, and more likely to die <br /> prematurely <br /> •Lack of insurance coverage affects a family's financial security <br /> Overview Elements <br /> - By 2014, the bill requires most people to have health insurance and large employers <br /> (50+ employees) to provide health insurance — or pay a penalty. <br /> o Builds on our current system of public coverage, employer-sponsored <br /> insurance, and individual (non-group) coverage <br /> - New funding for prevention, expansion of the health workforce, long-term care services, <br /> increasing the healthcare safety net, and improving quality <br /> Expansion of Public Programs <br /> - Expands Medicaid to cover all low-income people under age 65 (including childless <br /> adults) with incomes up to 133 FPL (begins FY 2014) <br /> o States must maintain current income eligibility for children in Medicaid and CHIP <br /> until 2019 <br /> o Beginning 2014, special outreach requirements to vulnerable populations <br /> - Enhances Medicare preventive services <br /> Essential Benefits Package <br /> - HHS Secretary will recommend an essential healthcare benefits package that includes <br /> a comprehensive set of services: <br />