By Sheldon Weisgrau on February 27, 2018
Director
Health Reform Resource Project
Just 38 years old, Amy Houston of Mulvane, Kansas, has accomplished a lot. At 21, she bought a restaurant, which she still owns and operates. She’s a volunteer firefighter and sits on the local school board. Amy is a single mom with four sons, ranging in age from 4 to 19. Amy is also a […]
By Jessica Hembree on January 18, 2018
Policy Officer
Health Forward Foundation
Health Forward’s Mission: Providing leadership, advocacy, and resource to eliminate barriers and promote quality health for the uninsured and underserved in our service area. When I dismantle Health Forward’s mission into its bits and pieces, the action words stand out loud and clear: “leadership, advocacy, and resources,” but perhaps more importantly I think about the […]
By Bradford T. Hart on November 1, 2017
Program Officer
Health Forward Foundation
A year ago, I had the opportunity to write a blog about prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) and the regional efforts that we hoped would come to fruition in 2017. I am pleased to be able to write a new entry this year, that celebrates the work being done in Jackson County and 35 other counties […]
By Jessica Hembree on October 25, 2017
Policy Officer
Health Forward Foundation
Whew, these are some challenging times in health policy, and not a single one is a simple fix. Between repeal/replace attempts at the federal level, a steady drumbeat of ACA-related executive orders, dormant efforts at expanding Medicaid (looking at you here, Missouri), and a groundswell of interest from area cities that are taking the reins […]
By Catherine Couch on October 18, 2017
Public Affairs Coordinator
Mid-America Regional Council
Last-minute changes at the federal level to the health insurance marketplace are causing confusion among many consumers. Some people are wondering if they can still get insurance or if they will lose coverage they already have. “It’s important for consumers to know the 2018 marketplace opens for business Nov. 1,” said Molly Moffett, program manager […]
By Jean P. Hall, PhD on August 22, 2017
Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management
University of Kansas Medical Center
About 1 in 5 Americans is covered by Medicaid, making it the single largest insurance program in the US. Medicaid is a critical safety net program for low-income individuals, many of whom have chronic mental and physical health conditions. The majority of state Medicaid programs now contract with managed care organizations to provide Medicaid services. […]
By Jessica Hembree on August 9, 2017
Policy Officer
Health Forward Foundation
Although the U.S. Congress failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, we remain vigilant to monitoring future attempts of replacing the current health care system. We have always advocated that any adjustments to the federal health care laws should be more inclusive to all Americans and should impose fewer restrictions to access quality […]
By Mary Zimmerman on July 20, 2017
Professor
University of Kansas School of Medicine
The Medicaid program has generated considerable attention and debate over much of its 50-year history. Despite the attention, it is disheartening that there is still so little public understanding and so much misinformation regarding how the program works, serving the disabled, elderly and low income people of our country. This information disconnect is aided by […]
By Erika Saleski on July 6, 2017
Managing Member
ES Advisors, LLC
We live in a country where health care is a constant topic of debate. There are widely varying views on how it should be delivered, how to reduce costs, and how to improve health outcomes. So when the Health Forward team, Kelly Ferrara from StratCommRX and I began the research of identifying preferences among a […]
By Bridget McCandless, MD on June 23, 2017
President and CEO
Health Forward Foundation
For the last eight years, we have watched our elected officials introduce and pass health care legislation. We advocated that any bill should protect our citizens with the least means and the most health needs. We are again advocating that any changes to the current health care coverage protect the most vulnerable around us. What is […]
Health Forward's Local Health Buzz Blog aims to discuss health and health policy issues that impact the uninsured and underserved in our service area. To submit a blog, please contact Health Forward Communications Officers, Jennifer Sykes, at jsykes@hcfgkc.org.
