Open enrollment begins November 1

Starting Nov 1, you can renew, update, and compare plans

Americans can sign up for affordable health plan that meet their needs and their budgets at HealthCare.gov or their state Marketplace websitesbeginning November 1. Open Enrollment runs through January 31, 2017. Health coverage can start as soon as January 1, 2017 for consumers who sign up by December 15, 2016.

A new report showed that 2.5 million Americans who currently purchase off-Marketplace individual market coverage may qualify for tax credits if they shop for 2017 coverage through the Marketplace. Furthermore, new research analyzing gains in health insurance coverage from 2010-2015 found that Affordable Care Act coverage gains have been widely shared across key demographic categories of Americans, including income, age, geography, race and ethnicity.

Learn more about the Health Insurance Marketplace and dates/deadlines.

HHS awards $2.3 billion in grants to help Americans access HIV/AIDS care and medications

The Ryan White program reaches more than 50% of people living with diagnosed HIV in the U.S.

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced nearly $2.3 billion in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grants awarded to cities, states, and local community-based organizations in fiscal year (FY) 2016. This funding supports a coordinated and comprehensive system of care that provides lifesaving HIV health care, support services, and essential medications to over half a million people living with HIV in the United States.

“The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program plays an instrumental role in the United States’ public health response to HIV,” said HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell. “These grants will ensure that Americans living with HIV/AIDS will have lifesaving access to the care and treatment needed for optimal health outcomes.”

Read the news release.

$294 million in Primary Care Workforce awards to help expand access to primary care

Image of several doctors standing in a health center

On October 18, HHS announced more than $294 million in awards to primary care clinicians and students through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and NURSE Corps to increase access to primary health care in communities that need it most. Through scholarship and loan repayment, these programs remove financial barriers for primary care clinicians and students in exchange for their service in high-need areas.

“The NHSC and NURSE Corps attract qualified providers to high-need communities in all 50 states and our U.S. territories. These programs increase critical access to primary care services and help build healthier communities,” said Acting Deputy Secretary for HHS Dr. Mary Wakefield.

Today, more than 10,400 NHSC and 2,000 NURSE Corps clinicians provide culturally competent care to11 million people.

Read the news release.

Improved HIV/AIDS Bureau website

screenshot of the new hab website homepage

The Office of Communications web team and HIV/AIDS Bureau staff worked together over the last ten months evaluating website content, web traffic, and audience needs to come up with a new content architecture allowing users to easily find program information.

The new responsive design will vastly improve the experience for all users and stakeholders on various platforms, including tablets and smartphones. We’ve eliminated old pages and files on the improved site, driving users to the most important information for their needs.

Check out the new HIV/AIDS Bureau website.

HHS seeks Deputy Assistant Secretary on Women's Health

The HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) is seeking a Deputy Assistant Secretary on Women's Health. The mission of OASH is to protect and promote the public health of the Nation through policies and programs that apply science-based approaches that enable people to live healthier lives.

Interested applicants can apply for the Deputy Assistant Secretary on Women's Health position by November 7, 2016. Current Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officers should apply using this announcement.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

According to the CDC, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men experience intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.

To learn more about how HRSA-funded health centers are addressing domestic violence, visit this featured blog post by Futures Without Violence.

Oral Health in the news

Dental sealants prevent cavities: New CDC report

CDC vital signs report cover - dental sealants prevent cavities

October 18, 2016: The CDC released a new report about dental sealants, emphasizing how these shields against cavities are extremely effective, yet underutilized, particularly among low-income children.

Dental cavities are one of the most common chronic conditions among children and teens. Left untreated, cavities can cause pain and infection and problems in eating, speaking, and learning. Dental sealants, a simple coating painted on the back teeth, prevent 80% of cavities in the teeth where 9 in 10 cavities occur. Yet, the majority of children still don’t have them. School-based sealant programs are a strongly recommended way to provide children with access to sealants. When targeted to children at high risk for cavities, these programs can be cost-saving.

Read the CDC report.

The oral health imperative

Each year, Americans lose 164 million hours of work, 51 million hours of school and $1.6 billion in ER costs because of oral health emergencies brought on by a lack of preventive dental care – and tragedy can befall those who wait too long, experts said in a recent web conference.

Despite calls dating at least to the 1970s to integrate dental services into primary care clinics, the profession remains largely separate from a health care system that increasingly is centralizing in response to government incentive programs.

"It's certainly not a new issue," said CAPT Renee Joskow, HRSA Senior Dental Advisor and herself a practicing dentist. "But right now it's been gaining a lot of attention, and there is a sense of urgency," on the heels of multiple studies pointing to service gaps that can cost lives – not to mention millions in avoidable health care costs.

Learn more about oral health integration.

Indian Health Service and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia partner on pediatric telehealth

Pediatric specialty consultation services to benefit tribal communities in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah

image of a public health officer signing a document

October 18, 2016: The Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Department of Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) today entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the creation of a pediatric specialty consultation service using telehealth for American Indian and Alaska Native children served by IHS.

“The Indian Health Service is dedicated to providing access to quality care for its patients, and over the years, IHS investments in telehealth have brought the best care to some of the most remote communities in the country,” said IHS Principal Deputy Director Mary L. Smith. “Through this MOU, we will be able to design and develop a service specifically for pediatric care and consultation for our patients that live in very rural areas and may not be able to travel long distances to a facility to see a specialist.”

Read the news release.