October 14, 2014 Workshop to help seniors, disabled people choose care plan Seniors and people with disabilities on Medi-Cal must enroll in managed care and choose a health plan before Dec. 1, prompting numerous questions about the process. Health benefits experts will address critical questions and provide on-site enrollment in health plans during a half-day workshop 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at Gold Miners Inn-Holiday Inn, 121 Bank St. in Grass Valley. Residents can enroll in a managed care program until 4:30 p.m. during the workshop. “It’s important for residents to learn as much as possible about the transition to managed care, which can be very complex and difficult to understand,” says Scott McFarland, chief executive officer of Western Sierra Medical Center. “We have a responsibility as a medical center to educate people and make sure they aren’t lost with the process.” Contact Tammy Veralrud at 530-477-3333, (530-477-8194 TTY) or [email protected] for more information or to RSVP. FREED Center for Independent Living Executive Director Ana Acton urges residents to attend the event and learn as much as possible about Medi-Cal managed care. “The deadline is right around the corner, and seniors and people with disabilities must make important choices that will affect their health care,” she says. “They need to understand managed care, what is required and their options.” Nevada County has a larger-than-average percentage of seniors and disabled residents, especially compared to many other parts of the state. Almost one of every four residents in the region is 65 years or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In addition, one of every eight residents – or almost 13,000 people – is disabled, either physically or mentally, or both. About 18 percent of the residents with disabilities in the region earn less than the federal poverty limit, further underlining the need to enroll in managed care. “These are the most at-risk groups and they often have the greatest need for medical care,” says Dr. Glenn Thiel, chief medical director of Western Sierra Medical Center. “We are taking pro-active steps to make sure that our community’s seniors and people with disabilities are ready.” The region has about 35 medical professionals and medical centers that accept Medi-Cal, so some seniors and people with disabilities will need to find a new physician, an often stressful experience for patients. Health care experts will discuss this and many other issues during the workshop. Acton, McFarland and Thiel are among the featured presenters at the workshop. Additional speakers are Rosa Deming, Health Care Options supervisor of Community Based Organizations, who will cover choosing a managed care plan, and attorney Jackie Coleman of Disabilities Rights California, who will speak on patient rights – including exemptions and appeals – and continuity of care. Western Sierra Medical Center, FREED Center for Independent Living, State Council of Disabilities, Disabilities Rights California, Alta California Regional Center, Area 4 Agency on Aging, Chapa-De, Health Care Options, Nevada-Sierra In-Home Supportive Services, Sierra Family Medical Clinic and Nevada County are presenting the Medi-Cal Managed Care Workshop for Seniors and People with Disabilities. Anthem Blue Cross and California Health & Wellness are sponsoring the workshop. “We’re excited to bring all of these partners together for this workshop,” McFarland says. “We’re grateful to Anthem Blue Cross and California Health & Wellness for their support and sponsorship of the workshop.” Western Sierra Medical Center provides comprehensive medical, dental and behavioral health care in Nevada, Sierra and Yuba counties. Founded in 1975, Western Sierra emphasizes preventive care, education and empowering patients to make informed decisions. Western Sierra provides services for the HMO and private markets, and to low-income and senior citizens. Western Sierra is the largest outpatient health care provider in Nevada County, where a new full service health center is under construction to meet growing demands in the community. You can learn more about Western Sierra Medical Center at wsmcmed.org and on Facebook at Facebook/WesternSierraMedicalCenter. Disclaimer: The information presented and disseminated on this Facebook page is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal or ethics-related advice, nor an endorsement or recommendation of a specific individual or business entity or agency outside of Area 4 Agency on Aging, unless otherwise stated.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 00:53:42 +0000
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