Hawaii Covering Kids Pictures and Project Updates on Facebook Now you can easily get the 411 about our current initiatives. We created a Facebook page to share pictures, activity updates, and stories. You do NOT have to be a Facebook member to access this page. Please Note: If you are a Facebook member, you can become a Hawaii Covering Kids fan which will spread the word among your family and friends about helping kids with health insurance--technology equivalent of the coconut wireless! Health Care Reform Law President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on 23 March 2010. Information and updates will be posted here. Children's Health Insurance Outreach to Laid-Off Employees Since April 2008, Hawaii Covering Kids has participated in numerous activities to inform displaced employees about health insurance options for their children. More details are available by clicking the above link. Our 2008 activities are summarized in this report (PDF format): QUEST Is Best 2008 Media Outreach Campaign. Recent Media Coverage Ron's Web Site of the Week in MidWeek, Honolulu, April 28, 2010. "Hawaii Covering Kids" in Hawaii Primary Care Association Annual Report 2009, Honolulu, October 8, 2009. "Filling the Health Care Coverage Gap: Free Health Care" on KGMB9, Honolulu, July 16, 2009. Hawaii Covering Kids health insurance update on Hawaii247.org, Honolulu, April 30, 2009. Federal law aids isle health care in Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu, April 3, 2009. Some children will get QUEST break in Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu, March 26, 2009. Free Health Insurance for Kids: 2009 Income Limits Increase on Hawaii Reporter, Honolulu, March 23, 2009. "Free Health Insurance for Kids: 2009 Income Limits Increase" in The Molokai Advertiser News, Honolulu, March 11, 2009. Keiki Care ultimately helps Hawaii families and economy in Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu, December 16, 2008. Keiki Care Helps Hawaii's Economy on Hawaii Reporter, Honolulu, December 5, 2008. What about the children? in Honolulu Weekly, Honolulu, December 3, 2008. Assure health care to Hawaii's children in Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu, November 30, 2008. Analysts fear end of Keiki Care in Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu, November 26, 2008. Keiki Care Helps Hawaii's Economy in The Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu, November 26, 2008. “Health Insurance for Grandchildren” on KHON2 Elderhood Project, Honolulu, July 31, 2008. “Hope rises in wake of cuts; Laid-off ML&P workers look at future options” in The Maui News, Wailuku, July 30, 2008. “Unemployed urged to get kids on QUEST” in Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu, April 18, 2008. Hawaii Hospital Emergency Department Visits Hospital emergency department data for 2000-2008 show that as the total number of visits by kids has increased, those attributed to uninsured children and youths have declined from 5.25% to 4.10%. Data charts by children's age groups are available in PDF format: Uninsured Kids Emergency Department Visits 2000-2008. A complete report by age group, county, and gender is available in PDF format:Hospital Emergency Department Visits Insured v. Uninsured 2000-2008. Insured v. Uninsured Newborns Research conducted by the Hawaii Health Information Corporation shows a decrease in the annual number of uninsured newborns from 481 (2000) to 348 (2008). This reflects a decrease from 2.8% to 1.8% of hospital births. Data are available by island and geographic areas in PDF format: Hawaii Newborn Discharges Insured v. Uninsured. Multilingual Flyers Our flyer is available in 21 languages: Cambodian, Chinese, Chuukese, English, Fijian, Hawaiian, Ilocano, Japanese, Korean, Kosraean, Laotian, Marshallese, Pohnpeian, Samoan, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Tongan, Vietnamese, Visayan, and Yapese. Copies can be downloaded at Flyers and Media Outreach Campaigns. Children's Health Insurance Eligibility Forum On 16 April 2008 Hawaii Covering Kids sponsored two national speakers, Edwin Park from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and Caroline Rivas from Community Health Councils, who presented information about recent federal policies and their implications for our children's health insurance programs. Topics included CHIP Reauthorization, CMS's August 17 Directive, and CMS's Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM) program. There were also updates about the National Covering Kids & Families Network and Hawaii's progress towards covering all kids with health insurance. Click on this link for a PDF copy of the presentations: April 2008 Children's Health Insurance Policy Forum in Hawaii. State Representatives Honor Hawaii Covering Kids A special presentation was held on 2 April 2007 in the House of Representatives chambers honoring and celebrating the accomplishments of our project's partners. Representative Green and Representative Mizuno introduced the project and other state representatives also expressed accolades for hard work and dedication to helping Hawaii's children and youths. The Hawaii Covering Kids project director, Barbara Luksch, and Hawaii Primary Care Assocation chief executive officer, Beth Giesting, were presented framed certificates and the House of Representatives passed a resolution "Commending HAWAII COVERING KIDS for its accomplishments in reducing the number of uninsured children and youth in Hawaii and expressing appreciation for its assistance in enrolling Hawaii's children and youth in QUEST and MEDICAID Fee-for-Service programs." You can view and download a PDF version of the resolution by clicking here: Hawaii HR 295. This tribute recognized the power of collaborative efforts dedicated to a goal focused on the health and well-being of our children. Hawaii Covering Kids partners were cited as "unsung heroes" working tirelessly throughout Hawaii's communities to improve children's lives through comprehensive outreach, planning, coordination, and health insurance application assistance. Finally, Speaker Say adjourned for a short recess so state representatives could meet Barbara and Beth and impart individual congratulations. Hawaii Covering Kids offered appreciation for their partnership because leadership from lawmakers has been a crucial part of our success. Community Training Workshops We collaborate with Med-QUEST to conduct ninety-minute sessions called "Enrolling Children and Youths in QUEST and QExA" so community organizations can help families complete Med-QUEST's application and eliminate enrollment barriers. Since November 2003, we have sponsored 59 workshops for 751 participants from 97 agencies on 6 islands. If your organization is interested in this FREE opportunity, email Barbara at coverkids@aol.com or call 536-8442. An informational flyer can be downloaded in PDF format by clicking here: Community Training Workshops.