Child poverty

If NZ's new government wants a simple fix to improve child poverty, here’s what it should do

Retrieved on:

Thursday, November 9, 2023

For those without children, its proposed payment of the full Independent Earner Tax Credit for incomes between NZ$24,000 and $66,000 would kick in from April 1 next year.

Key Points:

For those without children, its proposed payment of the full Independent Earner Tax Credit for incomes between NZ$24,000 and $66,000 would kick in from April 1 next year.
This would help some 380,000 people in low and modestly paid work with an extra $10 a week.
At the same time, the work effort of low-income parents can be better rewarded.

How the poverty trap works

When a family’s joint gross income exceeds the (very low) fixed $42,700 threshold, every extra dollar earned denies them 27 cents of WFF assistance.
To help explain this, it’s useful to imagine a typical family in those circumstances.
Let’s say this family has two children at school, with one parent in full-time employment and the other half-time, both on the minimum wage.
Read more:
Forcing people to repay welfare ‘loans’ traps them in a poverty cycle – where is the policy debate about that?

Letting people work and earn more

Delaying the change only decreases the incentive to work, with flow-on effects for productivity.
This would also address child poverty, as about half of the country’s poor children are in families in low-paid work.
Many slip further into debt every week, waste precious time arguing for means-tested top-ups from Work and Income, or need food parcels from stretched and underfunded foodbanks.

A simple solution

This would best be achieved by an immediate increase to the Family Tax Credit, over and above the required inflation adjustment.
Here is a counter-intuitive but serious suggestion: reduce the In Work Tax Credit by $25 a week and increase the Family Tax Credit by the same amount.
But this basic suggestion could still be a win-win for National’s key objectives at roughly the same eventual annual cost.

Susan St John is affiliated with the Child Poverty Action Group.

Publicist Yelena Likhach suggests that the UN raise the level of multidimensional poverty

Retrieved on:

Thursday, December 22, 2022

UNICEF, Education, Ministry of Women and Child Development, United Nations, Italy, Blog, Risk, Culture of poverty, Child, UN, Child poverty, Poverty, Woman, Tutoring

NIKOSIA, Cyprus, Dec. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Publicist and philanthropist Yelena Likhach called the daily income of $1.9, established by the UN as a measure of poverty, insufficient and mocking. Yelena Likhach says in her blog, "Child Poverty: Who Will Think of Breaking the Poverty Cycle?" on Medium, the official global poverty statistics do not reflect the reality; in fact, the picture of poverty of more than 385 million children in the world is several times worse.

Key Points:

Publicist and philanthropist Yelena Likhach called the daily income of $1.9, established by the UN as a measure of poverty, insufficient and mocking.
Yelena Likhach says in her blog, "Child Poverty: Who Will Think of Breaking the Poverty Cycle?"
NIKOSIA, Cyprus, Dec. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Publicist and philanthropist Yelena Likhach called the daily income of $1.9, established by the UN as a measure of poverty, insufficient and mocking.
Yelena Likhach says in her blog, "Child Poverty: Who Will Think of Breaking the Poverty Cycle?"

Centauri Health Solutions Introduces Stars Quality Solution for Medicare Advantage Health Plans

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Professional services, Data management, Health, Technology, Insurance, Software, General Health, Healthcare reform in the United States, Federal assistance in the United States, Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, Managed care, Child poverty, Medicaid, Medicare, Health, United States, Carenet Health, National Research Corporation

Centauri Health Solutions, Inc. (Centauri), an innovative healthcare technology services company, has extended its industry-leading quality solution suite with a Stars solution for Medicare Advantage and Part D health plans and providers.

Key Points:

Centauri Health Solutions, Inc. (Centauri), an innovative healthcare technology services company, has extended its industry-leading quality solution suite with a Stars solution for Medicare Advantage and Part D health plans and providers.
The Centauri Stars solution provides insight into improvement opportunities which support optimal Medicare Star Ratings, improve member health outcomes, and support member retention and engagement.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services uses the 5-star rating system to measure the quality of care and service provided to Medicare members.
Centauri Health Solutions provides technology and technology-enabled services to payors and providers across all healthcare programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, Commercial and Exchange.

Texas Adds Endari® to Latest Preferred Drug List

Retrieved on:

Monday, August 2, 2021

Healthcare reform in the United States, Health sciences, Pharmaceuticals policy, Health, Federal assistance in the United States, Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, Child poverty, Medicaid, Formulary

According to the THHS website, preferred drugs are medications recommended by the Texas Drug Utilization Review Board for their efficaciousness, clinical significance, cost effectiveness, and safety.

Key Points:

According to the THHS website, preferred drugs are medications recommended by the Texas Drug Utilization Review Board for their efficaciousness, clinical significance, cost effectiveness, and safety.
The Texas Medicaid Formulary contains all products, including those on the preferred drug list, available to people enrolled in Medicaid.
With this recent revision, Texas joins many other states in improving access to Endari for the treatment of sickle cell disease in Medicaid patients.
"We greatly appreciate that Texas Health and Human Services has eliminated the prior authorization criteria for Endari.

Inland Empire Health Plan Announces Healthcare Scholarship Fund Recipients

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Geography of California, California, Child poverty, Federal assistance in the United States, Healthcare reform in the United States, Medicaid, Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, Inland Empire, Rancho Cucamonga, California

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In collaboration with three Inland Empire universities, 50 local medical students were awarded scholarships from Inland Empire Health Plan's (IEHP) Healthcare Scholarship Fund (HSF), totaling $40 million over the next 5 years.

Key Points:

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In collaboration with three Inland Empire universities, 50 local medical students were awarded scholarships from Inland Empire Health Plan's (IEHP) Healthcare Scholarship Fund (HSF), totaling $40 million over the next 5 years.
"Growing up in the Inland Empire, I dreamed of working with the underserved," said Kathy Gomez, scholarship recipient from CSU Riverside.
Through the scholarship fund, aspiring healthcare professionals will be guided through the system and connected to the health plan's provider network.
With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans and the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid plan in the country.

Remarkable Health Launches First Behavioral Health AI Documentation Tool; Makes Clinical Documentation Faster, Easier and Higher Quality

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Federal assistance in the United States, Healthcare reform in the United States, Child poverty, Medicaid, Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, Physician burnout

For example, rural areas have just 1.8 licensed behavioral health providers per 1,000 Medicaid enrollees (compared with 6.4 in urban counties).

Key Points:

For example, rural areas have just 1.8 licensed behavioral health providers per 1,000 Medicaid enrollees (compared with 6.4 in urban counties).
"This administrative burden, coupled with the increased demand for mental health services, is leading to record levels of provider burnout and turnover.
Those providing critical and much-needed behavioral health services, particularly to the underserved Medicaid population, are drowning in documentation because of antiquated processes and tools.
Bells is the first virtual clinical documentation assistant for the behavioral health and human services industry.

Nearly 115,000 Women in New Mexico Live in Contraceptive Deserts

Retrieved on:

Monday, July 19, 2021

Healthcare reform in the United States, Child poverty, Federal assistance in the United States, Medicaid, Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, Birth control, United States federal legislation, Articles, Social issues, Birth control in the United States, Contraceptive mandate

Nationally, more than 19 million U.S. women in need live in contraceptive deserts .

Key Points:

Nationally, more than 19 million U.S. women in need live in contraceptive deserts .
"Women in these deserts struggle with transportation and child care costs and taking unpaid time off from work just to access basic health care."
New Mexico has already expanded Medicaid to low-income adults, which helps decrease the percentage of uninsured women, and by extension, gives them the contraceptive coverage they need to live healthy lives.
In addition, New Mexico law requires insurance to cover an extended supply of prescription contraceptives and protects insurance coverage of contraceptive methods.

MetroPlusHealth Ranks #1 in 2020 Medicaid Quality Incentive Program

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

In a year that saw unprecedented challenges within the entire health care community, MetroPlusHealth, New York Citys Health Plan, was ranked number one among all 15 New York State Medicaid plans in overall quality, according to the New York State Department of Healths 2020 Quality Incentive results.

Key Points:

In a year that saw unprecedented challenges within the entire health care community, MetroPlusHealth, New York Citys Health Plan, was ranked number one among all 15 New York State Medicaid plans in overall quality, according to the New York State Department of Healths 2020 Quality Incentive results.
(Photo: Business Wire)
As New York City shut down in March of 2020, the staff of MetroPlusHealth pivoted to remote work as entire departments were redeployed.
The New York State Quality Incentive program is based on reporting and measurement from medical care in the prior calendar year.
A plans score and ranking in the program indicates the quality of care provided to the plans members relative to all plans in the Medicaid Managed Care market.

THRIVE Launched - Improving Healthcare Delivery to the Underserved

Retrieved on:

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Child poverty, Federal assistance in the United States, Healthcare reform in the United States, Medicaid, Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson

NAPLES, Fla., July 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Experienced healthcare strategy, finance, and organizational improvement firm Franz Strategic Solutions has launched its new business venture THRIVE ( http://www.thriveandachieve.com ).

Key Points:

NAPLES, Fla., July 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Experienced healthcare strategy, finance, and organizational improvement firm Franz Strategic Solutions has launched its new business venture THRIVE ( http://www.thriveandachieve.com ).
THRIVE develops targeted programs for underserved communities including Medicaid, uninsured, and those whose well-being is compromised due to lack of access to healthcare and social services.
THRIVE has strategically partnered with RDI Healthcare to bring integrated technologyand workflow solutions.
Best-in-class Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are working with THRIVE to ensure that the best solutions are developed for each client.

Blessing Hospital Selects CarePort® to Support Compliance with CMS Patient Event Notification Requirement

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Health, Technology, Hospitals, Managed care, Software, Networks, Federal assistance in the United States, Healthcare reform in the United States, Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, Child poverty, Medicaid, Medicare, Interoperability, Interop, Articles, Health, Computing

Blessing Hospital has selected CarePort Interop to support compliance with the Condition of Participation (CoP) for patient event notifications as part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Interoperability and Patient Access final rule, which went into effect on May 1, 2021.

Key Points:

Blessing Hospital has selected CarePort Interop to support compliance with the Condition of Participation (CoP) for patient event notifications as part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Interoperability and Patient Access final rule, which went into effect on May 1, 2021.
When we realized our hospital would need an intermediary to support the patient event notification requirement, we turned to our partners at CarePort, said Lea Ann Eickelschulte, Blessing Hospitals chief technology officer.
Were excited to expand our partnership with Blessing Hospital, and that they chose CarePort Interop as their compliance solution for CMSs new requirement, said Lissy Hu, M.D., CarePort CEO and founder.
CarePort helps providers meet and comply with the patient event notification Condition of Participation as part of the CMS Interoperability and Patient Access final rule and the IMPACT Act.