Health Care For All Inc

Programs: Campaigns & policychildren's health access coalition ("chac")the children's health access coalition ("chac") is hcfa's oldest standing coalition, and works to advance public policies that expand coverage of and access to health care services for children in massachusetts. Healthy food, healthy homes, healthy children (hhh) coalitionthe healthy food, healthy homes, healthy children (hhh) coalition is a diverse group of human resource providers, researchers, and advocacy organizations who have come together to take a holistic approach to childhood well-being. When it comes to the lives of young people, no factor can be resolved in isolation from others - issues such as housing, homelessness, hunger and health care are inexorably linked. Affordable care today! ! ("act")the act! ! Coalition is a broad-based coalition of community and advocacy organizations, labor unions, and provider groups that works to increase access to health care for massachusetts residents and ensure that massachusetts implements the affordable care act ("aca") in a way that strengthens the state's health reform success. Campaign for better care coalition ("cbc")the cbc is an expansive coalition that is actively engaged in the implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and improvement of massachusetts's chapter 224 health care payment and delivery reform legislation. Hcfa and the cbc advise the agencies responsible for promulgating the provisions of the law, submit written and oral testimony on all draft standards and regulations, and serve as the consumer advocate on the boards and commissions formed under chapter 224. Patient confidencehcfa develops and promotes the use of tools to help consumers improve their "patient confidence," which can broadly be defined as the ability to comprehend health care information, make informed health care decisions, manage chronic and acute health issues, and work collaboratively with providers to maintain optimal health. Hcfa works with leaders in the field of health care payment and delivery reform, as well as community-based health care providers, on public education campaigns that advance evidence-based patient engagement measures and lead to expanded patient confidence. Patient and family advisory councilshcfa serves as serves as a resource to patient and family advisory councils ("pfacs") that all acute care and rehabilitation hospitals in massachusetts are required by law to maintain. Hcfa collects pfacs' reports and maintains a website where pfac members statewide can access resources to support their work. "protecting access to confidential health care" (patch) alliancethe hcfa-led "protecting access to confidential health care" (patch) alliance is a broad-based group of provider, advocacy, and community-based organizations concerned with maintaining confidentiality in health insurer communications with their members. Oral health advocacy task force ("ohat")the oral health advocacy taskforce ("ohat") is a statewide coalition of consumers, advocates, health care professionals, academics, and insurers focused on securing state funding for comprehensive dental benefits for adults in the masshealth program. After 2010 budget cuts decimated masshealth's adult dental coverage, the ohat has been successful in incrementally restoring a number of benefits each year. Oral health integration projectthe oral health integration project is a new initiative at hcfa that will advance the integration of dental services into medical care delivery in massachusetts. The project is part of a multi-year effort to improve lifelong oral health and reduce dental disease in children by building a network of stakeholders committed to shifting attitudes toward oral health. Hcfa's oral health integration project will address these priorities in close collaboration with targeted stakeholders including providers, insurers, advocates, and health care consumers

helpline the helpline is a toll-free telephone, voicemail and email service available to all massachusetts' consumers. Counselors are experts in all facets of massachusetts health care coverage and possess in-depth knowledge of the complex rules regarding coverage options available. Hcfa maintains a strong working relationship with the agencies administering massachusetts' subsidized coverage programs, and provides technical assistance to other enrollment specialists when complex and/or medically urgent cases arise. The helpline assists over 20,000 unique callers annually and serves consumers in english, spanish and portuguese, with an emphasis on low-income, immigrant, and senior-age consumers, as well as individuals living with chronic illness and/or disabilities.

consumer engagment/outreachcommunity outreach, education, and organizinghcfa outreach and organizing staff work to educate individuals in communities throughout the state where rates of uninsurance are highest, with an emphasis on reaching residents whose income and/or immigrant status qualifies them for public benefits. Hcfa educates spanish- and portuguese-speaking consumers through extensive ethnic media campaigns, and disseminates information through events-based education and has implemented door-to-door canvassing initiatives, including a campaign that reached 431,000 households directly with information about coverage options available to them. Hcfa's outreach serves as a mechanism for promoting the helpline, and for recruiting health care consumers personally affected by health system shortcomings to participate in public education and advocacy campaigns.