To help promote health reform and demonstrate its value in expanding coverage and care access, CHA is collecting stories of patients who already have benefited from provisions in the law, which will hit the one-year mark March 23.
The stories will be featured during the Catholic Health Assembly, June 5 to 7 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, as well as online and as part of other health reform promotion activities.
"We need the ministry's help in identifying individuals whose stories exemplify the positive, life- and family-affirming impact of health reform," said Jeff Tieman, CHA senior director, health reform initiatives. "We know that thousands of people have already improved their health security as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."
Following are some of the categories of people who became eligible for new benefits enacted in the first year of health reform:
People with a preexisting condition who are able to obtain coverage through a state preexisting condition program
Young adults up to age 26 who are able to obtain or retain coverage on their parents' health insurance plan
Children with a preexisting condition whose parents have been able to obtain or retain coverage for them
Seniors who have saved money on prescription medications because of the Medicare drug rebate program and the gradual closing of the "doughnut hole" which began last year. This year they begin saving on brand-name and generic drugs.
If you know someone with a compelling story to tell related to health reform, call (202) 721-6311.