July 2014 Issue

On the Horizon

Transformation Ahead: A Conversation with Susan Sherry

With more than 30 years of experience working in health policy and consumer advocacy, Community Catalyst Deputy Director Susan Sherry possesses a very broad long-range view of the ongoing efforts to expand health access, improve quality and build community participation in health policy and health care systems. We asked her to share with us some thoughts on the challenges ahead as Community Catalyst seeks to play a major role in health system transformation.
On the Issues

New Initiative Aims to Stop Substance Use Disorders Before They Start

To help fight the overdose epidemic and prevent substance use disorders in the next generation, Community Catalyst recently launched a new initiative focused on youth, ages 15 to 22, promoting a public health approach called Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). This three-year project will support issue campaigns in five states to expand use of SBIRT.
Spotlight Event

Community Catalyst Hosts Panel on Health System Transformation

On May 9, Community Catalyst hosted our annual breakfast panel. This year, we had a lively discussion on health system transformation led by our panelists, David Blumenthal, MD, president, The Commonwealth Fund; John O’Brien, senior advisor to Community Catalyst, former CEO of UMassMemorial Health Care, Inc., and Mosakowski Distinguished Professor, Clark University; and Michael Miller, director of Strategic Policy, Community Catalyst. Jacquie Anderson, chief operating officer, Community Catalyst, moderated the discussion.

On the Ground

Making Progress on Closing the Coverage Gap

Much has been said, written, blogged and tweeted about the millions who have gained coverage thanks to the Affordable Care Act during the first open enrollment period. While those gains in coverage (and the corresponding drop in the rate of uninsured nationwide) are to be celebrated, they would have been much greater if governors and legislators in 24 states had not refused to accept federal funding to provide health care coverage to additional low-income people in their states, creating a serious coverage gap.
On Our Impact

Introducing...On Message

Midway through the Affordable Care Act open enrollment period, a survey by Enroll America unearthed a key finding: lack of awareness about financial assistance available under the law was the biggest impediment to enrollment among the uninsured. These survey findings led to a major change in strategy as groups enrolling consumers shifted their emphasis to promoting financial assistance in their outreach, education and communications efforts. 
O N   T H E   W I R E

Health Care Advocacy is on the Move! Longtime collaborators Community Catalyst, Health Care for All and Health Law Advocates are moving to new office space. After September 20, you can find us at One Federal Street in downtown Boston. We want to offer our thanks and appreciation to Attorney Diane McDermott who negotiated the lease for our new space pro bono. Diane is a partner at Holland & Knight's Boston office and a member of the firm's Real Estate Practice. Thanks to Diane for her work on our behalf. Stay tuned for more news about the move in upcoming editions.

Community Catalyst Executive Director Robert Restuccia and former President and CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care, Inc., John O’Brien, write in Health Affairs that the ACA provides hospitals and communities with an important opportunity to come together to build a more sustainable health system.

Our new report, “Connecting Consumers to Coverage: Mobilizing for Enrollment,” shares the story of the unique and important role state consumer health advocates played in helping 12 million consumers gain coverage during the first Affordable Care Act open enrollment period.

As coverage rates improve and the ACA is fully implemented, what’s next in health care? Read our new blog series, Better Bang for the Buck, that looks at the interrelated issues of health care costs and quality from a consumer point of view.

Community Catalyst Senior Policy Analyst, Christine Barber, explains in POLITICO how even people who are aware that financial assistance is part of the ACA don’t always realize that they may qualify and benefit from the law.

Boston led the way in June in offering coverage for transgender health care services and the state of Massachusetts quickly followed suit. Community Catalyst is proud to have worked with state and local advocates in promoting these policy changes to ensure that transgender city employees receive comprehensive benefits that cover all of their health needs. Read our blog post here.

Join us in welcoming our new staff members: Tera Bianchi, Ashley Blackburn, Amanda McIntosh, Gabrielle Novello, Nell O'Connell, Melissa Ough, Jessicah Pierre, Emily Polk, Amanda Ptashkin, and Rachelle Rubinow.

Media Contact

Jack Cardinal
Deputy Director of Communications
617-275-2923 
jcardinal@communitycatalyst.org

Support Our Work:

Donate