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Come back and log into HealthCare.gov to complete your application and enroll in 2021 health coverage today. In these unprecedented times, it’s more important than ever to have health coverage.

YOUR 2021 COVERAGE STATUS Email Reminders: SIGNED UP 2021 Plan: NONE SELECTED Assistance: SEE IF YOU QUALIFY

You may qualify for assistance to reduce the amount you pay for your monthly premiums. Come back to HealthCare.gov to create an account and review your health coverage options for 2021.    Deadline: You have until December 15 to enroll in a plan for 2021 health coverage.   The HealthCare.gov Team

Dec. 3 Web Briefing: What Happens Once There is a COVID-19 Vaccine?

	Upcoming Web Briefing
What Happens Once There is a COVID-19 Vaccine? Key Challenges to Vaccinating America Encouraging reports about several COVID-19 vaccine candidates is raising hopes that there will soon be one or more vaccines proven safe and effective, starting a race to produce, distribute, and administer it to essential workers, people at high risk, and the public, including those who may start out with skepticism about the risks posed by COVID-19 and the safety and necessity of vaccination. At noon ET on Thursday, December 3, KFF will hold an interactive web briefing to walk through some of the key challenges that federal, state and local officials will face in setting priorities and quickly vaccinating enough residents to protect Americans’ health and allow the nation’s economy to fully reopen. The briefing will address: What polling data reveals about the public’s lack of trust in public health authorities, including among Republicans and Black Americans, and the challenges in overcoming vaccine hesitancy. The latest on the federal government’s guidance and plans to ensure the rapid distribution of a vaccine and how a Biden administration might revise them. What state and local authorities are doing to identify who should get the vaccine first, lining up providers to administer it, and planning for public outreach and education efforts about where and how to get the vaccine and why getting vaccinated is important. How government programs and private insurers would cover a vaccine, and the potential costs to patients who receive them. The extent to which plans are prioritizing ensuring equitable access to a vaccine, particularly given the disproportionate impacts of the pandemic on people of color. Led by KFF President and CEO Drew Altman, the briefing will include short presentations by Mollyann Brodie, Executive Vice President and Executive Director of Public Opinion and Survey Research; Jennifer Kates, Senior Vice President and Director of Global Health & HIV Policy; Samantha Artiga, Vice President and Director of Racial Equity and Health Policy; and Karyn Schwartz, Senior Fellow. The hour-long briefing will include a question-and-answer session with the presenters and other KFF policy experts. The conversation will draw from KFF’s analysis and polling around the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine. KFF will soon launch a major new initiative to monitor the public’s evolving views about and experiences with a vaccine to inform public health authorities and policymakers developing and implementing vaccination plans. Filling the need for trusted information on national health issues, KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.
Contact: Ashley Joyce | (202) 347-5270 | ajoyce@kff.org
kff.org | khn.org Connect with us:

Ready Seniors Virtual Workshop on Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Ready Seniors Virtual Workshop Wednesday, January 27, 2021, 10:00 - 3:30 PM ET  Webinar Registration Increasingly, frail older adults with complex health issues live alone in the community, far from their relatives and caregivers. An older adult may depend upon community service providers for basic necessities and psychosocial support prior to a disastrous event. However, the need for these critical services increases when services are disrupted or the senior is impacted during a major disaster. FEMA Region II and the Administration for Community Living have partnered to address this disparity through a workshop aimed at preparing area agencies on aging (AAAs) and other organizations that provide critical support services to senior citizens in their communities. Tentative Agenda: • 9:30 – Virtual Sign-in • 10:00 – Welcome & Introductions • 10:10 – Continuity Basics and Preparedness Messaging (FEMA) • 10:45 – Preparedness Planning for Seniors (ACL) • 11:30 – Disaster mental health issues for seniors (SAMHSA) • 12:00 – State Unit on Aging / Area Agency for Aging Case Studies • 1:00 – Lunch Break • 1:30 – Discussion Module 1 • 2:30 – Discussion Module 2 • 3:30 – Closing Remarks   Questions? Contact Devin Kerins, FEMA Region II Preparedness Division, at devin.kerins@fema.dhs.gov or 202-579-5160.

More than 20% of older Americans have aortic stenosis. Do you recognize these symptoms?

More than 20% of older Americans have aortic stenosis. Do you recognize these symptoms?

Identifying aortic stenosis early on enables you to explore treatment options and make the best choice for your lifestyle.  See the symptoms >

5 scary side-effects of aging (that are usually harmless)

5 scary side-effects of aging (that are usually harmless)

We’re always being told to watch out for symptoms. But context is key.  Read more >

UnitedHealth Group: 2021 Revenues To Eclipse $277 Billion

Dec 1, 2020,09:21am EST Bruce Japsen Senior Contributor

UnitedHealth Group said its 2021 revenues will reach $277 billion next year as the company unveiled its business strategy Tuesday.

Already the nation’s largest health insurance company, UnitedHealth is poised to grow its top line by about 8%. UnitedHealth operates commercial, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans via its UnitedHealthcare health insurance unit and is also expanding its medical care provider business across the country under its fast-growing Optum unit.

As the company began its annual investor day virtually Tuesday morning, UnitedHealth said its 2021 outlook will include revenues of “$277 billion to $280 billion, net earnings of $16.90 to $17.40 per share, and adjusted net earnings of $17.75 to $18.25 per share.”

This growth will follow an updated 2020 performance that included an updated projection Tuesday of 2020 revenues expected to be about $257 billion, “with net earnings to approach $15.90 per share and adjusted net earnings to approach $16.75 per share.”

UnitedHealth chief executive David Wichmann said the company’s strategy will continue to push a move to value-based medical care models while escalating the use of technology to make sure patients get care that they need when they need it. As one example in his opening statements, he said patients will get more digital coaching along with advancements in telehealth.

“United is how we will deliver the future of health,” Wichmann told analysts and investors.

The meeting also marked the return of Sir Andrew Witty, who left UnitedHealth Group as head of Optum earlier this year on a leave of absence to a position at the World Health Organization to aid the development of vaccines against Covid-19. “I look forward to the kind of innovation this company can uniquely deliver,” Witty, who is president of UnitedHealth and CEO of Optum, said speaking from the United Kingdom after he was introduced by Wichmann.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2020/12/01/unitedhealth-group-2021-revenues-to-eclipse-277-billion/?sh=35e670a710e0

December 2020

 

Diabetes Can Affect Your Digestion

Nausea, heartburn, and bloating can have many causes, but for people with diabetes, these common digestion issues shouldn’t be ignored. That’s because high blood sugar can lead to gastroparesis, a condition that affects how you digest your food. Diabetes is the most common known cause of gastroparesis.   Managing your diabetes can help you manage gastroparesis. It can also help delay or prevent other serious health problems. Keeping your blood sugar as close to your target range as possible will keep you feeling better today and down the road.

 

Read our latest feature on how diabetes affects your digestion and how you can keep it from getting worse.
For More Information:   Diabetes and Nerve Damage Prevent Complications Living with Diabetes CDC Diabetes on Facebook @CDCDiabetes on Twitter   New! Subscribe to CDC’s Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention and Management email newsletter.

 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd   Atlanta, GA 30329   1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)   TTY: 888-232-6348