Foundation for Health Coverage Education

Mission Statement: “The American Cancer Society is the only nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service.”

The American Cancer Society and FHCE have been working together to help uninsured cancer patients understand their health coverage options since 2008. The partnership began with ACS’ National Cancer Information Center (NCIC) referring all uninsured callers to FHCE’s former U.S. Uninsured Help Line. Our collaborative efforts expanded in 2011 with the addition of FHCE’s Health Coverage Eligibility Quiz onto the Find Support & Treatment page of Cancer.org and the implementation of the Quiz into the NCIC call center in May 2012.

The NCIC is a nationwide help line open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, that answers 1.2 million calls and e-mails from cancer patients, family members and friends of cancer patients, and others who have questions about cancer-related issues. Cancer Information Specialists answer questions about: specific cancers, treatment options, side effects, coping with cancer, medicines, pain control, clinical trials, prevention, screening, quitting tobacco and now they have a referral resource for health coverage options.

“FHCE provides a valuable service to uninsured callers who call the American Cancer Society’s National Cancer Information Center searching for ways to pay for their cancer care. Cancer Information Specialists at the NCIC provide callers with general cancer information and access to local cancer resources such as support groups, patient services and local social services. These resources are crucial to helping patients and their families cope with the physical, psychological, and emotional challenges of a cancer diagnosis. Now, they will also forward uninsured callers to FHCE’s live help line of trained counselors.” – Kevin Babb, Strategic Director, American Cancer Society

American Cancer Society is the only nationwide cancer organization to offer its information services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To reach the NCIC, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit www.Cancer.org.

Mission Statement: “Our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. “

The American Diabetes Association refers all uninsured callers from their Center for Information and Community Support (800-342-2383) to FHCE’s Health Coverage Eligibility Quiz. Each year, FHCE visits the Center for Community Information and Support call center and trains its operators on how to use the Quiz and how to best help their uninsured callers navigate their health coverage options.

“The American Diabetes Association’s Center for Information and Community Support is proud to work with the Foundation for Health Coverage Education. Together, we ensure that our constituents are armed with the information they need to receive adequate health coverage, and to stop diabetes.” – Lee Barona, Director, Center for Information and Community Support, American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. For more information, please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342- 2383).

Mission Statement: “To save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.”

The American Lung Association and FHCE have been collaboratively working together to help uninsured lung disease patients and their families find coverage since 2009. All uninsured Lung HelpLine callers and Lung.org visitors are referred to FHCE’s Health Coverage Eligibility Quiz. Additionally, FHCE regularly provides webinars to the Lung HelpLine operators to help them better assist their uninsured callers with understanding their health coverage options through our resources.

“The Foundation for Health Coverage Education offers a valuable service to people when they need it the most. The American Lung Association is grateful that we are able to work together to provide information on health coverage options to uninsured patients with lung disease and their families” – Katherine Pruitt, Asst. Vice President, Program Services, American Lung Association

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through Education, Advocacy and Research. With the generous support of the public, they are “Fighting for Air.” When you join the American Lung Association in the fight for healthy lungs and healthy air, you help save lives today and keep America healthy tomorrow. To contact the American Lung Association, call the Lung HelpLine at 1-800-586-4872 or visit www.Lung.org.

Mission Statement: “Building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke”

From 2009 until May 2012, the American Heart Association’s National Service Center was actively referring all uninsured callers to FHCE’s former U.S. Uninsured Help Line. Now, the National Service Center operators utilize FHCE’s Health Coverage Eligibility Quiz to help uninsured patients directly over the phone. Each year, FHCE visits the call center to assist operators with understanding how the Quiz works and what each caller will learn through the service.

“When customers contact our toll-free number seeking assistance to pay for their medical care we provide resources as an added convenience; one resource is the Foundation for Health Coverage Education (FHCE). We provide a link directly to the CoverageForAll.org website and explain that FHCE can help them understand their health coverage options. We have also added FHCE as a Resource Referral on our website.” -Yolanda Perez, Director Customer Relations, American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health agency. To contact the AHA’s National Service Center, please call 1-800-242-8721.

Sharp HealthCare Mission Statement: “It is our mission to improve the health of those we serve with a commitment to excellence in all that we do. Our goal is to offer quality care and programs that set community standards, exceed patients’ expectations and are provided in a caring, convenient, cost-effective and accessible manner.”

FHCE started working with Sharp Health Plan, a subsidiary of Sharp HealthCare, in 2005 with a focused project to help the children in San Diego County find health coverage. In 2009, the collaborative efforts expanded to include joint projects with Sharp’s Hospitals for patient advocacy to help uninsured patients find health coverage. In 2010, FHCE will work with Sharp to lower their uncompensated care cost and enhance their patient advocacy to coordinate viable
financial planning options.

“Being in health care means being in the business of doing the right thing – every day – and that’s what FHCE is achieving, along with all its collaborative partners. We consider our collaboration with FHCE the right thing for our community. It’s a unique approach to getting information about health coverage options directly in the hands of someone in need. When more people are able to get health insurance, more people have the opportunity to get the care they need and to lead healthier lives. We’re proud to be a part of this important effort.” – Gerilynn Sevenikar, Vice President, Patient Financial Services, Sharp HealthCare

Sharp HealthCare is a not-for-profit integrated regional health care delivery system based in San Diego, California. Sharp includes four acute-care hospitals, three specialty hospitals and two medical groups, plus a full spectrum of other facilities and services.

Mission Statement: “Dignity Health and our Sponsoring Congregations are committed to furthering the healing ministry of Jesus. We dedicate our resources to: Delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health services; Serving and advocating for our sisters and brothers who are poor and disenfranchised; and Partnering with others in the community to improve the quality of life.”

FHCE’s Partnership with Dignity Health started by disseminating Matrixes to all 38 holding hospitals, offering localized health coverage seminars for the uninsured, training their 90 admitting managers and supervisors on utilizing our resources, establishing a link from all Dignity Health hospital websites to CoverageForAll.org and adding information about FHCE’s services to the back of the patient’s billing statement.

“As California’s largest private safety-net provider we are uniquely suited to being part of the solution to the health care crisis. We believe that access to care is a fundamental human right. Our goal in working with FHCE is to help ensure that ongoing care is available to individuals and families beyond the acute or emergency need that brought them through our doors. In doing so, we can ensure that more people have access to ongoing health services and reduce the overall cost of care.” – Lloyd H. Dean, Dignity Health President/Chief Executive Officer

Dignity Health is the fifth largest hospital system in the nation and the largest not-for-profit hospital provider in the West.

Mission Statement: “To improve the health status of the community and promote medical education.”

FHCE’s partnership with Community Medical Centers started in March 2009 with a press conference to the Fresno community about how, together, we can help uninsured patients who visit the hospital find health coverage. The Health Care Options Matrix is available for patients at the Community Medical Centers’ Emergency Room.

“[The Health Care Options] Matrix helps streamline the path to finding health insurance in every state. It’s one-stop shopping in how to find coverage and to qualify. During the past year, Community Medical Centers has been supplying copies of the Matrix to the uninsured — Community cares for more uninsured and under-insured than all other Valley hospitals combined. The Matrix from the Foundation for Health Coverage Education may offer real help when you need healing.” – John G. Taylor, Director, Public Affairs, Community Medical Centers

Community Medical Centers is the largest and most comprehensive hospital system in the San Joaquin Valley. For more than a century, their aim has been medical excellence and compassionate care. They are a locally owned, not-for-profit health care system that operates three acute-care hospitals – Community Regional Medical Center, Clovis Community Medical Center and Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital – as well as several long-term care and outpatient centers.
Community serves as the Valley’s essential “safety-net” provider, caring for the uninsured and under-insured in a region considered among the most challenging in the nation for health care.

Mission Statement: “In the spirit of our founders, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de Marillac, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the Daughters of Charity Health System is committed to serving the sick and the poor. With Jesus Christ as our model, we advance and strengthen the healing mission of the Catholic Church by providing comprehensive, excellent healthcare that is compassionate and attentive to the whole person: body, mind and spirit. We promote healthy families, responsible stewardship of the environment, and a just society through value-based relationships and community-based collaboration.”

FHCE’s partnership with Daughters of Charity Health System started in February 2009 by helping uninsured patients, who visit the Daughters of Charity hospital websites, find health coverage.

“The missions of our organizations are truly aligned. Daughters of Charity Health System is proud to partner with the Foundation for Health Coverage Education to ensure that the underserved people in our communities are aware of the many options for health coverage. The Foundation’s user-friendly website and tools simplify the complex world of health insurance for all of us.” – Robert Issai, President & CEO, Daughters of Charity Health System.

The Daughters of Charity Health System (DCHS) is a regional healthcare system of five hospitals spanning the California coast from the Bay Area to Los Angeles. Our sponsors are the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul who, for more than 370 years, have been serving the sick and the poor through healing ministries around the world.

WellPoint helps people who have been declined individual plans or those who lapse payment or decline COBRA by referring them to CoverageForAll.org for assistance with understanding their other health coverage options.

United Healthcare helps people who have been declined individual plans or those who lapse payment or decline COBRA by referring them to CoverageForAll.org for assistance with understanding their other health coverage options.

Aetna helps people who have been declined individual plans or those who lapse payment or decline COBRA by referring them to CoverageForAll.org for assistance with understanding their other health coverage options.

Health Net of California helps people who have been declined individual plans or those who lapse payment or decline COBRA by referring them to CoverageForAll.org for assistance with understanding their other health coverage options

In March 2009, former California Insurance Commissioner, Steve Poizner, and FHCE held a series of press conferences at hospitals throughout California to inform the public of their health care options during the recession. Our collaborative efforts continue today through CDI’s consumer referrals from its Consumer Hotline 800-927-4357 and website to FHCE’s eligibility services.

NAHU’s Vision Statement: “Every American will have access to private sector solutions for health, financial and retirement security and the services of insurance professionals.”

The National Association of Health Underwriters represents more than 100,000 licensed health insurance agents, brokers, consultants and benefit professionals through more than 200 chapters across America. NAHU members service the health insurance needs of large and small employers as well as people seeking individual health insurance coverage. Every day, NAHU members work to obtain insurance for clients who are struggling to balance their desire to purchase high-quality and comprehensive health coverage with the reality of rapidly escalating medical care costs. As such, one of NAHU’s primary goals is to do everything we can to promote access to affordable health insurance coverage.

Currently, NAHU features the FHCE as its “Health Coverage Database” for consumers looking for public health coverage information.

Mission Statement: “To assist state insurance regulators, individually and collectively, in serving the public interest and achieving the following fundamental insurance regulatory goals in a responsive, efficient and cost effective manner, consistent with the wishes of its members: Protect the public interest; Promote competitive markets; Facilitate the fair and equitable treatment of insurance consumers; Promote the reliability, solvency and financial solidity of insurance institutions; and Support and improve state regulation of insurance.”

FHCE and the NAIC began working together in the Fall of 2009, and since then, FHCE has become a trusted resource for NAIC’s members at each of its quarterly meetings. Through the NAIC, several Departments of Insurance across the country, including California and Oklahoma, have begun referring uninsured individuals who need assistance with understanding their health coverage eligibility to the U.S. Uninsured Help Line and CoverageForAll.org.