There is a lot to know about the Affordable Care Act and how it affects you. Find answers to the most frequently asked questions and other useful information right here! … [Read more...]
Health Insurance Marketplace Launches
October 1, 2013 by
Beginning today -- October 1 -- uninsured people can shop online for health insurance. If they enroll by December 15, their coverage will begin on January 1, 2014. The Health Insurance Marketplace for consumer is one of the most significant provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Millions of currently uninsured people will gain access to affordable insurance, some of them with subsidies, through the marketplace. Information for consumers is available at healthcare.gov (English) or … [Read more...]
ACU Kicks off Campaign to Save the National Health Service Corps
September 9, 2013 by
Washington D.C. – Today the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) launched a new campaign aimed at saving and preserving the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) program. ACU was established in 1996 by participants and alumni of the NHSC, and in the 17 years since has consistently worked to enhance access to care in underserved communities. The NHSC, created in 1972, has worked to build healthy communities by placing dedicated health care professionals in underserved areas of … [Read more...]
NHSC Site Application Cycle Opens
September 5, 2013 by
Today, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) opened its 2014 Site Application cycle which represents an opportunity for more eligible sites to apply to become approved NHSC sites. For information regarding Eligibility Requirements and an Applicant Checklist please visit the NHSC website. In addition, the application cycle for all NHSC sites required to submit a 2014 recertification application, also opens today. Both application cycles will remain open until November 1, 2013, 7:30pm ET. … [Read more...]
August Policy Update: Student Loans and a Money Mess
August 6, 2013 by
August Recess Sees Student Loan Issue Resolved, FY14 Appropriations Mess Washington DC – This week Congress starts its annual August District Work Period, which means they won’t be back in town until September 9th. With the current fiscal year ending September 30th, Congress is currently scheduled to be in session only 9 days in September. Recognizing this, House and Senate leaders were trying to move as many of the 12 annual appropriations bills as possible. However, the House was only able … [Read more...]
National Health Service Corps Funding Update
July 19, 2013 by
Senate Committee Passes Labor, HHS Funding Measure Late last week the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its funding proposal for Fiscal Year 2014 by a party-line vote of 16-14. The bill funds all discretionary programs in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Departments as well as a number of other critical domestic programs. However, the Senate Committee did not provide any new funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). Indeed the bill is almost silent on … [Read more...]
Student Loan Update
July 18, 2013 by
Senators Reach a Tentative Deal to Lower Interest Rates Low Today a bi-partisan group of Senators reached a deal that would lower the interest rates on college loans, change how the loan rate is determined, and introduce a cap on further increases. On July 1st the interest rate on subsidized Stafford loans doubled from 3.4% to 6.8%, months after unsubsidized Stafford loans had also risen to 6.8% (see our previous update to learn more about the different types of loans). The agreement, … [Read more...]
College Loans and Congress: Why you should care
July 2, 2013 by
On July 1st, the interest rate on subsidized Stafford loans doubled, from 3.4% to 6.8%. Without quick corrective action from Congress, this will significantly raise the interest rate on loans for as many as five million college students. But what are Stafford Loans? And why should clinicians care? What are Stafford Loans? Stafford loans are a critical part of the financial aid offered by the federal government to college students. There are two kinds of Stafford loans: Subsidized … [Read more...]
Kathie Westpheling to Retire
May 2, 2013 by
ACU will soon bid adieu to Kathie Westpheling, MPH, who has served as executive director since 2002. She is a passionate advocate for the underserved, transdisciplinary care, health professions education, and health information technology. Kathie began her career at ACU in 1996 as the project director for the NHSC 25th Anniversary Initiative. She oversaw the relocation of the organization from its headquarters in Lexington, KY, to its current home in the Washington, DC area. Under her … [Read more...]
New Funding Platform for Health Projects
May 2, 2013 by
Crowdsourcing Platform Addresses Health Disparities. Clinicians with great ideas for community health programs have a new source to look to for small grants to get them off the ground. ACU member Dr. Rishi Manchanda, a co-founder of HBFunder (http://www.hbfunder.org/) says, “Like many frontline providers, we have seen how hard it can be to get funding for small projects that can have a big impact on social determinants of health and healthcare for vulnerable populations.” HBFunder connects … [Read more...]
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