ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY:
1. ANNUAL HMO PERFORMANCE REPORT RELEASED
2. CHANGES IN MEDICARE PART D PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE
3. CRIMINALLY INSANE WOULD BE DENIED VOTE UNDER BILL
4. CLUBHOUSE OPENS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES
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ANNUAL HMO PERFORMANCE REPORT RELEASED
The Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) has issued
the 12th annual HMO report card. This is the third prepared
by DOBI. The state's six commercial HMOs with at least 2,000
members are included in the report. In addition to comparing
plans in 12 measures of preventive care and treatment, the
report includes eight areas of customer satisfaction. The
report indicates that no plan had more than 34 percent of
members given medicine for depression who had follow-up
visits.
The HMO report is available on the web at:
www.state.nj.us/dobi/lifehealthactuarial/hmo2008/
Download the full report:
http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/lifehealthactuarial/hmo2008/2008hmoperformrpt.pdf
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CHANGES IN MEDICARE PART D PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE
Changes in Medicare Part D that will impact a large
number of New Jersey's dual eligibles (persons who have
both Medicaid and Medicare) - beginning January 1, 2008.
Three types of important letters that will be mailed to
dual eligibles in the next few weeks. In early November
dual eligibles will receive a letter from the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), printed on blue paper,
informing them that CMS will auto-assign them to a new drug
plan, unless they enroll in a different drug plan. Other
dual eligibles will receive a letter from CMS, printed on
tan paper, informing them that if they remain in their current
drug plan, they will have to pay a premium fee every month,
starting January 1. Therefore, those individuals are advised
to switch to another drug plan.
Read More:
http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/MedPartD.html
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CRIMINALLY INSANE WOULD BE DENIED VOTE UNDER BILL
Psychiatric hospital patients cast ballots
Senator Shirley K. Turner today said she is drafting legislation
to ban criminals at psychiatric centers from voting. "We
need to close the loophole that allows serious sex offenders
or even murderers to cast votes," said Senator Turner,
D-Mercer. "Voting is a sacred privilege for those who
uphold the laws of this State and country - not something
for serious criminals."
Read the daily record report:
http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200811090405/NEWS02/811090344
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CLUBHOUSE OPENS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES
Future members of Laurel House stopped dreaming and started
living yesterday, said Stacy Hollingsworth, a 2008 University
alumna. With a backdrop of fresh snow, Laurel House's founders
and Middlesex County freeholders cut a white ribbon, hanging
across the building's entrance, commemorating the opening
of New Jersey's first clubhouse for the mentally ill.
Read more:
http://www.dailytargum.com/metro/1.848701
