Tag: news

Flu cases very high in Washington: DOH urges everyone take precautions

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is informing Washingtonians that the flu is spreading at a high rate in Washington state right now. The current flu season is early this year and flu deaths are at higher rates than usually seen at this point in the year. As of December 10, 40 people have died from the flu in Washington including three children.

DOH strongly recommends everyone aged 6 months and older get the flu vaccine as soon as possible. It can help keep individuals from getting severe illness or spreading the disease and prevent hospitalizations in an already strained healthcare system. If someone does get the flu when they are vaccinated, it’s typically milder with fewer complications. The vaccine also lowers the risk of needing medical care.

“It’s not too late to get your flu shot, so we urge everyone aged 6 months and older to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, Secretary of Health. “Flu is spreading rapidly through our state and getting your flu shot now helps to protect us all, especially as we plan to gather for holidays and events.”

The most common strain of flu seen so far this year is influenza A (H3N2). This strain typically causes more severe disease. All available flu vaccines provide protection against H3N2.

Remember that the flu can be serious and deadly, even for young and otherwise healthy adults. Flu can be especially dangerous to people who are under five years old, aged 65 or older, pregnant, immunocompromised, or have chronic health conditions.

The flu vaccine is available at most pharmacies, healthcare provider offices, and clinics. The flu vaccine can be received at the same time as any other vaccine.

In addition to the flu, other respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 and RSV are making both children and adults sick and overloading our hospitals. Individuals can help keep themselves, their family, and their community healthy by getting a flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster and taking other measures to prevent getting sick or spreading illness to others. DOH recommends:

  • Get up to date on any vaccines that are due. This includes the yearly flu vaccine and any COVID-19 boosters for those 6 months and older. Vaccination is your best defense against many serious diseases.
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer when soap is not available, and hands are not visibly soiled.
  • Consider wearing a mask in crowded or indoor settings.
  • Sneeze or cough into the crook of your arm or a tissue so you don’t put germs on your hands or in the air.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • If you feel sick, stay home.

Find out more at KnockOutFlu.org.

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Inside a Children’s Hospital: Struggling to Cope With a Surge of Respiratory Illness

Waiting for their turn in the emergency room, dazed-looking parents in winter coats bounced crying children in their arms, trying to catch the eye of Dr. Erica Michiels. Us! Pick us next! they seemed to plead with tired eyes.

Michiels directs pediatric emergency medicine at Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Lips pressed together in a thin line, she surveyed what she calls the “disaster” area.

“People have been out here waiting for a couple hours, which is heartbreaking,” she said.

Typically, the ER at DeVos Children’s sees about 140 kids each day, according to Michiels, but on a recent Tuesday in early December, they saw 253.

“I hate when we have a wait,” sighed Michiels. “But for right now, we can’t do it any other way.”

Like many other children’s hospitals across the nation, the capacity of the staff at DeVos Children’s has been stretched by waves of patients with RSV and, increasingly, the flu.

This surge of sick kids is coming after years of some U.S. hospitals cutting back on pediatric beds — in part because it is typically more profitable to treat adult patients. The remaining pediatric beds are increasingly concentrated in urban areas, leaving families in rural areas to travel longer distances to get care for their children.

When Staci Rodriguez brought her 9-month-old son into the ER in their hometown of Shelby Township, Michigan, she was desperate. Santiago Botello Rodriguez, who has big brown eyes and long eyelashes that everybody gushes over, had been sick for days. First Santi stopped eating, so she took him to urgent care, she said. Then he started sleeping 20 hours a day, so Rodriguez went to the pediatrician. She said she was sent home, after being told Santi was just fighting a virus.

Read the full article from KHN.

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Study Needs Participants: The Health of Parents of Children Diagnosed with Autism

Rutgers University is conducting a study on the health of parents of children diagnosed with autism.  The purpose of this study is to explore how levels of stress and self-compassion influence parental mental and physical health. They are planning to recruit 280 participants in this survey.

Who is eligible to participate?

Adult parents or primary caregivers of a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
Ability to read and respond to survey questions in English

Participants will be asked to complete a 15-20 minute, online survey about their health. Responses will be confidential. This study will inform the development of interventions to improve the mental and physical
health of parents and caregivers of children diagnosed with autism.

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Omicron-targeted COVID-19 boosters now authorized for children ages 6 months and older

OLYMPIA  – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and other healthcare providers will soon begin offering omicron variant-targeted bivalent booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 6 months and older. This follows guidance and recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

  • Children 6 months through 5 years of age who received the original (monovalent) two-dose Moderna COVID-19 vaccine series are now eligible to receive a booster of the updated (bivalent) Moderna COVID-19 vaccine two months after their last dose.
  • Children 6 months through 4 years of age who have not started or completed their three-dose Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine series will now receive the updated (bivalent) Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as the third dose following two doses of the original (monovalent) Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Children 6 months through 4 years of age who have already completed their three-dose primary series with the original (monovalent) Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are not eligible for an updated (bivalent) booster dose at this time.

DOH urges all parents and guardians of children ages 6 months and older to prioritize vaccinating their children with the updated booster if eligible, or starting the COVID-19 vaccine primary series if they are yet to begin. Washington state is currently seeing record pediatric hospitalizations from respiratory viruses and vaccines add an extra level of protection from severe illness. Additionally, flu vaccines are available to everyone 6 months and older at provider offices and pharmacies across the state. Flu and COVID-19 vaccines can be safely given at the same time.

“This is great news that infants and young children can now get the updated bivalent booster, which offers better protection against Omicron subvariants,” said Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, MD, MPH, Chief Science Officer. “We encourage everyone 6 months and older to get up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines and boosters as well as the seasonal flu shot in order to keep yourself and those around you safe, and to reduce the pressure on our severely stressed hospital system.”

Pediatric-focused COVID-19 boosters are expected to start arriving in provider offices the week of December 12. To make a vaccine or booster appointment, visit VaccinateWA.org, or call the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 833-VAX-HELP. Language assistance is available. If you have questions, visit DOH’s COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions webpage or talk to a trusted healthcare provider.

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10 Helpful Ways You Can Manage Family Stress During the Holidays

The holiday season is often filled with fun and family, but it can also be stressful. A 2018 survey found that an overwhelming majority (88%) of those surveyed feel stressed when celebrating the holidays.

Family dynamics play a major factor in how much you and your loved ones may enjoy the holidays. Here are 10 ways to manage family-related stress and help you experience more joy with your family.

#1 Talk in advance to set expectations around gift-giving.

When spending on holiday gifts is uneven or gifts are unexpected, it can lead to awkward and even unhappy moments with family. Have a brief conversation up front to set the ground rules and agree on a spending range. For many families, drawing names and giving to just one person offers a way to reduce financial strain while others choose experiences they can do together, like seeing a local theater show, and eliminate gifts altogether.

Conversation starter: “We thought it would be helpful to make a plan for gifts this year, as we need to stick to a budget. Can we agree on a spending limit?” 

#2 Be selective with activities and protect your time to do what matters most to you.

There are so many activities and events this time of year. To keep from running yourself ragged going from commitment to commitment, be selective when deciding what to attend. Are you attending out of obligation or genuine excitement?

Tip: If you are not ready to eliminate a commitment altogether, try alternating. Maybe you host that holiday party every other year or send holiday cards to half your list one year and half the next.

Read the full article from Families for Depression Awareness.

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Moving ForWArd: Join us and become an Apple Health Ambassador today!

The Health Care Authority (HCA) needs you! In preparation for the end of the public health emergency (PHE), we are looking for volunteers to share Apple Health (Medicaid) information with their community. Let’s help keep Washingtonians covered!

Get involved!

Many times, people from our community have difficulties accessing Apple Health programs and services due to language barriers, transportation, lack of engagement, etc. We are looking for volunteers from organizations such as schools, food banks, churches, and community advocates to get involved and become an Apple Health Ambassador.

If you or someone you know would like to participate contact AHEligCovid19@hca.wa.gov.

Resources

HCA will continue to share updates as new information becomes available. Follow us on social media for updates on Apple Health. For more information about the Public Health Emergency visit hca.wa.gov/phe.

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Open Enrollment Period for Health Insurance

Open enrollment for most medical plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, starts November 1st and goes through early to mid-December. This is the time to sign up, renew, or change coverage to best suit your family’s situation. If you wish to estimate how much how health insurance will cost your family without giving any information to a government entity, you can visit the KFF Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator, which provides estimates for health care premiums through marketplaces, aka health insurance exchanges.

For individuals who are on, or expect to be on Medicare, the open enrollment for 2023 is open now through January 15th. If enrolled by December 15, coverage will start January 1, 2023. Medicare is generally for those 65 years or older, but certain younger individuals with disabilities, End-Stage Renal Disease, or ALS can be eligible. For step-by-step instructions on how to sign up for Medicaid or change plans in Medicaid, visit the medicaid.gov or healthcare.gov websites.

For more information on health insurance available through the health insurance exchanges, visit either healthcare.gov or wahealthplanfinder.gov. Medicaid, also known as Apple Health in Washington state, is available through the Washington Health Plan Finder. Many uninsured children, aged 18 and under, who are a part of a low-to-medium income family, are likely to be eligible for free health insurance through Apple Health. A full breakdown of the program and income requirements is available.

Help is available for those who are having a difficult time navigating the health insurance landscape.  Washington Health Plan Finder has step-by-step instructions for applying and navigators to help apply.

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More Than Half a Million People in the U.S. Are On Waiting Lists for Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services

Other Findings From Our 50-State Survey of Medicaid HCBS Programs Focus on How States Are Responding to Chronic Workforce Shortages That Were Exacerbated by the Pandemic

About 656,000 people across the country were on state waiting lists for home and community-based services financed through Medicaid waivers in 2021, finds a new KFF analysis. But such waiting lists are an incomplete and often inaccurate measure that can both overstate and understate unmet need.

The data about waiting lists are among the latest findings from the 20th KFF survey of state officials administering Medicaid HCBS programs in all 50 states and Washington DC.

Waiting lists can sometimes overstate the need for services because not all states screen for Medicaid eligibility before adding people to their lists, which inflates the numbers with people who may never be eligible for services. In all years since 2016, over half of people on HCBS waiting lists lived in states that did not screen people on waiting lists for eligibility, the new analysis found. This also is a key reason that waiting lists are not comparable across states.

Waiting lists can also understate need. They reflect the populations a state chooses to serve, as well as the resources it commits. In many cases, people may need additional services, but because the state doesn’t offer them—or doesn’t offer them to specific populations, such as people ages 65 and older—they would not appear on a waiting list.

HCBS waiting lists remain a source of concern to policymakers and proposals to eliminate them have been put forth by both Republicans and Democrats.

Many of the other findings from the 50-state survey focus on chronic workforce shortages that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and are the biggest challenges facing state Medicaid HCBS programs. Key takeaways from that analysis include:

  • Amid the pandemic, HCBS workforce shortages have contributed to provider closures. Most states (44) reported a permanent closure of at least one Medicaid HCBS provider during the pandemic, up from 30 states in 2021.
  • Almost all states (48) responded to the workforce crisis by increasing HCBS provider payment rates. States also increased self-directed and family caregiving opportunities for HCBS beneficiaries. All states offer at least one HCBS program with the option for enrollees to self-direct their services. Forty-eight states allow legally responsible relatives to be paid caregivers, up from 36 states in 2020.
  • When asked how they used temporary funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, over two-thirds of states (35) reported initiatives with high start-up costs that were generally time-limited to avoid higher ongoing costs after the enhanced federal funding ended. Some of the most common initiatives included offering providers bonuses or incentive payments to stay on, developing or expanding worker training or certification programs, and upgrading IT systems.

The full analyses of the survey findings are available here:

For more data and analyses about Medicaid HCBS, visit kff.org.

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