Albuquerque, 2010: Mission Of Mercy line outside of patients waiting to be seen (Source: Only in New Mexico blog)

 

“Are you in pain?” I asked a young man who was waiting in line to see a dentist at the New Mexico Mission of Mercy (MOM) weekend dental clinic in 2010. 

“Only when I eat,” he answered.

The patient intake form I was filling out for him gave me only two ways to answer the question “Are you in pain?”: “yes” or “no.”  I wasn’t sure which answer to choose. Did the question mean “Are you in pain right now as you are standing here?” or was it the more general “Do you have pain?”  This man clearly needed to eat to live, so even if he is only in pain when he eats, he is in pain in a way that impacts his life in a big way. Right? I marked “yes.” 

As I found in my few hours volunteering at the patient intake station, this man wasn’t the only person who was in pain only when he or she ate. He stood in line with over 2,000 other New Mexicans for the chance to see a dentist, to try to have at least one of their dental problems resolved.  Hundreds camped outside overnight and traveled hundreds of miles for this chance.  Others may not have traveled so far in miles, but because they are Medicaid patients, don’t have insurance coverage, or can’t afford dental services the distance to see a dentist is just as great. 

Albuquerque, 2010: Mission Of Mercy clinic inside (Source: Only in New Mexico blog)

 

The MOM is good for generating positive public relations, awareness, and good feelings every year and a half.  But just as the “Are you in pain” question failed to accurately represent this man’s dental condition and the day-to-day realities his pain, the MOM fails to understand the nature of NM’s dental health and access crisis. More importantly, the MOM fails to provide a meaningful long-term solution.   

The MOM is a well-orchestrated event, and the people in line do get to see a dentist. But because it is only a weekend clinic, most people are limited to getting only one of the many dental services they actually need.  Then what happens if these individuals need follow-up care after the weekend is over?  There is nowhere – or in some cases very few places – that these patients can go. They are already so outside the healthcare system, there is no avenue of access to dental services beyond these MOM events. Reportedly, for weeks after the MOM event, safety net clinics like Community Dental Services in Albuquerque received a flood of follow-up calls from MOM patients. They received calls from more patients than they could possibly see. 

Clearly there is a demand for dental services and a shortage of dentists who can provide these services.  Rather than investing in MOM clinics we should invest in a long-term workforce solution that can help meet our dental health and access crisis; adding mid-level dental providers called “dental therapists” to NM’s dental team will strengthen the workforce and increase access for consumers. 

Dental therapists practice in rural, tribal and underserved communities, under the off-site supervision of dentists providing routine and preventative dental services to the community.  With a dental therapist people won’t have to camp out to see a MOM dentist every year and a half, and they won’t have to travel long distances missing school or work.  Most importantly, with the guidance of their dental therapist New Mexicans would be able to prevent the dental decay that leads to extractions, and other serious dental health and overall health problems.

NM has had 3 MOM’s.  The next MOM is in September 2013 in Farmington.  How much longer and how many more MOM’s will New Mexicans have to stand in line for?  Let’s work to make the need for Mission of Mercy events obsolete by bringing the long-term workforce solution of dental therapists to NM.  

- Pamela

This fall, many young Americans will have more health insurance options available to them than ever before as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) begins allowing individuals to enroll in new subsidized health insurance plans. Young Invincibles and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services have created a competition that will tap into the creativity and energy of young Americans while raising awareness about the new law and encouraging young people to take advantage of the benefits of health insurance.

With a prize pool worth up to $30,000, and over 100 prizes to be won, this is your opportunity to shine! Cash prizes will be awarded to the creators of the best videos in three distinct categories; so whether you’ve got a talent for short films, writing a great song, or designing an entertaining video infographic, you can be a winner! Click the links above to learn more about each of the categories and how you can participate.

Videos can be submitted during the five-week period starting on Monday, August 19th. A public voting period will follow to help determine the Finalists in each category, and a final round of voting and judging will determine who takes home the Grand Prize. The Young Invincibles website has all the juicy details.

La Llorona, source here

 

With increasing amazement and sorrow, I’ve watched unfold the behavioral health saga in New Mexico with the Arizona takeover of 15 long standing New Mexico provider non-profits. Last week, I sat in a meeting where some of the targeted providers provided a very different story than has surfaced in public coverage of these events. Affected consumers also shared their stories.

I came away with the sense that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg the impact this misadventure has and will have for many decades on communities and people’s lives across New Mexico. One person described it as the tsunami that will touch every corner of New Mexico. 

Even if we reversed everything tomorrow, our fragile support system for vulnerable children and adults touched by mental health issues, their families, their schools, workplaces, etc. can never be the same.  Skilled providers in our rural communities have already begun leaving the state.  Providers seeking certification in the new health plans and MCO’s are withdrawing their applications saying they don’t want to work in such a climate of uncertainty and lack of loyalty to patients and employees. Charges of intentional criminality have shattered both providers and clients.   

Those of us who know New Mexico’s deeply rooted communities whose fabric goes back centuries and, in the case of tribal communities, millennia, wonder how it was conceivable to bring in entities from another state.  Others ask where was the state and their oversight vendor in providing training and management guidance. Still others ask what agendas are at play.

But what stills the heart are the stories, the people’s stories – the grandmother of an eight-year old who has lost her BMS worker just before school starts and as her behavior escalates, puts her fist through a wall; the anguished mother who watches the increasing anxiety and regression of her 23 year old son with schizophrenia as his provider non-profit changes are happening… the stories go on.

New Mexico must act quickly to create opportunities for state and federal decision makers to hear from those affected by this surging crisis and investigate the process that brought us this crisis and learn from it.  Brakes need to be placed on a process that has ignored due process, respect and client safety.   

The basic therapeutic relationship as well as public stewardship is one of trust.  Trust has been broken at many levels and action needs to be taken immediately. Because if not, we are all doomed in New Mexico to collectively become La Llorona: condemned to wander New Mexico forever asking, donde estan mis hijos, where is the mother with postpartum depression, the father on the road to recovery, the young teens without hope, the veterans who could not forget? Where are those we are pledged to protect?  Like La Llorona, we have abandoned our own for the promises and resources of outsiders.  New Mexico, New Mexico, can we change our looming fate of becoming La Llorona?

- Barbara Webber, HANM Executive Director

This Tom Toles cartoon as featured in the Washington Post is just too pitch-perfect not to share. Happy Friday.

There are as many explanations of the Affordable Care Act these days as there are types of eggs in a natural foods store. While I am thrilled to see so many people working to spread the word, often the information varies depending on who is producing the content. And sometimes not all information out there is very user-friendly.

There is one simple solution that I think would immediately make most ACA content easier to read: replace the word "Exchange" with the word "Marketplace."

The reason is this.

What comes to mind when you hear the term “Exchange”? I think of stock markets or trading beads in the Trobriand Islands. Unfortunately, neither of these are close to what the new health insurance option will look like. So it's understandable when people are confused after hearing about the new "Exchange" that is starting in October.

Now try the word “Marketplace.” What images does this word bring to mind? Are farmer's markets, grocery stores, or craft fairs high on your list? NOW you're getting closer to what the new health insurance Exchange - ahem, Marketplace - will be like.

So read on to this infographic, but keep in mind that what we're actually talking about is a consumer-friendly, easy-to-use marketplace where you can shop for health insurance. 

Whew! What a whirlwind over the past 24 hours. I'm still reeling from the Texas state senate being the most exciting thing to watch ever, and now SCOTUS taking the side of equality. But we're still looking ahead to even more exciting opportunities to make history!

With 96 days left until open enrollment for the new Health Insurance Marketplace, hundreds of thousands of people still don't know what's coming. I had a chat with local comedian Sarah Kennedy last night about what all this means for New Mexico. Check us out!

Danielle unveils the new website, by danielle

So, first things first: you found our new website. Good job!

We've been working hard since January to get a new website up and running, and finally got a chance to celebrate with our Website Launch party on May 16th. The event was a blast, and we had everyone from Senator Shendo to enthusiastic community members in attendance.

 

You can find the key features of the website on your own by surfing through, but I'd like to draw your attention to a few key parts:

• People from across the state can submit the stories of their experiences with health care, as well as read others' stories on our interactive map view.
• 5 separate RSS feeds let you stay up-to-date on the news items that matter most to you - for example, the Marketplace Watch tracks all implementation of the new Health Insurance Marketplace (aka "Exchange") in New Mexico.
• You can now donate ONLINE, including setting up recurring donations, by clicking on the "Donate" button on the top of each page.

Our goal with the new website is to create a central place where all information on health care reform in New Mexico is stored. Health reform is a huge, complicated topic, and communication about all the different parts can get tricky. We are working hard to make this site easy to read, easy to navigate, and easy to find all of the information that matters most to you.

Folks at our website launch party enjoyed live music by Sherri Gonzales, Ron Hale, and Marsha McMurray-Avila, including a new song on health reform that Marsha wrote specially for the event.

Sherri Gonzales and Ron Hale performing some live blues music, by danielle

 

Special thanks goes to our sponsors: La Montañita Co-Op, Flying Star Cafe & Satellite Coffee, and The Grove Cafe & Market. And a big thank you to all those who attended and made this a great event!

Lots of opportunities to meet new people at our website launch party, by danielle

May 3, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. found me driving through miles of pecan groves in the southern part of New Mexico. I was heading to our first event in a series we are hosting this summer through Health Action New Mexico (HANM) – cultural learning events aimed at educating communities about their new health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act. I wasn’t sure what to expect; believe it or not, it can be difficult to get people really excited about attending an event where the main topic is health insurance.

Our first of these events was scheduled to be held in San Miguel, a small village in Doña Ana county. I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by over a hundred happy, welcoming faces ready to celebrate the Cinco de Mayo and to hear about the new day for health care in New Mexico! This wonderful turnout was an accomplishment by our co-host for the event, Concilio Campesino, a non-profit organization that offers community services to residents in southern New Mexico. 

The program first included upbeat, celebratory music to commemorate el Cinco de Mayo, with snacks of fresh fruit, baked breads, coffee, and bottled water.  Then, after welcoming of all present by the Concilio Campesino team, we did a brief power point presentation narrated in Spanish of what is going to be offered under the Medicaid Expansion and the Health Insurance Marketplace.  This presentation was done as an introduction, providing the basics of who is eligible, how to apply, and how to get help if a challenge occurs during enrollment.  We also introduced a plan where there will be a "You Are Not Alone" committee of local community leaders to help those applying for enrollment in either of these programs to overcome any obstacle that they may encounter during enrollment periods.    There was a question and answer period as a part of the presentation, where many participants got to ask their questions.   We closed the event with a return to the celebratory activities of music and interchange among friends.

The event was fantastic. In addition to the great turnout, I appreciated the welcoming attitude that was displayed by the participants, the enthusiasm to learn about the health options being described, the interest to ask questions, and the commitment expressed by many to share information with others.  

Our key strategy in these community events is to share factual information presented in the simplest, most actionable terms possible. We want to empower residents to determine for themselves who may be eligible, how to apply, and how to get help if necessary. Everyone took home checklists that walk through seeing if you are eligible for these new health insurance options, so they can take their health care into their own hands.

25% of New Mexicans are uninsured or underinsured. 170,000 people will be eligible for Medicaid Expansion in New Mexico, and another 200,000 for the Health Insurance Marketplace (aka “Exchange”). At HANM we are hosting these cultural learning events throughout the state to bring greater awareness of these health insurance options to communities around the state. If our first event is any indication, people are excited to find out about the changes that are occurring, and empowered to make healthy decisions for themselves and their families.

Our next event is Saturday, May 18th, 3:00 – 5:00pm, at the Beatrice Martinez Senior Center: 730 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park Road, Española NM. Featuring live musical guest Miguel Timoteo. Come celebrate a new day in health care with us!

Dental Therapist-Hygienist HB 17 has reached its final destination for 2013, and we are already working on next steps.

Last night the House Business and Industry Committee heard HB 17 for 2 1/2 hours - a good chunk of time, this late in the session. The committee directed that the HB 17 sponsor and representatives meet with the sponsor and representatives of the New Mexico Dental Association (NMDA) dental therapy bill after the session, before the interim committees begin in May. The meetings will help us continue to work for legislation that has a positive impact on the oral health crisis in New Mexico. So while there was no vote in the committee, there was a great discussion that yielded concrete next steps that can be taken.

Earlier this week, HB 17 companion bill SB 567 was tabled in the Senate Public Affairs Committee. The votes were as follows - Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto was not present for the vote. We encourage community members to contact their legislator if they are unsatisfied with a voting decision.

At Health Action NM, we are proud of the progress and advocacy that occurred during the 2013 session. There was a big increase in awareness of the dental care crisis in NM, as well as in the solution that dental therapy can offer. We need to continue this education process and get more people on board, including Gov. Susanna Martinez.

We couldn't have done it without the support of many allies. A big thank you to:

• Our bill sponsors, Rep. Dennis Roch (R) and Sen. Carlos Cisneros (D).
• Other state advocacy groups who are also working hard to make dental therapy a reality in their states.
• The many local dentists and dental hygienists who stood up with us to promote dental therapy as an optimal solution to NM's dental care needs.
• All of our endorsers, community members, groups, and organizations alike.
• All those community members who attended the various committee hearings and called their legislators in support of this bill.

Stay in touch with us to hear more about what you can be doing to keep building awareness on this solution to New Mexico's dental care crisis. There is much work to be done!

We just received notice that our bill HB 17 for Dental Therapist-Hygienist Licensure has finally been scheduled to be heard by the House Business & Industry Committee TODAY, March 7 at 1:30 p.m. in Room 309.

Thank you for all of your calls to the Roundhouse - they really helped us get this bill heard!

The New Mexico Dental Association's (NMDA) bill to delay dental therapist-hygienists in NM by 8-10 years will also be heard in this committee today, same time and place. The dentists will be present at the committee in force. We need your attendance to help us support HB 17 for New Mexican families, and oppose the NMDA bill which stalls solutions to New Mexico's oral health crisis for almost another decade.

The senate companion bill to HB 17 was tabled in the Senate Public Affairs Committee on Tuesday. The opposition effectively used misinformation to create unjustified concerns on the part of some committee members. They also portrayed the nonprofit organizations supporting this bill as "well meaning but misguided."

This is therefore our last chance to get our bill heard in committee. It is a challenging committee, whose chair person's personal dentist is the former president of the NMDA and has been one of the strongest dental therapy opponents in NM. However, it is a committee with several new committee members as well.

HB 17 is a solution to our dental care crisis that also emphasizes cultural competency, is homegrown, and is community based. Let's not let this chance slip through our fingers.

Please attend House Business & Industry today at 1:30 p.m. to support HB 17, and stand up for a solution that will help families today - not push the issue to the back burner. We need your support.