Looking back at this year, it seems to me that healthcare reform is the buzzword of 2010. It’s a topic I’ve read about quite a bit while drinking my morning coffee, discussed on Facebook and something I’ve talked about with my family, friends and co-workers. At times I’ve felt a little perplexed trying to understand just what this new law means.  While talking to a nurse a few days ago, it occurred to me that your patients might even be asking you questions about what the new health reform law means for them. As you know, the CHAMP team is always working to find helpful resources that will make caring for your older patients a breeze, or so we hope! I decided to do some research and see if there are any resources I can share with you.

I came across a web site that is chock-full of helpful information regarding healthcare reform and seniors. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) has started a national campaign, Straight Talk for Seniors, to help older adults understand the new law and how it will affect them.  Best of all, there are plenty of downloadable fact sheets that will help you explain the changes to your patients.  The campaign conducted a national poll among older adults to see how much they really knew about health reform. They found that fewer than half of those polled across the country could correctly answer questions about what’s included in the new law. It seems I’m not the only one scratching my head trying to figure out this law!

Here’s a breakdown of what you can find on the web site:

• Printable information on key facts about the Affordable Care Act
• Frequently Asked Questions about Health Reform and a presentation
• Straight Talk Toolkit for Aging Services Professionals – this is a downloadable toolkit that has resources to help you educate your older patients

Visit the Straight Talk for Seniors web site to download these resources by clicking here.  I hope you find this information helpful! What other ways are you helping your patients understand the new health reform law?