By Dan Schnur
The Sacramento Bee
July 7, 2019

Note to readers: Each week through November 2019, a selection of our 101 California Influencers answers a question that is critical to California’s future. Topics include education, healthcare, environment, housing and economic growth. One influencer each week is also invited to write a column that takes a closer look at the issue.

Stay in the know: Sign up for the California Influencers newsletter here.

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Heads up, California. There’s a gray wave coming.

As the baby-boom generation ages, the number of senior citizens in the state is about to explode. The 65-and-over population will nearly double within a decade, which means a larger percentage of seniors here in California than in Florida. And it’s not clear if we’re ready for the societal, economic and health care demands this shift represents.

“California has a relatively young population that’s about to gray rapidly, and we are woefully unprepared,” said Bruce Chernof, president of The SCAN Foundation. “The state’s approach to aging services is a six-decade collection of well-meaning but one-off programs that are siloed from one another.”

Chernof was one of several of The Bee’s California Influencers who lauded Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “Master Plan on Aging,” which Newsom recently announced to address the needs of the state’s growing senior population.

Kassy Perry, president of the Perry Communications Group, coupled her praise with a warning.

“That’s a start, but the hard work is still to come,” Perry said. “Unless we face reality and make significant changes to the way we provide services and address the needs of the growing senior population, California will see generational poverty the likes of which we have not seen since the Great Depression.”

Mark Ghaly, Newsom’s secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency, described the challenge that he and his colleagues face in developing the governor’s plan.

“The current patchwork of services are not person-centered nor do they attempt to address the holistic needs of the individuals or their caregivers,” Ghaly said. “Government cannot do this alone. It is our collective responsibility to build an age-friendly state.”

The scope of the challenge is even greater given the unique health care needs of seniors, cautioned Joseph Alvaranas of the City of Hope cancer treatment and research center.

“We have found that caring for senior cancer patients requires a special skill set to ensure that care and quality of life issues are appropriately managed,” Alvarnas said, pointing to City of Hope’s geriatric assessment program that customizes patient treatments. “As the senior population of California grows, we must shift our mindset to provide scalable access to appropriate care especially in cancer where prevalence grows with age.”

Carmela Coyle, president of the California Hospital Association, outlined some necessary next steps.

“Healthcare workers of the future — people specially trained to work in the community and in peoples’ homes … can link older adults with their doctors between visits, monitor their well-being and keep them connected with their communities,” Coyle said. “Technology that monitors vital signs and chronic health care conditions catches problems early and prevents conditions from worsening. This makes for better quality care, with less cost and inconvenience.”

Other Influencers emphasized likely job prospects for younger Californians in the burgeoning health field.

“The health workforce opportunity is staring us right in the face. Our young people badly need these opportunities, and we aging baby boomers need these young people,” said Robert Ross, president of The California Endowment, who estimated 600,000 additional health workers would be needed in the coming decades. “The obvious benefit is that our aging community receives the care it needs, but health career investments can also be an important economic driver for the state.”

California Nurses Association Executive Director Bonnie Castillo renewed her call for a single-payer health care system that would provide long-term services for seniors.

“Nurses know that California’s skyrocketing older adult population… face an alarming future if we do not see meaningful, systemic change statewide and nationally,” Castillo said. “Enough is enough. It’s time to pass Medicare for All, to ensure a supported, empowered future for California’s seniors.”

Former AARP National President Jeannine English recommended an equally fundamental, attitudinal shift, prioritizing the opportunities that accompany longer life spans.

“We should quit focusing (solely) on the challenges of supporting the frail and elderly and instead build a society that supports people throughout their lifespans,” English said, citing Singapore’s example of how to recognize the contributions that seniors can make. “They focus on empowerment rather than frailty. Their seniors are not considered a drain on society but rather an opportunity for the community to benefit from their wisdom, and judgment.”

By Dan Schnur
The Sacramento Bee
July 7, 2019

Note to readers: Each week through November 2019, a selection of our 101 California Influencers answers a question that is critical to California’s future. Topics include education, healthcare, environment, housing and economic growth.

Stay in the know: Sign up for the California Influencers newsletter here.

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California Influencers this week answered the question: How will we care for California’s rapidly growing senior population? Below are the Influencers’ answers in their entirety.

WE NEED TO ACT NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

Kassy Perry – President and CEO of Perry Communications Group

California is graying, and as a typical Hollywood starlet she’s in denial. Unless we face reality and make significant changes to the way we provide services and address the needs of the growing senior population, California will see generational poverty the likes of which we have not seen since the Great Depression.

Aging is everybody’s business and the services needed to prevent skyrocketing poverty rates among our seniors require the attention and coordination of all government agencies. In transforming our system, we must consider marginalized communities, transportation needs, affordable and accessible housing, health care and long-term care services, as well as infrastructure and financing challenges.

At the urging of senior stakeholders and We Stand With Seniors, Governor Newsom issued an executive order calling for a Master Plan for Aging. That’s a start, but the hard work is still to come.

“WOMEN ARE OFTEN EXPECTED TO SHOULDER THE CARE OF CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY IN THEIR FAMILY”

Richard Pan – California State Senator (D-Sacramento)

Thanks to advances in modern medicine, people are living longer and more productive lives. In addition, families are having fewer children leading to a rapidly growing senior population with a smaller workforce in proportion. Women are often expected to shoulder the care of children and the elderly in their family, but this is not sustainable or equitable. The State Senate has been working on this issue, including the work of Senator Liu’s Select Committee on Aging and last year’s informational hearing of the Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services I chaired on the impact of the aging population on the state budget.

With the support of the California Aging and Disability Alliance, I authored SB512 to develop a benefit for middle class families to fund long term services and supports for their loved ones. I welcome Governor Newsom’s leadership in developing a master plan on aging, and I look forward to working with the administration on this critical issue.

PLANNING AHEAD IS VITAL TO PROVIDING QUALITY CARE TO CALIFORNIA’S SENIORS

Marie Waldron – California State Assemblywoman (R-Escondido)

First and foremost, we need a strategy for how we will care for our state’s aging population. This is an extremely important issue, and a trial-and-error approach to it just won’t work. That’s why I support Governor Newsom’s proposal to create a Master Plan on Aging. This will create a comprehensive plan to provide a trained workforce, adequate funding and an understandable benefit system to ensure seniors get the services they need. Navigating our healthcare system can be daunting and making sure seniors get timely referrals to specialists, test results and records management that are in synch with appointments would greatly help ensure quality in senior care.

Our work to improve access to care for California’s entire population will also yield important benefits for our state’s seniors. Expanding the use of telemedicine will help people with limited mobility stay connected with their health care providers. Encouraging preventative care and wellness programs will reduce chronic illnesses and the costs associated with treating them. Other reforms to improve care and reduce costs will allow us to use our limited resources more efficiently so we can provide care for everyone who needs it.

“CALIFORNIA SHOULD TAKE ADDITIONAL STEPS TO HOLD THE HEALTH INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABILITY”

Anthony Wright – Executive Director of Health Access California

The projected growth of California’s senior population highlights the urgency to reform our health system. Since they need care the most, seniors feel our system’s inequities most acutely.

California should be proud that this last state budget eliminated the so-called “senior penalty” in Medi-Cal, bringing the income eligibility threshold up to the same level as those under 65. The additional affordability assistance to buy a health plan through Covered California will disproportionately help those approaching 65, who face premiums as much as three times as much as a 20-year-old.

But there’s more to fix in the future — additional investments to prevent seniors from ‘yo-yo”ing on and off Medi-Cal or other coverage programs, and expanding Medi-Cal to all income-eligible seniors regardless of immigration status.

These steps would make our health programs more inclusive, but the real reform that seniors need, in Medicare, Medi-Cal and/or private coverage, is the transformation of the health system to be more transparent, simpler, integrated and patient-focused. California should take additional steps to hold the health industry accountability for better quality and outcomes. Creating a better system for our seniors can help make our health care work better for everyone.

GET READY TO TAKE THE WHEEL, MILLENNIALS…

Robin Swanson – Swanson Communications

It’s hard to imagine that in just over a decade, our 60-and-over population will be 40% larger than it is now. This creates a whole host of issues we’ll need to address; and there clearly is not one easy answer for addressing this drastically graying population shift.

Governor Newsom’s call for a “Master Plan for Aging” may sound academic, but in truth, is a clarion call that we’re all going to be paying for an aging workforce and growing demands on our already overwhelmed health care system. Of the many troubling statistics California is facing, one of the more shocking revelations is that our state will need to recruit 9,000 more doctors to care for this population by 2030.

As Californians, we’re simply going to need to re-shift our priorities, and our finances, to address the math that just won’t add up otherwise. The good news is that older populations vote; so I’m actually not worried about this generation not having a voice. The real question is whether the younger population that will be footing the bill for their aging parents and grandparents will step up to the plate. Will they enroll in our health care exchanges so the system of pooled insurance doesn’t crumble? Will they train to be nurses and doctors who can treat the aging population? Will they create a sustainable and growing economy so that the pie is big enough for all? And will they take in their aging parents as the need arises? Time will tell, and as always, necessity will be the mother of invention.

“OUR GROWING NUMBER OF SENIORS DESERVE A LIFE WITH DIGNITY AND CONNECTION”

Chet Hewitt – President and CEO of the Sierra Health Foundation

The urgency of effective action on behalf of California’s oldest residents is clear: by 2030, California will be home to 9 million seniors, and have a larger proportion of seniors than Florida.

These Californians, known as Baby Boomers, are healthier and living longer. But a closer examination reveals that not all seniors are doing well, and all of them are going to require increasing support.

California seniors’ average annual income is $25,000; one third don’t have enough income to meet their basic needs. We need to emphasize affordable senior housing (independent and assisted living) and quality nutrition. With the largest increases in senior populations in inland areas, we also need to build and ensure access to affordable public transportation.

Californians seniors will spend 20% of their remaining years with a major disability. A focus on expanding California’s IHHS program can meet their needs, and provide necessary employment for Californians.

The planning process for Governor Newsom’s Master Plan on Aging must be inclusive, visionary, and move quickly to action. Our growing number of seniors deserve a life with dignity and connection.

“IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT CALIFORNIA INVESTS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES”

Le Ondra Clark Harvey – Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs for the California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies

It is estimated that by 2030, there will be an increase of four million adults over the age of 65. The demographics of the population are changing as there are more Latino and Asian, and divorced and separated older adults than ever before. Additionally, 15 percent of older adults suffer from a mental disorder. These factors impact the demand for health care services, housing facilities, nursing homes, senior centers, in-home and community-based services.

When behavioral health services are examined, there is a paucity of professionals who have been trained and are available to address the needs of older adults. As such, it is imperative that California invests in behavioral health services, and the workforce who must meet their needs. It is necessary to educate the public about behavioral health careers, expand and provide additional funding for the growth of community college certification programs including peer providers and community health workers, Masters and Doctoral level training programs, and practicum and internship training sites. Governor Newsom has taken a step in the right direction by commissioning the Master Plan for Aging which will help provide a roadmap for how to provide the best care for older adults in California, and it is imperative that it includes a focus on behavioral health care.

TOGETHER WE MUST ENGAGE TO BUILD AN AGE-FRIENDLY CALIFORNIA

Mark Ghaly – Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency

Spending our golden years in the Golden State should be a time of possibility, joy, and vitality, not one of poverty, displacement, and isolation. The Governor has called on all of us to come together to develop a Master Plan for Aging that will take a comprehensive look at the multifaceted issues facing older Californians and lays out a long-term plan that seeks to ensure Californians age with dignity.

The research is clear. Food insecurity and social isolation lead to health problems such as depression, heart disease, and other stress-related illnesses. Similarly, a growing number older Californians are homeless and are battling complex health conditions. Yet the current patchwork of services are not person-centered nor do they attempt to address the holistic needs of the individuals or their caregivers.

Government cannot do this alone. It is our collective responsibility to build an age-friendly state. This is why we must find the courage to put forth new, bold and collaborative ideas, while having the humility to listen and learn from each other. I challenge you to join us in building a California Dream that is inclusive of our older and disabled neighbors. Let us roll-up our sleeves and get to work.

WE NEED TO “FOCUS ON EMPOWERMENT RATHER THAN FRAILTY”

Jeannine English – Former National President of AARP

Longevity is here to stay, due in large part to the unprecedented increases in life expectancy. We must embrace this opportunity.

And Singapore is a great model, for us to consider. They focus on empowerment rather than frailty. Their seniors are not considered a drain on society but rather an opportunity for the community to benefit from their wisdom, and judgment.

We need to design solutions to benefit all society and take advantage of this immense human capital. We should quit focusing on the challenges of supporting the frail and elderly and instead build a society that supports people throughout their lifespans.

Multigenerational teams are more productive so we should incentivize those companies that develop inclusive, multigenerational hiring practices. And to ensure that our healthspan equals our lifespan we need to provide health insurance for all that is comprehensive and affordable. To do this, much like Singapore, we need to redesign our institutions and policies to accommodate the way people actually live their longer and, in many instances, healthier lives.

GUARANTEED LONG-TERM CARE IS THE ANSWER FOR SENIORS, FAMILIES. WE CAN ACHIEVE THIS WITH MEDICARE FOR ALL.

Bonnie Castillo – Executive Director of the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United

Nurses know that California’s skyrocketing older adult population — and their unpaid family caregivers (often women who are forced to leave the workforce) — face an alarming future if we do not see meaningful, systemic change statewide and nationally.

The Medicare for All Act of 2019 addresses this crisis by guaranteeing long-term services and supports (LTSS) — a critical benefit for seniors and people with disabilities. Medicare for All’s guaranteed LTSS includes nursing and medical services, long-term rehabilitative and habilitative services, and daily life supports, with an emphasis on services provided at home and in the community. And there are no copays, deductibles and premiums that can wipe out a life savings overnight.

In our current system, LTSS is usually not covered by private insurance or existing Medicare, and few people can afford these services out of pocket. According to a 2018 survey, the average annual cost of a home health aide in California is $59,488, and a private nursing home room averages $117,804. Seniors can access LTSS through Medi-Cal, but with strict income and asset limits, they are often forced into poverty to qualify.

Enough is enough. It’s time to pass Medicare for All, to ensure a supported, empowered future for California’s seniors

“IMPLEMENT THE MASTER PLAN, AND INVEST IN THE HEALTH WORKFORCE CAREER PIPELINE”

Robert Ross – President and CEO of The California Endowment

I have three words in response to the matter of our state’s growing senior population: The Health Workforce.

We at The California Endowment partnered with the California Health Care Foundation, The California Wellness Foundation, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, and the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation to support a statewide Commission – of health system executives, university and community college leaders, physicians and nurses – about our state’s health workforce, and their report can be found here. In sum, we now have a master plan to address the issue, but it’s implementation will require a public-private partnership, leadership, and resources in the decade to come to fully implement.

While the projected health workforce needs for our aging population are troubling (we’ll need an estimated 600,000 or more new workers in the decades ahead), here’s the good news: we receive a double-bottom line return by investing in the pipeline to produce these health workers. The obvious benefit is that our aging community receives the care it needs, but health career investments can also be an important economic driver for the state. These jobs generally offer between livable and middle-class wages, typically come with benefits, have career ladder opportunities for advancement, and tend to be resistant to being outsourced overseas, “droned”, or automated.

With the political and civic hair-pulling and anxiety about “where will good jobs come from?” – the health workforce opportunity is staring us right in the face. Our young people badly need these opportunities, and we aging baby boomers need these young people. Implement the Master Plan, and invest in the health workforce career pipeline.

THE ANSWER IS “BETTER QUALITY CARE, WITH LESS COST AND INCONVENIENCE”

Carmela Coyle – President and CEO of the California Hospital Association

We will care for older adults the way they want to be cared for — in the least intrusive and most convenient settings possible.

The number of Californians over the age of 65 is expected to nearly double within the next decade — to nearly 9 million people by 2030. While there will always be a need for acute and emergency care for very serious conditions, the aging of our population demands that we radically innovate the way we provide care.

Technology that monitors vital signs and chronic health care conditions catches problems early and prevents conditions from worsening. This makes for better quality care, with less cost and inconvenience.

Pair that with some of the new health care workers of the future — people specially trained to work in the community and in peoples’ homes — who can link older adults with their doctors between visits, monitor their well-being and keep them connected with their communities.

Governor Newsom’s recent call for a Master Plan on Aging offers a tremendous opportunity to explore new ideas and non-traditional partnerships aimed at keeping seniors healthy and active. It holds the promise to provide a roadmap to a healthy California for all ages.

“WE MUST SHIFT OUR MINDSET TO PROVIDE SCALABLE ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE CARE “

Joseph Alvarnas – Vice President of Government Affairs and Senior Medical Director for Employer Strategy at City of Hope

By 2030, the number of seniors in California will grow by 4 million people. This will present challenges that California will need to navigate, including ensuring that our state does a better job of managing the expertise gaps that patients encounter when getting care for conditions that become more common as people age, such as cancer. At the Center for Cancer and Aging at City of Hope, we have found that caring for senior cancer patients requires a special skill set to ensure that care and quality of life issues are appropriately managed. The Center established a geriatric assessment that analyzes aspects of a senior’s life, helping tailor treatment for each individual, and has also increased senior participation in cancer clinical trials. Far too few Californians get this level of cancer care today. As the senior population of California grows, we must shift our mindset to provide scalable access to appropriate care especially in cancer where prevalence grows with age. Nearly 70% of all cancer cases occur in people over 50. As we all age, our leaders must invest carefully in the health and care of our seniors for the benefit of our entire population.

“CARING FOR OUR SENIOR POPULATION WILL TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH”

Zach Friend – Second District Supervisor for Santa Cruz County

It’s estimated that over the next 15-20 years our state’s senior population will nearly double.

While health care is a significant challenge, it can’t be viewed in isolation. In Santa Cruz County, over 25,000 seniors do not have enough income to pay for their basic needs. Many seniors have fixed incomes but expenses are not fixed. Rising housing costs which has increased homelessness in people age 50 and up, and rising medical, dental, transportation and food costs all are having a significant impact. According to a recent local survey, 90 percent of local Meals on Wheels participants say there’s a time each month when they don’t have enough money for food. And more than 1 in 3 seniors cited concerns about isolation and mental health challenges.

Caring for our senior population will take a holistic approach. Ensuring housing stability for healthy and safe aging in place, increasing senior-specific affordable housing, social safety net programs for food and transportation, improving access to dental care and behavioral health programs all provide the stability that is essential for mental and physical health – and are key steps to ensuring we take care of a population that has taken care of us.

“IT’S TIME FOR A MASTER PLAN FOR AGING IN CALIFORNIA”

Bruce Chernof – President and CEO of The SCAN Foundation

It’s time for a Master Plan for Aging in California. Compared to other states, California has a relatively young population that’s about to gray rapidly, and we are woefully unprepared. The state’s approach to aging services is a six-decade collection of well-meaning but one-off programs that are siloed from one another. They are provider- or funding-stream centric and not person-centered. Many of them have waiting lists that are months long. Thankfully, Governor Newsom recognized this potential catastrophic challenge by calling for the creation of Master Plan for Aging. Executive Order N-14-19 recognizes that ALL Californians will age and the reality is, most all will have needs. Thus, future solutions must involve state and local government, and the private sector as well as philanthropy to build a model that helps all Californians age with dignity, choice, and independence.

Dan Schnur, a veteran analyst and longtime participant in California politics, is director of the California Influencers series for McClatchy.

By Rick Hudson
The Modesto Bee
June 19, 2019

I recently attended The Bee’s California Priorities event at the Gallo (tip of my hat). All the panel guests and speakers are to be commended.

I plan to write a letter to the governor’s advisory committee regarding the master plan on aging, per Kassy Perry’s recommendation, and I highly advise others to do the same. The issues we all have, from cradle to grave, are issues we should not be ignoring; we need to get our heads out of the sand. As a realist I plan to step up to the plate and wake people up to a correct way of living their lives.

By Deke Farrow
The Modesto Bee
June 13, 2019

Issues of health and care as they relate to children and senior citizens were discussed by two separate panels Thursday at a downtown Modesto event. But the conversations showed that circumstances, experiences, decisions and other factors throughout life mean the two age groups themselves really aren’t that separate.

Left unchecked, childhood obesity can lead to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other illnesses.

People who’ve been traumatized at a young age — “who may have not had the best upbringing,” as a panelist put it — and have not received help to work through that and develop emotionally, are now raising kids of their own. And they very well may be passing along that trauma.

Adult caregivers, often for elderly family members, may be paid by the state as in-home support services workers but typically don’t get the training and certification that would make them employable. So when that person dies, the caregiver has valuable experience but no resume to go with it.

West Health and The SCAN Foundation applaud bold move to avert crisis

(SACRAMENTO) – We Stand With Seniors, the nonprofit, nonpartisan effort focused on educating state leaders about the need for a comprehensive, coordinated Master Plan for Aging, commends Governor Gavin Newsom who yesterday signed an Executive Order calling for the creation of a California Master Plan for Aging. The governor’s Executive Order is a critically important step in recognizing and addressing the immediate need to ensure all Californians can age with dignity and independence.

“Governor Newsom’s Executive Order is an important first step towards creating a senior-friendly Golden State and we commend him for his decisive action and leadership,” said Shelley Lyford, President and CEO of West Health and a commissioner with the California Commission on Aging. “Not just older adults, but every Californian has a stake in a Master Plan that includes coordinated, community-based care to enable individuals to age successfully with the dignity, quality of life and the independence they deserve.”

California’s older adult population, which is expected to grow by four million through 2030, faces a number of challenges in accessing high-quality, affordable healthcare, dental care and supportive services, housing and transportation. All of these system-wide issues are exacerbated by the absence of a culturally competent, well-trained workforce. The current system is fragmented and is void of a vision for how services should be delivered to effectively meet this population’s needs. To plan for this demographic shift and to ensure that older adults can live with dignity and independence, the California Master Plan for Aging is vitally important to outlining the state’s goals and objectives for creating a comprehensive, effective and efficient system. With this plan, the state has the potential to design a California system that is accessible to all, and one that reflects what matters most to older Californians and families.

“We applaud Governor Newsom for his visionary leadership and expedient goals for creating and implementing a statewide Master Plan for Aging,” said Bruce Chernof, President and CEO of The SCAN Foundation.

“This Plan can help ensure that older Californians live fulfilling, independent lives in the places they call home—with all sectors working together on an efficient, strategic approach for older adults and the caregivers who stand by them,” said Dr. Chernof.

In 2018, nonprofits West Health and The SCAN Foundation launched the nonpartisan, public awareness and education campaign, We Stand With Seniors, to highlight the need for a statewide, comprehensive Master Plan for Aging to address the growing challenges faced by California older adults, their families and caregivers. Having experienced the challenges older adults and their caregivers face with his own father who passed away last year, Governor Newsom has since included the development of a statewide Master Plan for Aging among his top initiatives.

We Stand With Seniors will continue to offer expertise and support of Governor Newsom’s Administration, the state Legislature and regulatory agencies, and our fellow senior advocates in creating and implementing a Master Plan for Aging that will provide Californians with the care and dignity they so richly deserve.

About We Stand With Seniors
West Health and The SCAN Foundation’s We Stand With Seniors… Will You? nonpartisan, public awareness and education campaign focuses on the specific challenges seniors and their families face in accessing high-quality, affordable healthcare, dental care and supportive services and the cost to the state if these challenges are not addressed. Keep up with #StandWithSeniors by visiting www.WeStandWithSeniors.org and following on Facebook @WeStandWithSeniors and Twitter @WeStandWSeniors.

As a project of the Chronic Care Policy Alliance, My Patient Rights aims to reduce barriers to care put in place by health insurance plans

Merger combines more than 30 years of patient-centered expertise to
Empower Everyone, Ignore No One.

(San Carlos, CA and Washington, DC) – Two of the most effective and influential nonprofit organizations serving the lung cancer community, the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF) and Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) today proudly announced they are joining forces as the GO₂ Foundation for Lung Cancer. Together they become the “go-to” local and global force serving and advocating for the needs of the millions of people who are vulnerable, at risk or diagnosed, and all others impacted by or impacting the disease.

“We are thrilled to blend our talent, resources, commitment and compassion to create this powerhouse foundation,” said Bonnie J. Addario, lung cancer survivor, Co-Founder and Chair of the Board of Directors of the GO₂ Foundation for Lung Cancer, and most recently Founder and Chair of ALCF. “The GO₂ Foundation will transform what it means to live with lung cancer and increase the patient survival rate of the world’s number one cancer killer annually. Together we will continue to break barriers and save lives.”

With more than three decades of combined expertise, a shared “patients-first” philosophy and complementary programming, the GO₂ Foundation for Lung Cancer launches with principal offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, DC. GO₂ Foundation will be maximizing resources and staff expertise, integrating and growing networks to reach and support more people, expanding patient-centered research, and amplifying awareness of the steep challenges and needs facing the lung cancer community.

“We are on the cusp of early detection and treatment breakthroughs that will forever alter the future of the disease,” said Laurie Fenton Ambrose, Co-Founder, President and CEO of GO₂ Foundation, and most recently President and CEO of LCA. “We are seizing this moment to harness this energy and build greater capacity to reach more people with life-saving benefits, personalized care and comprehensive services that fulfill our credo to ‘Empower Everyone, Ignore No One.’”

GO₂ Foundation priorities include:

• Serving the at risk, patient and caregiver communities through professional, credible, free patient-support services that include personalized screening, treatment and clinical trial navigation, molecular testing, peer-to-peer mentoring, and support forums;

• Advancing world class academic, community and patient-centered research that spans the continuum of care for lung cancer detection, treatment and survivorship;

• Empowering millions to take direct advocacy action for a health care system that puts the interests of people first to achieve historic increases in federal research funding, new treatment approvals and coverage and reimbursement for better access and delivery of care;

• Expanding access to excellence in screening, care, treatment and survivorship across all 50 states to ensure that anyone at risk or diagnosed with lung cancer benefits from life-saving services closer to home.

To help launch GO₂ Foundation’s catalytic programs, a $15 million challenge grant is being provided in memory of Skip Viragh, a respected and successful financial entrepreneur who inspired those around him to seek innovative solutions and high impact results. This grant, the largest single gift ever for lung cancer, will support GO₂ Foundation’s vital work to unite a community that empowers people, increases survival, drives innovative research, and changes the future of lung cancer.

“I know that Skip would be pleased to see his donation going to a visionary organization that aligns with his ‘can-do’ spirit and strong sense of purpose that guided his life,” said a close family member. “Like Skip, who always inspired his team to be strategic and think big, GO₂ Foundation embraces this same spirit to make the most profound impact ever on lung cancer survival. We hope this challenge grant in Skip’s memory encourages other donors to step up and sustain this critical life-saving work.”

With this historic gift and combined forces, the GO₂ Foundation for Lung Cancer will transform survivorship as the world’s leading organization dedicated to saving, improving and extending the lives of millions at risk for or living with the disease.

For more information, please visit www.go2foundation.org.

California Chronic Care Coalition releases report highlighting serious nature of wrongful health plan denials and calls for increased awareness of state’s appeal process

(SACRAMENTO) – The California Chronic Care Coalition (CCCC) today sounded the alarm on the health insurance industry’s practice of inappropriately denying patients the medicines, treatments and testing prescribed by their doctors. In their research study, “Standing Up For Your Rights Creates Results,” the California-based nonprofit found that the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) reversed or overturned more than 60 percent of health plan decisions as part of the Independent Medical Review (IMR) process in 2017.

“The high percentage of cases that the DMHC reversed or overturned should raise red flags with consumers and policymakers alike,” said Liz Helms, president and CEO of CCCC. “It’s unacceptable that more than 60 percent of patients were inappropriately denied care because the health plan industry is trying to minimize costs.”

After a patient receives a denial for a service, medicine or treatment from their health plan, they can appeal the decision with their plan directly. Should the health plan deny the service a second time, patients have the right to request an IMR through the DMHC. An IMR is an independent review of a denied, delayed or modified health care service that the health plan has deemed to be not medically necessary, experimental/investigational or non-emergent/urgent.

“If these denials were only overturned because of the IMR process, think of the hundreds of thousands of Californians denied necessary care who never appealed the decision because they didn’t even know it was an option,” said Joan Werblun, RN, chair of CCCC. “It’s imperative that people living with chronic diseases and conditions, and all patients for that matter, know that they have the right to an appeal and they are not alone in their struggle to get the care they need.”

In 2017, the DMHC assessed $8,907,000ⁱ in fines and penalties against health plans, with Anthem Blue Cross being one of the major violators. In November 2017, DMHC took enforcement action against Anthem Blue Cross for its systemic violations of the grievance system, fining it $5 million for failing to identify, process and resolve consumer grievances in a timely manner. The $5 million fine was the result of 245 specific grievance system violations that occurred from 2013 through 2016. In each of these cases, Anthem deprived patients of their right to medical care.

While compiling the data necessary for “Standing Up For Your Rights Creates Results,” CCCC was alarmed at the number of individual denials requesting authorization or reimbursement of medications, procedures and testing. To evaluate the types and patterns of denials, CCCC took a closer look at 1,011 of more than 4,000 IMR cases, focusing on chronic conditions and serious illnesses such as cancer, mental health, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and hepatitis. Those within these categories were denied requests which were vital for the effective treatment and management of their conditions. Although more than 50 percent of health plan decisions from this specific subset were reversed or overturned, it’s important to note the specific diseases and services that had higher counts of denials as it highlights the health plan industry’s routine practice of inappropriately denying care to patients in need.

In one such case, a young patient with juvenile spondyloarthritis was denied coverage of intravenous Remicade infusions as their health plan didn’t find it medically necessary. Before requesting Remicade, the patient had tried three other medications that failed to treat her inflammatory arthritis. To prevent long-term damage from leaving it untreated, the patient’s physician recommended Remicade infusions as the treatment is safe in the pediatric population and demonstrated significant improvement in arthritis, inflammatory markers, pain and physical function for juvenile spondyloarthritis. The independent reviewer determined the requested services were medically necessary and overturned the health plan’s denial.

Patients who need assistance navigating the complex health care system should visit My Patient Rights, a one-stop–shop created by CCCC to help patients receive the care they need and deserve. My Patient Rights provides information on how to file a complaint with a patient’s health plan, as well as the appropriate state agency. In addition, the website offers patients an avenue to learn about their rights and specific barriers put in place by health plans that may jeopardize their care.

To access CCCC’s “Standing Up for Your Rights Creates Results” report and the related infographic, visit www.CaliforniaChronicCare.org.

About the California Chronic Care Coalition
The California Chronic Care Coalition (CCCC) is a unique alliance of more than 30 leading health organizations and provider groups that promote the collaborative work of policy makers, industry leaders, providers and consumers to improve the health of Californians with chronic conditions. We envision a system of care that is accessible, affordable and of a high quality that emphasizes prevention, coordinated care, and the patient’s wellness and longevity. http://www.californiachroniccare.org

ⁱ California Department of Managed Health Care. (2017). Annual Report (Page 16). Retrieved from: https://www.dmhc.ca.gov/Portals/0/Docs/DO/2017-Annual-Report-web.pdf

New Senior Account Manager and Account Executive at the firm

(SACRAMENTO) — Perry Communications Group (PCG), a leading public affairs firm in California, today announced the promotions of Kaitlin Perry to Senior Account Manager and Jessica Hice to Account Executive.

“At PCG, we encourage our staff to constantly learn and grow,” said Kassy Perry, president and CEO of Perry Communications Group. “We work with our team to ensure that they can meet their immediate and long-term professional goals.”

Jessica Hice started with PCG in August 2018 and brings a background in journalism and interest in public policy. Using her foundation in political reporting, Jessica helps raise the profile of clients’ issues. She will continue to expand her role in media relations, event management and social media. Hice earned Bachelor’s Degrees in Journalism and Art from California State University, Sacramento.

Since joining PCG in 2016, Perry has moved up the ranks to assist the PCG team to achieve client goals. As a Senior Account Manager, she works with senior staff on day-to-day client management including public affairs activities, media relations, stakeholder engagement, vendor partnerships and digital strategies. Kaitlin graduated from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and minor in Business.

If you are interested in joining our award-winning team, click here for available positions.

About Perry Communications Group
Perry Communications Group is an independent, full-service strategic communications firm specializing in public relations and public affairs. We work at the center of issues that matter and give new perspective to the issues and events making headlines today, as well as those that will in the future. We shape ideas, opinions, decisions and social change. The bottom line for us is always the same – we’re invested in the cause and our clients’ work. For more information, visit PCG at www.perrycom.com or call (916) 658-0144.