Ohio community advocates are evaluating how funds from the OneOhio plan should be used. The OneOhio plan uses the $2 billion awarded to the state from the 2021 opioid settlement. This funding is what created the OneOhio Foundation, which will develop short and long term plans to help local communities continue combating the opioid crisis. .
Congressional Democrats are investigating Medicaid prior authorization practices and denied claims by private health insurers. According to a federal report, one out of every eight requests for prior authorization of services by Medicaid Managed Care Organizations were denied in 2019. Eve Marcum-Atkinson, director of health care advocacy for the West Virginia Citizen Action Group, said residents cannot get pacemakers, medication, or the surgeries they need, with serious consequences for community health. .
Listing dental care as the top unmet health-care need in Florida, one group is helping Floridians share their stories and challenges in getting that care, hoping to raise awareness about the issue. This online forum features a collection of stories from around the state, including a Broward County woman who said she repeatedly got infections and was on antibiotics while pregnant because she couldn t afford dental care. Karen Bonsignori, director of communications for the American Children s Campaign, said her group and Floridians for Dental Access are using the stories to dive deeper into the data behind Florida s oral-health problems. .
A Connecticut group has developed a new plan to bolster health equity in the state. The Connecticut Health Foundation s strategic plan tackles several goals, from expanding health-care coverage and developing health-equity infrastructure to improving maternal health for people of color. While part of the plan relies on community efforts, Tiffany Donelson, the foundation s president and CEO, described some of the legislative work coming up. .