CKF NEWS & VIEWS
Covering Kids & Families of Indiana Newsletter   
July 20, 2023
POLICY UPDATES
No More Textbook Fees

Families will no longer bear the cost of curricular fees, which cover textbooks, technology, software, and digital resources, thanks to HEA 1001 passed in the 2023 legislative session. While this will provide budgetary relief for families, school district leaders are worried the appropriations from the legislature may not be enough to cover the actual costs. Some school officials are prepared to be creative to make sure families are not paying fees and students have the materials they need.
2023 State of Coverage Policy Summit

Covering Kids & Families of Indiana is excited to announce the keynote speaker for the 2023 State of Coverage Policy Summit: Sara Rosenbaum! She will deliver the Keynote presentation about Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT). You can read her call to action about modernizing EPSDT here.
Sara Rosenbaum J.D. is Emerita Professor of Health Law and Policy at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health. Previously she served as the Harold and Jane Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and as founding Chair of the Department of Health Policy.

Professor Rosenbaum has devoted her career to health justice for medically underserved populations. She is a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, served on CDC’s Director’s Advisory Committee and the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP), and was a founding Commissioner of Congress’s Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), which she chaired from January 2016 through April 2017.
NEWS FROM THE INDIANA SCHOOL HEALTH NETWORK
Sharing School Health Information in Indiana
 
With the start of a new school year, information sharing is important for the health, safety, and well-being of students. It is often confusing on what information can be shared and with whom. The two laws that primarily regulate the exchange of information of students are The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Healthcare providers and school personnel are governed by FERPA and HIPPA, making it crucial that all those involved with school health understand these laws and how they apply to their work with Hoosier children.
 
Covering Kids & Families of Indiana, in conjunction with the Indiana School Health Network and the National Center for School Law, published the 3rd edition of HIPAA or FERPA? A Primer on Sharing School Health Information in Indiana. This Primer provides an overview of the federal and state confidentiality laws when health care is provided at school and answers frequently asked questions regarding sharing student information.
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OUTREACH & ENROLLMENT
2023 Assister Certification Training on the Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS) “Go-Dark”

2023 Assister Certification Training hosted on the Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS) was taken offline at 6:00 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday, August 2, 2023. During this “go-dark” period, assisters will not be able to access the certification training. It is anticipated that the 2024 Assister Certification Training will be available later this summer. 
COBRA

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) requires most group health plans to offer temporary continuation of coverage in certain situations such as job loss (voluntary or involuntary termination). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new job aid to help certified application counselors understand COBRA and how to help consumers understand their choices in relation to the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Updates to FSSA website

The Family & Social Services Administration’s (FSSA) “return to normal” website added the June Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) report and the June Dashboard.
Employer Coverage

On July 20th, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sent a letter to employers and plan sponsors encouraging them to expand their special enrollment periods (SEPs) beyond the typical 60 days to account for the “exceptional circumstances” of the Medicaid unwinding. There are no legal or regulatory barriers to prevent them from doing so.
TRAININGS
Special Population Webinars

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is hosting a series of webinars focused on reaching special populations during the unwinding. Each presentation will include a set of slides that attendees can share in their own communities.

  • August 8th – Reaching Hispanic and Latino Populations
  • August 10th – Reaching Black American Populations
  • August 17th – Reaching Aging and Disability Populations
  • August 24th – Reaching Rural Populations 
RESOURCES
Understanding the True Extent of Financial Hardship in Indiana

What is the bare minimum cost of household basics needed to live and work? This webinar hosted by Indiana Assets & Opportunity Network in partnership with Prosperity Indiana discussed recently released calculations from United Way for household survival budgets by county in Indiana. They also covered why many people are struggling to meet their basic needs despite being employed and which populations are disproportionately affected by hardship. 
Enrollment Trends

Total Membership decreased in June. With 2,180,295 members, there were 51,431, or -2.30%, fewer members in June 2023 than in May 2023.

June marks the first month since November 2019 where there was a net loss of members.
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