National Working Group for ACTTION

Oct 13, 2009
Letter from Diane Canova

Dear Partners,

 

Are you looking to get more involved in the efforts to increase your “action” around ACTTION? Consider recruitment! Talk to your colleagues, constituents and friends to encourage other organizations to join and support the National Working Group.

Oct 13, 2009
Tobacco Cessation Takes a Big Step Forward in Health Reform

The current congressional debate around health reform holds enormous promise to expand the availability of comprehensive tobacco cessation services to millions of tobacco users. While there are few references to “tobacco” within health reform bill language, legislators are working hard to expand the availability and delivery of clinical preventive services. Under this reform umbrella, recipients of Medicaid, Medicare and other federally sponsored insurance programs will have access to services like FDA-approved cessation medications and community quitlines.  And, although it is still early in the legislative process, each of the three legislative health reform proposals seek to expand coverage and utilization of tobacco cessation services.

Oct 13, 2009
Making Tobacco Cessation a Business Imperative

Improving workforce health, productivity and “bending the curve” of health care costs are critical business imperatives for U.S. employers, particularly in today’s highly competitive and global economy. There is no greater opportunity for improving workforce health and controlling costs than motivating employees and their dependents to stop smoking. With its eValue8™ Request for Information (eValue8 RFI), the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) conducts an annual assessment of health plans on behalf of health care coalitions, their purchaser members, and national employers. A recent report was conducted and released that created a snapshot of eValue8 data on health plan strategies to address tobacco cessation.

Oct 13, 2009
The Joint Commission Sets New Standards on Tobacco Use Treatment

The Joint Commission, which sets accreditation standards for all hospitals in the United States, made public four new measures related to tobacco use and dependence, and took public comments on them through September 30. If these measurements are adopted, The Joint Commission will require all hospitals to assess the tobacco use status of every patient aged 12-years and older, and to offer current tobacco users counseling, medications and limited follow-up.

There are no key dates for this briefing.