Access Health Special Enrollment Period Extended To Oct. 31

The state has extended the deadline to apply for health insurance plans through the American Rescue Plan Act Special Enrollment Period to October 31. Also, as of July 1, some Connecticut residents that meet specific eligibility requirements can pay $0 for their health insurance coverage through Access Health CT, thanks to the new Covered Connecticut Program created by the state. To qualify for the Covered Connecticut Program, you must:

Have a household annual income that is greater than 160%, and up to
and including 175% of the federal poverty level.  Have at least one dependent child in the household under age 19; children age 18 must be a full-time student in secondary school. Be eligible for advance premium tax credits (APTCs) and cost-sharing
reductions (CSRs).

Nursing Home Cases, Deaths Continue To Rise

The number of COVID-19 cases in nursing homes increased to 6,008 from 4,814 in one week, and nursing home deaths now represent 58% of all COVID-related deaths, according to the latest figures released by the state Department of Public Health (DPH) Thursday night. COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes rose to 1,627 from 1,249 in one week.  The 1,627 deaths represent 58% of the state’s 2,797 COVID-19 deaths. Of the state’s 215 nursing homes, 160 have at least one confirmed case of COVID-19, up from 150 a week ago. Riverside Health and Rehab Center in East Hartford reported the most COVID-19 deaths with 47, followed by Kimberly Hall North in Windsor, with 40; Abbott Terrace Health Center of Waterbury, with 38; and Saint John Paul II Center in Danbury, with 30. The nursing home with the highest number of residents with COVID-19 is Litchfield Woods in Torrington, with 126, followed by Abbott Terrace Health Center, with 121; Branford Hills Health Care Center and Parkway Pavilion Health and Rehabilitation Center in Enfield, each with 93; Bride Brook Health & Rehabilitation Center, Niantic, with 96; and the Golden Hill Rehab Pavilion in Milford with 82, according to the DPH data.

Son’s Death Inspires Family’s Work To Raise Awareness About Asthma

It was a 70-degree day in January 2014, and Cristin Buckley was at her daughter’s basketball game with her husband and twin sons. The boys were planning to head to Target to buy baseball cards after the game, but before they could leave, 7-year-old Ben said he was having difficulty breathing and needed a nebulizer treatment. Ben’s dad took him home. “My husband called me and said, ‘Have you ever done a nebulizer treatment and have it not work?’ and I said, ‘No,’ and at that point he realized something was wrong,” Buckley said. Forty minutes after they left the basketball game, Ben was unconscious in their driveway.

Health Insurance Open Enrollment Starts Nov. 1, But You Can Window Shop Now

Open enrollment for 2020 health insurance plans begins Nov. 1, but consumers can already “window shop” among plans on the state’s health insurance exchange. On Access Health CT’s (AHCT) website, accesshealthct.com, the health insurance exchange created by the Affordable Care Act, consumers can browse and compare options. Individuals can begin enrolling Nov. 1, for coverage effective Jan.

Want A Tattoo? Do Your Research

The most permanent decision of Kelsey’s life began when she walked into the saloon-style Lucky Soul Tattoo shop in Woodbridge, Connecticut, on a Thursday afternoon. Kelsey, an 18-year-old high school senior, was grieving over the loss of her beloved black cat, and wanted to memorialize their companionship. “I want to do something of sentimental value but I’m scared of it not coming out the way I like,” said Kelsey, 18, who did not wish to give her last name. She’s part of a growing trend. Body modification, especially professional tattooing, has become more popular in recent years.

Doctors, Clinician Team Up For C-HIT Forum On Stress, Mindfulness

There’s no denying it: most of us are stressed. Stress levels in the country are at their highest in at least a decade, research shows, and a recent American Psychological Association (APA) study found two-thirds of respondents feel stressed about the future. To learn about the leading sources of stress, how stress affects your health and how to reduce stress, the Connecticut Health I-Team will host a community forum, “Getting Ahead of Stress: A Primer on Medicine, Mental Health and Mindfulness,’’ from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 5, at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, 370 Bassett Road in North Haven. The free event is open to the public and you can register here.

Join Us for A Free Community Forum, Thursday, October 5

Getting Ahead of Stress: A Primer on Medicine, Mental Health and Mindfulness
Presented by Connecticut Health I-Team (C-HIT) 

Thursday, October 5
5-7:30 p.m.
Panel discussion begins at 6 p.m.
Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, auditorium
370 Bassett Road, North Haven, CT 06473
Free Parking

Pre-registration is closed. Walk-ins Welcome. Recent surveys have reported that stress levels in the U.S. are at
their highest in at least a decade, with the American Psychological
Association reporting that a full two-thirds of respondents to its recent
survey were stressed out about the nation’s future. Our free, unique Community Forum—targeted to people of all ages who are
looking for ways to reduce stress– will bring a range of experts’ perspectives to
the growing phenomenon of stress, in hopes of detangling the physical and
psychological factors that are fueling an age of worry. For sponsorship information: 2017 C-HIT Community Forum Sponsorship Opportunities.

Clinicians, Experts Team Up for C-HIT Forum On Women’s Addiction, Recovery

Connecticut has seen a continued rise in opioid-related addiction among women, with more than 420 women dying of drug overdoses in 2015 and 2016. To address the crisis and stir community discussion about prevention, intervention and treatment, the Conn. Health I-Team, in collaboration with Wheeler Clinic, will host a free community forum, “Working Women: The New Face of Addiction,” from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on April 6 at the New Britain Museum of American Art, 56 Lexington St., New Britain. The event is open to the public. Register here.

Join Us for A Free Community Forum, Thursday, April 6

Working Women: “The New Face Of Addiction”
Hosted by the Conn. Health I-Team, in collaboration with Wheeler Clinic

Women are becoming addicted to opioids at an alarming rate, in Connecticut and the rest of the nation. A new CDC report highlights findings from a 2015 survey that found 1.2 million women – 3,300 per day – initiated opioid use, a rate 25 percent higher than among men. The forum will bring together a panel of leading experts to discuss the reasons for this trend and the efforts underway in Connecticut to prevent, identify and treat opioid addiction in women. All are welcome; light refreshments will be served.

C-HIT Chosen For Knight News Match

In a move intended to underscore the growing importance of independent, in-depth journalism, the Knight Foundation has launched an end-of-year program that will match donations to C-HIT and select other nonprofit news organizations. Dubbed the Knight News Match, the program will match donations from individual donors to C-HIT and 56 other news groups nationwide, up to a total of $1.5 million, through Jan.19. Individual organizations are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in matching funds. “News Match is a call to action for everyone who believes in quality, trustworthy, in-depth journalism and the role nonprofit news organizations play in building strong communities,” the Knight Foundation said in announcing the program. “Successful journalism organizations need a passionate, dedicated community of supporters.