Healthcare Resources

SmartMedSavings offers information for managing and reducing the cost of care and prescriptions.

State Consumer Assistance Programs is managed by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which provides via Consumer assistance Programs (CAPs) residents of their states assistance with problems or questions about health coverage. For states without a CAP, some state and federal government offices may still be able to help you determine your rights and solve problems.

Medicare Rights Center is a non-profit consumer advocacy service organization that works to ensure access to affordable healthcare for older adults and people with disabilities.

Medicare Advantage Plans are sometimes called “Part C” or “MA Plans” and are offered by private companies approved by Medicare.

Families USA is a national non-profit, non-partisan organization whose work at national, state and community levels is dedicated to achieving high quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.

The Community Service Society of New York supports low-income New Yorkers as they navigate the complex health system. Its CHA (Community Health Advocates) program helps consumers to enroll in and make better use of their public and private health plans in light of federal health care reform
 

Healthfinder is a government developed website offering information and tools on health promotion and disease prevention for consumers.

The American Medical Association DoctorFinder allows patients to search for doctors (over 814,000) in their areas.

The American Dental Association FindaDentist provides an up-to-date list of ADA members by geographic area.
 

Healthcare.gov provides extensive information, including MyCare, an initiative to educate Americans about new programs, benefits and rights under the healthcare law.

The Center for Medicare Advocacy helps consumers to better understand and advocate for Medicare coverage.

Medicare Rights Center is a non-profit consumer advocacy service organization that works to ensure access to affordable healthcare for older adults and people with disabilities.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners website features a States and Jurisdiction map which can be used to locate the appropriate information to contact your state’s Department of Insurance with any questions or concerns.

The Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc offers information, advice and advocacy services for patients with chronic illnesses.

The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities is a coalition of approximately 100 national disability organizations that advocates on behalf of people of all ages with physical and mental disabilities, and their families.
 

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is the lead federal agency charged with improving the quality, safety, efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare quality. It has helped to build consensus around important healthcare quality issues by working with large employers, policymakers, doctors, patients and health plans.

Health Literacy Literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand the basic health information needed to make appropriate health decisions. Government resources include: (http://www.hrsa.gov/publichealth/healthliteracy/) and (http://www.health.gov/communication/literacy/)

The Maximus Federal Services Inc is an organization that has partnered with state, federal and local governments to provide critical health and human service programs to a diverse array of communities.

Healthcare Privacy

The Department of Health and Human Services is the government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans. Its agencies perform a wide variety of tasks and services including research, public health, food and drug safety, grants and other funding, health insurance and many others.

The World Privacy Forum is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest research group, which focuses its work on health privacy. It provides a consumer –friendly guide to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

The Center on Medical Record Rights and Privacy is based at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute, a non-partisan group dedicated to conducting research on key issues in health policy and health services. The center also aims to raise public awareness of the rights and responsibilities associated with medical records and other health information.

Understanding Healthcare Reform

Health Reform GPS is a joint project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. The website offers information about the Health Reform Law and continuous background information and commentary on the actual impact of the law.

Office of the Governor includes descriptions of Health reform in New York State, how it will benefit New Yorkers and the progress of implementation in the state. It also has timelines to show when specific provisions of healthcare reform go into effect.

Connecticut Health Policy Project is a non-profit, non-partisan research and educational organization dedicated to improving access to affordable, quality health care for all Connecticut residents.

Consumer Health Action Network

There are several government sites with information regarding healthy living and well-being:

Healthfinder offers resources on a wide range of health topics selected from over 1,600 government and nonprofit organizations.

Centers for Disease Control is one of the major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its mission is to collaborate to create the expertise, information and tools that people and communities need to protect their health – through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and preparedness for new health threats.

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion operates under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and plays a vital role in developing and coordinating a wide range of national disease prevention and promotion activities.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) that is the nation’s medical research agency, making important discoveries that improves health and saves lives.

Women’s Health is a site developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and provides information relevant to women’s health issues.

Minority Health is offered by the National Institute of Health (NIH) as a resource for health information for minorities.

The Mayo Clinic is a non-profit organization, which provides information and tools for a healthy lifestyle.

Dental/Oral Health

Centers for Disease Control As part of its initiative to prevent chronic disease and promote health, this site highlights oral health, with relevant links and guidance.

The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) has designed this site to meet the needs of consumers who have questions and concerns about their dental care and oral health.

The American Dental Association (ADA) provides education on oral health topics from A-Z. It includes condition overview, patient FAQ’s, treatment options and educational videos.
 

The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities is a coalition of approximately 100 national disability organizations that advocates on behalf of people of all ages with physical and mental disabilities, and their families.

Disability.gov is a government-developed web portal offers comprehensive information on disability programs and services in communities nationwide.

Caregiving provides nationwide support for those caring for loved ones with chronic, disabling health conditions. (http://caregiver.com/)is part of the Caregiver Media Group, which is a leading provider of information, support and guidance for family and professional caregivers. For those caring for the elderly,(http://www.aging-parents-and-elder-care.com/) supplies information on products, services and support groups.
 

Sites offering information for specific conditions include:

Alzheimer’s The Alzheimer’s Association (http://www.alz.org/index.asp) and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (http://www.alzfdn.org/)

Asthma and Allergies The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (http://www.aafa.org/index_noflash.cfm)

Autism

Cancer The American Cancer Society

Chronic Illness

Crohn’s and Colitis The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America

Diabetes The American Diabetes Association

Heart Disease The American Heart Association

HIV/AIDS

Kidney Disease The National Kidney Foundation

Lung Disorders The American Lung Association

Obesity The Obesity Society and the government Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity (DNPAO) (http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/)

Parkinson’s disease The National Parkinson Foundation

Pregnancy The American Pregnancy Association

Rare Diseases The National Organization for Rare Disorders and The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Rare Disease Research (ORDR) (http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/)

Substance Abuse The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration