Ensuring Bright Futures for Our Nation’s Children: Health Plan Strategies for Improving Pediatric Preventive Care
Date: Monday, August 24, 2015
Time: 3-4 p.m. EDT
Each year millions of children miss immunizations, screenings and well visits despite the lifelong benefits of preventive care in childhood. The Affordable Care Act expands coverage of all preventive services recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics in the Bright Futures guidelines. Yet a recent survey found that 57 percent of families are still unaware that these benefits are available free of charge through their health plans.
This webinar explored private and public health plan strategies for improving parental education on preventive care and supporting and encouraging providers in ensuring their young patients receive recommended preventive services.
Speakers covered the following:
- an overview of the Bright Futures guidelines and the value of these services for lifelong health
- how health plans can promote Bright Futures through their provider networks and directly to members
- a peer-learning program for providers that is helping clinicians put Bright Futures recommendations into practice
- Medicaid managed care plan strategies to improve pediatric preventive care
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
