Stay informed about health care issues that affect you, and the policy decisions being made statewide.
MAKE SURE YOU KEEP YOUR HEALTH COVERAGE! Due to COVID-19, Medicaid & KCHIP renewals were paused – but they’re coming back! If you or a family member currently has health coverage through Medicaid or the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program, called KCHIP, use the explainer below to learn more about Kentucky’s Medicaid renewals timeline, what the renewals notices look like, some tips on what to do first & MORE. KENTUCKY MEDICAID RENEWALS EXPLAINER KENTUCKY MEDICAID RENEWALS SPANISH EXPLAINER
Virtual Programs (all in EST) Monday 1/27 2pm-3:30pm Monday 2/10 1pm-2:30pm CHFS Forum Monday 3/3 2pm-3:30pm Tuesday 5/20 1pm-2:30pm CHFS Forum Tuesday 6/17 10am-11:30am Tuesday 8/19 10am-11:30am CHFS Forum Tuesday 9/16 2pm-3:30pm Tuesday 10/21 10am-11:30am Tuesday 11/18 1pm-2:30pm CHFS Forum *new link* Monday 12/15 11am-1pm Virtual Roadshow In-Person Roadshows (1pm-4pm local time zone) Tuesday 4/15 Louisville – South Central Regional Library Tuesday 5/6 Somerset – Pulaski County Library Tuesday 6/3 Morehead – Morehead Conference Center Tuesday 7/8 Henderson – Henderson County Extension Office Tuesday 8/5 Hopkinsville- Christian County Extension Office Tuesday 9/2 Hazard – Perry County Library Inspiration Station Tuesday 10/7 Covington – Kenton County Library Tuesday 11/4 Richmond – Madison County Public Library QUESTIONS? For questions about continuing education or general registration, please email alex@kyvoicesforhealth.org. Interested in supporting ThriveKY with a 2025 sponsorship? Learn more HERE or email kelly@kyvoicesforhealth.org for more information!
As of October 2024, 36 states and also Washington D.C. have adopted paid parental leave policies for state employees. Nearly all have adopted their state employee leave policies ranging from six (6) to twelve (12) weeks per event (birth, adoption, foster placement). Kentucky is not one of these states. On December 12, 2024, Governor Beshear announced a state employee leave policy allowing up to six (6) weeks that can be used once every ten (10) years that could support parental leave and also other medical necessities or emergencies (e.g. when an individual suffers a stroke/heart attack, is in a bad accident, faces urgent caregiving demands of a family member, etc.). Currently, neither paid leave option being proposed is available to Kentucky’s public servants. Regarding the paid parental leave option in particular, as these regulations have been filed, Kentucky would be the only state in the nation with a restrictive once-per-10-years limitation. These regulations establishing a paid parental leave and medical necessity leave
As healthcare costs continue to rise, so does anxiety about being able to afford medical treatment. Even those with good insurance can find themselves stuck with a surprise medical bill or mounting out-of-pocket expenses. The reality is that many Kentucky families are just one medical emergency away from a financial crisis. The specter of medical debt adds massive uncertainty and stress to what are already some of the most uncertain and stressful moments in our lives. No one chooses to get sick or hurt, and no one chooses to rack up the significant expenses it can take to get well. Even with the right coverage, prices are rarely predictable… leaving people already in pain and distress to figure out what they owe (and how to pay for it) after-the-fact. Kentucky ranks tenth in the nation for residents with medical debt. Kentucky ranks tenth in the nation for residents with medical debt. It’s the single most common cause of personal bankruptcy, even as it differs greatly from other forms of debt. These
In even-year legislative sessions, the Kentucky General Assembly must adjourn Sine Die before midnight on April 15th. The dust has settled a bit in Frankfort and we turn our attention to the 2024 Interim, including Attorney General Russell Coleman’s designation of July 15, 2024 as the effective date for all legislation that did not have another date ascribed in statute or that didn’t have an emergency clause attached. This legislative recap focuses on healthcare and other policies that impact all Kentuckians and Kentucky communities having their basic, health-related social needs met. This is not a comprehensive highlight reel of ALL legislative activity this year. And yet, buckle up, dear reader. This is one of the beefier Kentucky General Assembly recaps to date. IMPROVING AND SAVING THE LIVES OF KENTUCKY’S PREGNANT PEOPLE, MOMS, & BABIES This year, the “Momnibus” bill – originally filed as HB10 by Rep. Kim Moser, but what ultimately passed within SB74 led by Sen. Shelly Funke-Frommeyer– made
THIS SESSION WILL COVER: WHERE WILL WE BE IN 2024? (registration linked below) *Each event will be held 1pm – 4pm local time. We recommend arriving 10 minutes early if you are able! May 14th: Frankfort – DPH / CHFS Building June 18th: Pikeville – Lee Avenue Public Library July 16th: Williamsburg – Whitley County Extension Office August 13th: Murray – Calloway County Extension Office September 10th: Glasgow – WKU’s Glasgow Campus October 8th: Covington – Kenton County Government Center November 19th: Louisville – South Central Regional Library December 16th (1:30-3:30pm EST) Virtual Roadshow WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Community health workers Social workers Community leaders Public employees Nonprofit organizations Frontline service providers Outreach workers Educators Faith leaders Counselors Librarians Those who serve their community This is a free continuing education and/or professional development credit opportunity! During this community education series, we will be continuing education providers for Certified Community Health Workers and Licensed Social Workers. We will be coordinating for self-reporting
It’s that time of every-other-year again: Kentucky’s General Assembly is working on the state’s budget. Advocates, policy analysts, lobbyists and constituents will fill the halls of Frankfort until mid-April, working to see their priorities get funded. What’s different this year is that there’s more than enough to go around – an unprecedented $3.7 billion – to fund policies and programs that help all Kentuckians thrive. After two decades of recession, inflation, economic hit after economic hit – it’s a refreshing reality. We deserve to see this surplus used wisely, not set aside. It’s time for Kentucky to invest in itself. From clean drinking water to better roads, addressing substance use and investing in education, affordable housing and disaster recovery, there are many priorities in need of investment to help ensure a healthier, more vibrant future for Kentucky. Every family and local economy in KY benefits from a strong healthcare safety-net and child care industry. We deserve to see this surplus
