Do you have a personal or organizational story about Kentucky’s new “Medicaid managed care” system? In November 2011, Kentucky Medicaid changed the way it operates its Medicaid program by expanding managed care coverage to all areas of the state. Medicaid contracted with three new managed care organizations (MCOs) to coordinate health care for most Medicaid members. The new MCOs are: CoventryCares of Kentucky, Kentucky Spirit Health Plan and WellCare of Kentucky. This change did not [...]

The Smoke-Free Kentucky campaign is now in full swing!  Rep. Susan Westrom introduced House Bill 289 that will make all workplaces in Kentucky smoke-free. Now is the time for your legislators to hear from you.  Even if you have contacted them before, please take just a minute to call your House Representative. Call  1-800-372-7181 and ask your legislator to vote for House Bill 289 to protect the rights of all Kentuckians to breathe smoke-free air [...]

Children fare best when they have a healthy start in life, and this opportunity begins during pregnancy. But many healthy starts are compromised in Kentucky due to mothers smoking during pregnancy. During the 2007-2009 period, 25 percent of all births were to mothers who smoked at some point during pregnancy. Kentucky’s rate of smoking during pregnancy – the highest in the nation – is particularly troubling given the serious consequences on children’s health. The U.S. [...]

By: Jim Cecil, DMD, MPH Oral health is intimately associated with overall health! By extension, oral diseases, infections and conditions are associated with systemic conditions and diseases. Recent reports indicate that oral infections are associated with diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity, stroke, adverse birth outcomes, and other common and chronic systemic diseases. Given these significant associations, I believe this represents a clarion call for integration of the health care delivery [...]