October is Health Literacy Month
Company Website:
http://www.healthnet.com
LOS ANGELES -- (Business Wire)
With nearly half the U.S. adult population lacking health literacy
skills needed to understand and act on health information and health
system demands, Health
Net, Inc. is taking steps to support the goal of Health Literacy
Month and promote the importance of providing consumers with health
information that’s clear, simple and easy to understand.
“Studies have shown that there’s a link between low health literacy and
poor health outcomes,” said Patricia Buss, M.D., medical and health care
services operations officer for Health Net. “At Health Net, one of our
top priorities is helping our members maximize their health. That’s why
we created our Clear & Simple program.”
Launched in 2010, the Clear & Simple program provides Health Net
employees with an understanding of health literacy and its impact on
health care, and teaches them how to communicate with members more
effectively using plain language.
As part of its support for Health Literacy Month, Health Net’s Cultural
& Linguistics Services department is holding “plain language” training
sessions for Health Net employees throughout October.
“This is the time of year when many consumers will be making choices
about their health coverage,” said Buss. “Health Net recognizes that
these are important decisions, so we’re focused on making our
information and enrollment materials easy to navigate and comprehend.”
The Clear & Simple program seems to be making an impression on Health
Net members. Recently, Tucson, Ariz., resident Janet Schaefer wrote
about her health-insurance-shopping experience in a letter to the editor
of the Arizona Daily Star. She described her pleasure with the
materials she received from Health Net: “Health Net guided me through
this every step of the way with materials that are clear, concise and
helpful.”
“With validation like that, we believe our communications are striking
the right clear-and-simple chord,” said Buss.
What is Health Literacy?
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) defines health literacy as the
ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and
services to make appropriate health decisions.
The Need for Higher Health Literacy
As part of its National Assessment of Adult Literacy, the National
Center for Education Statistics conducted its first-ever survey to
measure health literacy. The following findings, from that study and a
publication from the ODPHP, point to a need to improve health literacy
among American adults:
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Nearly one third of American adults likely have difficulty with common
health tasks, such as following directions on a prescription drug
label or adhering to a childhood immunization schedule using a
standard chart;
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Limited health literacy affects adults across racial and ethnic
groups. The proportion of adults with basic or below basic health
literacy ranged from 28 percent of white adults to 65 percent of
Hispanic adults; three quarters of the adults without a high school
diploma had below basic level health-literacy skills or basic level
health-literacy skills; and
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Both publicly insured and uninsured adults had lower health literacy
skills compared to privately insured adults; and more than two-thirds
of adults over the age of 75 had below basic level health literacy
skills or basic level health literacy skills.
The relationship between health literacy and health outcomes similarly
highlights the need to improve health literacy. The ODPHP summarized key
research study findings that focused on this relationship:
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People with limited health literacy skills are more likely than those
with adequate health literacy to have chronic conditions and are less
able to manage them effectively;
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Those with limited health literacy skills are more likely than those
with adequate health literacy to forgo preventive measures such as
mammograms, Pap smears, and flu shots; and
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Limited health literacy skills are associated with an increase in
preventable hospital visits and admissions.
“Increasing health literacy should be a shared goal throughout our
industry – and throughout the year – not just during Health Literacy
Month,” said Buss.
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Medical Advice Disclaimer
The information provided is not intended as medical advice or as a
substitute for professional medical care. Always seek the advice of your
physician or other health provider for any questions you may have
regarding your medical condition and follow your health care provider’s
instructions.
About Health Net
Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) is a publicly traded managed care
organization that delivers managed health care services through health
plans and government-sponsored managed care plans. Its mission is to
help people be healthy, secure and comfortable. Health Net provides and
administers health benefits to approximately 5.8 million individuals
across the country through group, individual, Medicare (including the
Medicare prescription drug benefit commonly referred to as “Part D”),
Medicaid, U.S. Department of Defense, including TRICARE, and Veterans
Affairs programs. Health Net also offers behavioral health, substance
abuse and employee assistance programs, managed health care products
related to prescription drugs, managed health care product coordination
for multi-region employers, and administrative services for medical
groups and self-funded benefits programs.
For more information on Health Net, Inc., please visit Health Net’s
website at www.healthnet.com.
This release contains references and links to other websites that may
contain content that is not owned or controlled by Health Net. Please be
aware that references or links to other websites are provided for the
user’s convenience and that Health Net is not responsible for any such
content that is not owned or controlled by Health Net. Health Net does
not express an opinion on any such content and disclaims any liability
in connection therewith.
Contacts:
Health Net, Inc.
Lori Rieger, 602-794-1415
lori.rieger@healthnet.com
www.twitter.com/hnlori
Source: Health Net, Inc.
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