Aug. 28 webinar will help journalists understand health reform

Jennifer Tolbert

After The Rural Blog published an item (see below) yesterday that said 80 percent of people who could benefit from insurance exchanges being established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act knew nothing about it, a reporter immediately emailed to say she and and a co-worker were trying to decipher the act for readers, and "I'm personally terrified."

So, how do reporters go about covering the changes? The Kaiser Family Foundation hopes to help, through a series of webinars for journalists that will "address key aspects of the law, the implications for consumers, and strategies for connecting the dots for different audiences," according to the foundation.

The first webinar is scheduled for 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Aug. 28, and "will be an overview of how health reform?s impact will vary for people in different circumstances, including those currently with employer coverage, those who buy their own insurance and those who are currently uninsured," the foundation says.

Karen Pollitz

The webinar will be hosted by the foundation's state health policy director, Jennifer Tolbert, and senior fellow Karen Pollitz, who will "explain the law?s individual mandate requiring most Americans to obtain coverage, as well as the law?s new coverage options, including new state insurance marketplaces, subsidies for people with low- and moderate incomes, and new rules prohibiting insurers from discriminating based on pre-existing conditions." They will also answer questions. For more information or to register click here.

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