NSHC PUBLIC INFORMATION CAMPAIGN DISTILLS COMPLEXITY OF HEALTH CARE REFORM IN SIMPLE FORMAT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 24, 2012

PRESS CONTACT:
Shelley Lotenberg
shelley@numc.edu
516-572-6055
Janine Logan, NSHC Director of Communication
631-963-4156 or Cell: 631-334-8321

NSHC Public Information Campaign Distills Complexity of Health Care Reform in Simple Format

LI hospitals commit to helping communities grasp nuances of the law

(East Meadow and Hauppauge, NY . . .     With the federal health care reform law due to celebrate its second anniversary this March, opinion polls and research centers continue to report that many Americans still do not understand the law.  That’s why the Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council (NSHC), through the work of its Communications Committee, is launching today a public information campaign “The ABCs of Health Care Reform and You.”   
     Web-based and social media driven, the campaign imparts basic information about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and reform as it relates to a variety of population segments – uninsured, young adults, seniors/disabled, chronic disease sufferers, children, adults under 65, businesses and owners.  It applies the ABCs of health care reform to each of these groups, exploring A for Access, B for Benefits, and C for Costs. 
     “It is important to us to help not only our hospital members, but the general public gain a relatable understanding of the law as it affects them now and in the near future,” said Wendy Darwell, chief operating officer for the NSHC.  “Health care is very much on the minds of everyone.  A better understanding of the ACA leads to more informed health care decisions.”
     The Nassau-Suffolk Hospital Council is the association that represents Long Island’s hospitals.  Its Communications Committee is comprised of the senior public relations directors from Long Island’s not-for-profit hospitals.  The committee oversees communication initiatives for the NSHC, working collaboratively with the NSHC staff and fellow member hospitals to affect rational health policy and legislation, promote the programs and services offered by hospitals, and advocate for health care needs of all Long Islanders.
     Go to www.nshc.org and click on the ABCs of Health Care Reform and You icon to access information.  Links to animated videos, research reports, and other helpful materials can be accessed from the site.  In addition, each hospital on Long Island maintains a link through their hospital’s website to the ABC campaign page.  Information will be updated, as parts of the law go into effect.
     Visitors to the site are encouraged to spread the helpful information by checking NSHC tweets (@hospitalcouncil) and then re-tweeting the information.  The Hospital Council’s Facebook page also carries information about the campaign. 

ABOUT NUHEALTH
NuHealth is a Long Island health care organization delivering essential medical care and disease and lifestyle management to everyone at every stage of life.  Also known as Nassau Health Care Corporation, NuHealth is a public benefit corporation managing the operations of Nassau Medical Center, A. Holly Patterson Extended Care and a network of Family Health Centers that bring primary and specialty care out into the community.  By emphasizing wellness, cultural sensitivity and collaborative efforts with the North Shore-LIJ Health System, NuHealth is working to make good care more affordable and easier to access.

For more information about NuHealth or its Centers of Care, visit www.nuhealth.net.