2014 Annual Report
Letter from the Chair
ABOUT
We were established in May 2001 as a result of a settlement agreement between the state and Anthem, Inc. when Anthem merged with Kentucky Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
Our mission is to address the unmet healthcare needs of
Kentuckians. We do that by working on policies to:
› Improve access to care
› Reduce health risks and disparities
› Promote health equity
Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky
Initiatives
Financials
a place at the table
a voice in the conversation
It has been my honor to Chair the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky this past year. While we can note many successes over the life of the Foundation, we must hold in mind that healthcare is changing dramatically. Consumers are being asked to take a more active role in their own personal health and providers are moving to value-based reimbursement,
targeting improvements in the health of the patients and communities they serve.
The Foundation set the stage for this evolution of healthcare in Kentucky with the Howard L. Bost Memorial Health Policy Forum this past year focusing on “Doing Care Differently.” We moved even further by convening leadership from across the state on healthcare price transparency, while we continued to fund community-based efforts to improve the health of children.
A healthy population is part of Kentucky’s infrastructure for a vibrant economy and a bright future. While the Foundation continues to speak to the needs of all residents of Kentucky we have to remember that none of us can do everything that needs to be done, alone. It will take a united effort involving the voices of Kentucky to build consensus and drive targeted legislative and regulatory policy changes for a healthier Kentucky.
The Foundation has a key role in helping our Commonwealth become healthier and will commit to providing the necessary leadership to forge a brighter and healthier future for generations to come. I hope you will join us in that effort.
Sincerely,
David Bolt
David Bolt
Chair, Board of Directors
By bringing folks together they have been able to give people a more complete view of the issues.
- Government Official
It’s in Eula Hall’s spirit that the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky works to assure Kentuckians have a voice in health policy conversations and a place at the table when issues affecting our future health are being discussed. How do we do this?
Our annual Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) provides a snapshot of Kentuckians’ views on issues ranging from school lunches to understanding of the Affordable Care Act. The 2014 Howard L. Bost Health Policy Forum brought together hundreds of civically-engaged Kentuckians to learn about ways to make the healthcare system work better for all of us, by Doing Care Differently.
In 2014 we held two other targeted gatherings: one, to offer community health workers and their employers the opportunity for input into the state’s development of certification and Medicaid reimbursement standards. Another, to engage key stakeholders in a first statewide conversation on the importance of having clear, accurate information about healthcare costs. An issue brief from this Price Transparency symposium is now on our website.
Health for a Change workshops and webinars help nonprofits, governmental agencies and community coalitions develop a shared core of knowledge on such topics as grant applications, management, and understanding which state agencies work on community health. We also offer training for grantees on business plan development, storytelling, working with youth, and evaluating impact.
Investing in Kentucky’s Future offers multi-year support to seven local coalitions to help develop a plan so children grow up healthier than their parents. The Foundation also supports the work of five statewide consumer health policy organizations that give voice to people impacted by state and local health policy decisions. We add our own voice to theirs, sharing what we learn from pilot projects and funded research.
In these pages, on our website www.healthy-ky.org, and on social media, we share information about our work, and invite you to make it your work too. Together, we can make Kentucky a healthy place to live, work, study and play.
Sincerely,
Susan G. Zepeda
Susan G. Zepeda
President/CEO
Letter from the President/CEO
It has to be the people who show the medical folks and politicians that something can be done.
Eula Hall
Founder, Mud Creek Clinic, Grethel, KY