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According to data just released by Covered California, more than 625,000 Californians have enrolled in Covered California health plans so far, and Medi-Cal enrollment has topped 1.2 million individuals. Demand for affordable, accessible health care is strong in California, and numbers are expected to continue to rise. Of those enrolled so far, 424,936 are eligible for federal subsidies. While the numbers are impressive, there is still much work to be done. Covered California continues to make improvements to their website and plans to increase staff numbers to handle calls, questions and eligibility concerns. December data has shown improved trends in the number of Latinos enrolling, a group which is critical to the overall long-term success of the program. Latinos account for more than half of California’s 7 million uninsured residents, and Covered California must ensure that outreach programs, bilingual enrollment counselors and fully translated materials are readily available to this demographic. Out of a grand total of 389,739 individuals who enrolled in October, November and December with subsidy status, 24,391 indicated Spanish as their preferred language; 34,234 indicated Asian and Pacific Islander languages; 955 indicated Indo-European languages and 330,159 indicated English. On the small business side of things, Covered California’s Small Business Health Options Program reports that more than 289 small businesses have applied for coverage, and a total of 2,155 employees and their dependents were provided coverage through their employers. Overall, what do these numbers and statistics mean to the translation industry?  Essentially, we can conclude that there is strong interest in healthcare coverage across cultural and ethnic demographics in California, and communicating to these groups in their preferred languages is crucial to helping them sign up for the healthcare they need.  Health plans must ensure that translated materials are accurate, culturally appropriate and ready to be distributed when needed to the ethnic groups requiring them. Avantpage offers a complete suite of translation and linguistic services in over 150 languages. You’ll find a wealth of great translation information on our website. For example: Medical & Healthcare translations Spanish translations Case Study: Spanish Translation for Healthcare 

While computer crashes, glitches, and other technological difficulties have plagued the federal government’s HealthCare.gov site, California’s exchange site is experiencing much less-severe growing pains. HealthCare.gov is a federally run health care marketplace serving 36 states. Because of the technical issues, the federal government has set up an IT task force. However, it will be some time before the site is fully operable. IT experts continue to work on the site and officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have set a November 30 deadline for having a fully functioning site. In contrast, the California’s state-run exchange, Covered California (CoveredCA.com), is running a much more smoothly as it ramps up to serve the state’s uninsured. California was one of the first states to begin planning and implementing a health insurance exchange website. According to Peter Lee, Covered California’s Executive Director, 2.2 million people have visited the Covered California site and about 126,000 have created accounts through October 19^th. (Tracy Seipel, San Jose Mercury News, 10/28/2013) Consumers have been able to access CoveredCA.com to compare plans, examine health care options and rates and begin the application process. Covered California helps individuals determine whether they are eligible for premium assistance that is available on a sliding-scale basis to reduce insurance costs, or whether they are eligible for low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal. Covered California serves the state’s uninsured and offers access to 11 health plans serving the state of California.

Covered California (CoveredCA.com), the state’s new Health Exchange, has enjoyed strong consumer interest during its first weeks of open enrollment. According to Covered California, more than 1.5 million unique visits were made to its website during the initial open enrollment period. More than 100,000 calls were made to Covered California’s Service Center during the same period. And more than 94,500 applications were started during this time frame. According to Covered California, 17,768 insurance agents have registered for certification to sell Covered California health insurance plans. These agents must have a valid license through the California Department of Insurance and must complete Covered California’s Certified Insurance Agent training and certification program.  CoveredCA.com, CoveredCA.com, CoveredCA.com, CoveredCA.com Covered California provides access to information and assistance for consumers who wish to sign up for affordable health care under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Covered California offers consumers help with comparing and selecting appropriate health insurance plans. California’s health exchange helps individuals discover what type of assistance they are eligible for and which federal tax credits and subsidies apply. Small businesses also are able to purchase competitively priced health insurance plans to offer their employees a range of health care options. More statistical information will be released later in the month. We will keep you posted as to any new developments and information we receive from Covered California (CoveredCA.com).

Continuing to meet our clients’ increasing and diverse language needs, Avantpage now offers braille translation services. The braille system was developed in 1824 by a French teenager named Louis Braille. Louis had become blind at the age of three due to a household accident. While attending a school for the blind in France as a teenager, Braille learned of a system used by the French Army called “night writing” in which soldiers could communicate written messages at night by touch. The system used by the army was complex and used dots and dashes pressed into paper as code for sounds. Louis Braille sought a way to simplify night writing and create an accessible tactile alphabet that could be read easily by touch. He created his system out of raised dots, pressed onto a piece of paper through the use of a pointed object. The dashes used in the army’s system were too difficult to feel consistently, so Braille decided to use dots exclusively. The number of dots and the systematic way in which they are arranged corresponded with characters in the French alphabet. The system created by Louis Braille as a teenager was not widely accepted until after his death at age 43. However, its ease of use caused braille to eventually be adopted by many different countries as a way for the blind to read and write. Today, after two centuries, Louis Braille’s system is still in use, continuing to transform the lives of blind and visually impaired people the world over. “Access to communication in the widest sense is access to knowledge, and that is vitally important for us if we [the blind] are not to go on being despised or patronized by condescending sighted people. We do not need pity, nor do we need to be reminded we are vulnerable. We must be treated as equals – and communication is the way this can be brought about.” – Louis Braille, 1841 Braille can be translated into many different languages using specialized braille translation software. At Avantpage, offering braille translation as one of our services fits exceptionally well into our overall mission and vision of enhancing communication and understanding through different languages and cultures. Although braille is a writing system all its own, it can also be translated into languages other than English. This enables visually impaired people from many different ethnic backgrounds to read braille materials in their native languages.

Close to One Million New LEP Healthcare Clients California’s new Health Exchange, Covered California, rolled out on October 1, in accordance with the Affordable Care Act. Covered California is now offering a six-month open enrollment period. Tens of thousands of Californians logged on to access the exchange’s website and learn about the available health insurance options. Covered California is implementing statewide efforts to contact and educate uninsured consumers and encourage them to enroll. Delivering this information to a diverse group of potential health care consumers is difficult for many reasons. Chief among the reasons is the fact that a large number are considered Limited English Proficient (LEP). According to a joint study by the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the University of California, Berkeley Labor Center, approximately one million people who are eligible for federal subsidies within the new health care program are LEP. California has the largest minority population of any state, with about 22.3 million people classified as minorities. They make up multiple ethnic populations within California. So reaching out to eligible healthcare consumers must be accomplished through the use of multiple languages. Accurate, high-quality translation of websites, documentation, outreach materials and health plan information is vital to the success of Covered California. Translation companies like Avantpage are poised to play a key role in the process. In California, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Armenian, Farsi (Persian), Hmong, Khmer (Cambodian), Korean, Russian, Tagalog and Vietnamese are just some of the languages spoken by the state’s minority population. Many of these people are not comfortable communicating in English. As Covered California continues to reach out to LEP populations and enroll new consumers in its healthcare program, translation takes on a critical role in catering to the health needs of California’s minority population.

At Avantpage, we are always searching for ways to service our customers more effectively and deliver language solutions that will enhance their communication initiatives. Recently, we’ve added three new services to our line-up, and we’re excited to let all our customers know about them. So much of our clients’ critical information is delivered through written materials: documentation, consent forms, instruction forms, benefits information, hand-outs, brochures, website updates, etc. Individuals with visual impairment, learning disabilities or reading difficulties had trouble accessing this information – until now. As part of our suite of language services, Avantpage now offers
Alternative Formats into Braille, Audio and Large Print. Braille – This tactile language is read by individuals who are blind or who have extremely limited vision. Avantpage can translate all your documents into Braille, including complex forms, graphs and tables. We can handle any type of document, from single-page letters to reports, catalogues, books and more. The process is simple: Just send us your document, and we take care of everything else. When you translate into Braille, you increase your organization’s accessibility, provide great customer service and give your visually impaired clients full access to the information they need. Audio – Using audio is an effective way to offer customers with visual impairments or reading difficulties access to information through clear, easy-to-understand recordings. We oversee the entire process, from selecting and hiring voice talent to sound editing, mixing and recording. When you offer audio as one of your communication options, you provide your visually impaired clients with a positive way to understand and absorb large amounts of information without having to rely on the written word. Large Print – Large Print documents are utilized by people who cannot comfortably read regular font sizes. Large Print translation is much more than “making the letters bigger.” Large Print transcription involves choosing font sizes, colors and presentation styles for optimum visual impact. Creating Large Print documents is a complex formatting process, and Avantpage takes care of it all – delivering accurate, readable, Large Print documents swiftly and cost-effectively. We hope you’ll take advantage of our new Alternative Format services to be able to effectively reach and communicate with all your customers. For more information, contact Avantpage today!

This fascinating and complex language currently has between 120,000 and 170,000 speakers. Most of these speakers live on the Navajo Nation reservation and in other areas of New Mexico and Arizona. Navajo is an important heritage language, with a rich history. However, children are taught English during school, and English is spoken more often at home than Navajo. For this reason, the number of Navajo speakers is decreasing, and the language has an endangered status. Navajo officials are working to promote and preserve this language. Originally, the language was oral only, but during the 1800s, missionaries began creating an alphabet based on the English alphabet. This written language has evolved slowly as linguists and interpreters worked with Navajo speakers to create a written language. In 1910, Franciscan missionaries published Vocabulary of the Navajo Language. Today, the language is both written and spoken. During World War II, the Navajo language entered the national and international spotlight. Navajo code talkers were employed by the United States government to encode, transmit and decode messages. This language was ideal for use as a code that the enemy just couldn’t crack. It was ideal for a number of reasons: Navajo code talkers were widely recognized for their contributions to WWII. Major Howard Connor, 5th Marine Division Signal Officer stated, “Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima.” (Naval Historical Center, Navajo Code Talkers: World War II Fact Sheet) Recently, there have been high-profile attempts to keep the language alive. For example, in 2013, Star Wars was translated into Navajo. This marked the first time any major motion picture was translated into a Native American language. Avantpage has been asked to translate into Navajo, and we are pleased to add this language to our roster. We hope to help Navajo speakers continue to speak and use their language, keeping it off the endangered list.

On October 1, 2013, Californians will begin enrolling in California’s new health exchange, Covered California. Starting three months later, in January 2014, most people must prove that they carry health insurance or face fines and penalties. Californians who carry health insurance through their employers will not be affected by these changes. But for the roughly seven million uninsured Californians, the Affordable Health Care Act and Covered California offers much-needed coverage at affordable rates. For the first time, health care consumers have the ability to comparison shop through an online marketplace to find the health care package that fits their needs and budget. What does this mean for health plans? As Covered California takes effect, qualified health plans must be ready to operate and compete in an open marketplace environment. Outreach initiatives, competitive pricing, clear and accurate communication about the plans and packages you offer all come into play during the transition period. As thousands of uninsured consumers prepare to purchase insurance – many for the first time – it is critical that information is presented in clear language that is culturally and reading-level-appropriate for new audiences. If you have supplemental marketing or informational documents, translating these into the core languages of your plan’s target audiences allows new health care consumers to accurately assess your plan’s offerings. To find out more about Avantpage's translators and our membership in the American Translators Association, call 877-ANY-LANG or email [email protected] today! Contact Avantpage for all your high-quality, accurate translation needs. We have translators, technical specialists and support staff in place and are fully prepared to handle additional translation needs from both our current and new clients. We will work with you to ensure that your health care materials, essential benefit descriptions, forms, website materials and other information is accurately translated into as many languages as you need to reach new health care consumers.

To find out more about Avantpage's translators and our membership in the American Translators Association, call 877-ANY-LANG or email [email protected] today!

Avantpage is a full-service translation, localization and interpretation company with extensive experience in the healthcare space as well as in social services, education, government and Medicare. We facilitate effective communication through translation and other linguistic services. Our team of translators, localization experts and linguistic specialists will help you overcome language, cultural and social barriers to communicate more effectively with your Limited English Proficient clientele. At Avantpage, we have established ourselves as a linguistically competent organization: we are able to identify the right resources for the right language need presented by our clients. We possess a deep understanding of the different nuances and complexities of language. Our translation and localization efforts demonstrate expertise in the subtleties of language, including cultural differences, dialect, style, reading level, and more. We are familiar with the sensitivity needed to work with diverse groups, dialects and cultural norms that may adversely affect communication. We have expertise in numerous core languages as well as in eastern African languages, including Amharic (national language of Ethiopia), Tigrinya (spoken in the North) and Oromo (spoken in West, South and East). Avantpage has worked with a number of different Health and Human Services providers. Our translation services enable these entities to communicate their programs and services more easily, provide information in any language, and ensure that those who need these services can understand and receive access to them. Health and Human Services organizations are critical to the welfare of communities, individuals and families. Avantpage can translate your information regarding medical care, mental health, nutrition, housing, education, counseling and more into 150 languages using experienced, native-speaking translators, state-of-the-art translation technology and the use of customized style guides and glossaries. We also provide desktop publishing, website and software localization and other services. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is a federally-funded program that supports pregnant women, new mothers (and fathers), infants and children under age five. WIC helps families by providing information on topics like breastfeeding, infant nutrition, infant and child behavior, pregnancy, healthy eating and more. WIC has been an Avantpage client since 2010, and we have translated brochures, posters, flyers, worksheets, shopping guides, questionnaires and other documents into Spanish, Vietnamese, Hmong, Russian, Traditional Chinese and (Eastern) Armenian. We are contracted to work with WIC through 2018, and are glad to be a part of an organization that is so instrumental in helping others improve the lives of children and families. About AvantpageWhen you choose Avantpage, you are partnering with a specialized, highly qualified translation provider with extensive knowledge and experience in your industry. Our translations save you time and money, ensure you comply with regulations and help you connect in any language. For more information, contact us today!

If not, maybe it's time to take another look! Our clients who use it, love it and here's why: AvantFlow--our signature online translation management system--is a free-of-charge, easy, systematic way to request quotes and projects from us. It also serves as a secure online central repository to store and retrieve all your translation project files. In addition, you can also use AvantFlow to instantly check project status, give detailed project instructions, upload source files, assign due dates and deadlines, and much more. To schedule your 15-minute demo, call me at 530-750-2040, x3, or email me at [email protected]. The demo will give you an idea of how AvantFlow works, how simple it is to use, and how effective it can be in requesting/storing projects and monitoring ongoing work.I look forward to hearing from you! Laura Kujubu, VP of Customer Relations

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has strict marketing guidelines in place to protect Medicare customers and potential Medicare prospects from overly aggressive sales and marketing techniques aimed at those in fragile health.  If you are preparing Medicare marketing materials, make sure that you are not violating any of the requirements or guidelines put forth by CMS. To learn more about CMS, visit their website at www.CMS.gov. The marketing guidelines put forth by CMS cover a wide range of marketing materials, including Health plans are responsible for ensuring that all marketing materials such as those described above and directed toward Medicare beneficiaries conform to CMS standards and are submitted to CMS for approval and acceptance. CMS marketing requirements are described in detail in the CMS document entitled Medicare Marketing Guidelines. CMS just recently revised this document for the 2014 contract year. CMS released the draft document for public comment on March 25, 2013, and received over 1,000 comments from 86 entities, including MAOs, PDP sponsors, consumer advocacy groups, pharmacy associations, health plan associations, and State departments of health. After analyzing the comments received from these entities, a final revision was completed in June of 2013. To access the newly revised final guidelines as a PDF file, click here. The Medicare Marketing Guidelines document provides a comprehensive overview of all Medicare Marketing Guidelines and it is recommended that health plan marketers become familiar with its contents and use it as a reference guide when creating new marketing materials, campaigns, advertising or other communication outreach to Medicare members and prospects. Keep in mind that CMS periodically reviews plan sponsor marketing materials either by random sample, during regularly scheduled contract compliance visits, and through “secret shopper” activities. To learn more and get started on a comprehensive, cost-effective Medicare marketing translation program, contact us today!