Health Literacy

Health Literacy and America's Health Insurance Plans: Laying the Foundation and Beyond 
This publication explains the innovative approaches that 27 health plans have taken to providing easily understood, actionable health and benefits information for consumers.

AHIP Testimony on Health Plan Leadership in Advancing Health Literacy
AHIP submitted testimony for a July 19, 2011 roundtable meeting on health literacy sponsored by the Institute of Medicine. Our testimony focused on the importance of health literacy, health plan leadership in addressing health literacy, and common approaches that can serve as models to help other entities improve health literacy.

Health Literacy: A Toolkit for Communicators
Developed by AHIP’s Health Literacy Task Force for use by professionals charged with developing health literacy programs, plain language initiative, and member-experience programs is a toolkit that provides links to important resources for starting up health literacy initiatives.

New Tool Available for Health Plans to Assess their Health Literacy Programs

Developed by Emory University researcher Dr. Julie Gazmararian, working with the AHIP Health Literacy Task Force, this new tool allows health plans to assess their health literacy programs and to use the assessments in the development and advancement of their initiatives.

• Health Plan Organizational Assessment of Health Literacy Activities 
• Resource List - Health Plan Organizational Assessment of Health Literacy Activities 
• Suggestions for Areas of Improvement - For use after completion of assessment tool 

AHIP’s 2009 Health Literacy Series

Part I – “Health Literacy Overview and Steps for Implementing Your Own Program”

• Part 1: Background on Health Literacy
  Janet Ohene-Frempong, MS, J O Frempong & Associates, Inc.
   
• Part II: The Basic Elements of a Health Literacy Program
  Janet Ohene-Frempong, MS, J O Frempong & Associates, Inc. 

Part II – “Starting Up and Advancing Your Company’s Health Literacy Program”

• Affinity Health Plan, Lauren M. Hernandez, MPA, Project Manager, Community Health Innovation
• Group Health Cooperative, Jessica Ridpath, Coordinator of Research Communications, Center for Health Studies

Part III – “Health Literacy Campaign”

• Aetna Health Literacy Campaign
  Carla Espinoza, LVN, C.P.H.Q., Aetna 
  Health Literacy Initiatives
• Terry Clark, Chief Marketing Officer, Enterprise Marketing, Ovations (a UnitedHealth Group company)