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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hello Everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> I hope you are all doing fabulously. Sharon the President of the Bay State Council of the Blind, has kindly invited us to join them in talking with DLC about changes being made to Mass health. We will send out the Zoom Details tomorrow for this meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Below, you will find the note from President Sharon<span style='mso-ligatures:none'> Strzalkowski:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hello everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We will be meeting on Thursday, August 20, at 8 PM ET. Tatum Prichard of the Disability Law Center will be our guest, and she supplies here an explanation of the topic she would like to discuss with us.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>For several years, DLC has been working with leadership from Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and MassHealth to address a persistent access issue for MassHealth members who are blind or have low vision: MassHealth, its managed care providers, and other contractors provide notices only in standard print, rather than accessible formats. Members who receive standard print notices either cannot access the information or must utilize third parties to review their mail with private health information. With continued advocacy, MassHealth has implemented improvements in providing accommodations in the form of braille and large print notices as well as an updated online platform for accessing accessible electronic notices. However, there are still issues with certain providers and contractors. EOHHS and MassHealth have been more hesitant to make notices in audio formats available to blind or low vision members who may not read braille or be able to utilize electronic assistive technology to access electronic notices online. DLC is trying to connect with more MassHealth members who require and do not receive notices in a format accessible to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Please plan to join us tomorrow, August 20<sup>th</sup>, for this important discussion. The zoom link will be provided on the day of the meeting. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Sharon Strzalkowski<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>President, BSCB <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Shara Winton<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>President, National federation of the Blind of Massachusetts<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="http://www.nfbma.org/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.nfbma.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="mailto:sharawinton@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>sharawinton@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>617-304-0347<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>