Medical Library Association Guide to Answering Questions about the Affordable Care Act

Following the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), librarians are more frequently called upon to provide assistance with navigating the Health Insurance Marketplace and understanding health insurance terminology and forms. Libraries offer an ideal context for health insurance information seeking, as librarians have traditionally assisted with completing public assistance forms and are well-trained in ascertaining and meeting information needs. The Medical Library Association Guide to Answering Questions about the Affordable Care Act is designed to serve as a practical guide for librarians seeking to learn more about the ACA; locate authoritative, nonbiased information regarding the ACA; and serve patrons searching for ACA information for personal or research purposes. While the book focuses specifically on the unique role that health sciences librarians play in serving the general public, health care providers, biomedical researchers, and health sciences students, the book contains guidance relevant to any information professional working with ACA information.

Emily Vardellis a Doctoral Student and Teaching Fellow at the School of Information and Library Science (SILS) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research interests focus on health information behavior, particularly health insurance literacy and decision-making. As a Teaching Fellow, she has served as the instructor of record for graduate-level courses including Health Sciences Information and Information Resources and Services. Prior to returning for her doctoral studies, Emily was the Director for Reference and Education at the Louis Calder Medical Library at the University of Miami. Emily earned her Masters of Library Science from Texas Woman's University in 2007 as a distance education student while working as a Fulbright Scholar in Austria. She began her medical librarian career as a National Library of Medicine Associate Fellow. Emily is an active member of the Medical Library Association (MLA), and has served as Chair of the MLA Public Health/Health Administration Section and Chair-Designate of the MLA Professional Recruitment and Retention Committee. Emily is a recipient of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) New Leaders Award and is active in the ASIS&T Health Informatics Special Interest Group. She is the Online Updates Column Editor for Medical Reference Services Quarterly, where she reviews a health-related database each quarter.

Chapter 1: Introduction by Emily Vardell Chapter 2: Overview of the Affordable Care Act: Historical Context and Knowledge Management Concerns by Francisca Goldsmith Chapter 3: Role of the Librarian by Margot Malachowski Chapter 4: Health Insurance Literacy: Implications for Librarian Involvement by Emily Vardell Chapter 5: The Health Insurance Reference Question: A Step-by-Step Approach by Deborah H. Charbonneau and Kelli Ham Chapter 6: Current Practices in Health Insurance Information Provision by Emily Vardell Chapter 7: Profiles in Health Insurance Information Provision Best Practices by Emily Vardell Chapter 8: Recommended Affordable Care Act Information Resources for Consumers by Kelli Ham, Michele Malloy, and Brenda Linares Chapter 9: Recommended Affordable Care Act Information Resources for Practitioners by Michele Malloy and Brenda Linares Index About the Author