Health Insurance Navigator Groups Announced

Saturday 17 August 2013

Health Insurance Navigator Groups Announced

Posted by Unknown , at 03:33

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $67 million to 105 organizations that will help consumers buy insurance and understand their options in the new health insurance Marketplaces.

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Aug. 16, 2013 -- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $67 million in grants to 105 organizations that will help people buy health insurance and understand their options in the new health insurance Marketplaces. The grants will go to health care providers, nonprofit organizations, and business groups in 34 states to train insurance “navigators” as part of the Affordable Care Act. The grants are for states where the federal government will run the Marketplace and for states that are partnering with the feds. States that run their own Marketplaces have separate navigator programs.

Navigators are supposed to be fair and unbiased helpers who may not accept money from insurance companies. They must complete 20 to 30 hours of training and be certified by the state.

In July, the HHS also awarded $150 million to more than 1,000 community health centers and clinics to help people buy insurance in the Marketplaces, also called Exchanges. Insurance brokers also can assist people with their insurance questions and help them sign up for a health plan through their state’s Marketplace.

Here is the full list of organizations and their expected grants:

Alaska

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, $300,000
United Way of Anchorage, $299,918

Alabama

Ascension Health*, $202,706
AIDS Alabama, Inc., $501,380
Samford University, $326,794
Catholic Social Services (Archdiocese of Mobile), $20,750
Tombigbee Healthcare Authority, $392,356

Arkansas

Southern United Neighborhoods*, $270,193
University of Arkansas (The Arkansas Navigator Coalition), $774,745

Arizona

Arizona Association of Community Health Centers, $1,344,096
Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona (Center for Rural Health at the University of Arizona), $190,268
Greater Phoenix Urban League, Inc., $523,773
Campesinos Sin Fronteras, Inc., $71,386

Delaware

Florida

University of South Florida (Florida Covering Kids & Families), $4,213,696
Epilepsy Foundation of Florida, $637,686
Advanced Patient Advocacy, LLC*, $413,152.20
Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc., $446,783
Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, $600,000
National Hispanic Council on Aging*, $646,825.50
Cardon Healthcare Network, LLC DBA Cardon Outreach*, $238,000
Mental Health America*, $683,691

Georgia

Structured Employment Economic Development Corporation, $2,159,360
University of Georgia (College of Family and Consumer Sciences and Cooperative Extension Service), $1,657,378

Iowa