Three Kansas organizations are embracing innovation in order to sustain a critical service that was decimated during recent federal funding cuts.
Thrive Allen County had initially received a $12.1 million federal grant to support multiple Navigators — people who are trained to help Kansans find and sign up for health insurance plans through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. Navigators also could refer or assist with enrollment in Medicaid, the income-based federal public health program.
However, that funding was cut by 90% last year by the Trump administration, leaving the positions without funding and making it harder for Kansans to get the assistance they need to enroll in a health care plan that’s right for them.
This prompted Thrive Kansas and the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund to search for innovative ways to provide this service without the reliance on federal dollars.
Through a new approach, Thrive Kansas will use a private, nonprofit insurance broker model to continue providing this valuable service. The Health Fund is providing initial financial support for the positions, who will become certified insurance brokers. They will earn commissions on assisting people, which will help financially sustain their positions in the future as grant funding is stepped down.
“When this funding was cut, we had a choice — step back or find a better way forward. Kansans still need trusted, local help navigating their health insurance options, especially in rural communities where resources are limited,” said Lisse Regehr, president and CEO of Thrive Kansas. “By working together with partners across the state, we’re making sure this support doesn’t disappear but instead evolves into a more sustainable model for the future.”
This model was pioneered in Kansas by the Community Health Council of Wyandotte County, which has been operating a similar model for about five years and is providing guidance to Thrive Kansas.
Thrive Kansas will base two positions in El Dorado to serve rural areas and has partnered with SENT Inc. to house a third position at its facility in Topeka. Together, they will help serve the entire state.
“Finding the right health insurance plan can be time consuming and complex,” said David Jordan, Health Fund president and CEO. “However, it’s critical that as many Kansans as possible have health coverage to benefit their families and the entire health system.”
Health care costs rise for everyone when more people are uninsured, as it forces hospitals and other medical providers to absorb the cost of care.
Under this new approach, the insurance brokers can assist Kansans with navigating and applying for Marketplace insurance, Medicaid and even Medicare — broadening the amount of plans they’re knowledgeable about to discuss.
It will be free for Kansans to work with these specialists.
“Helping families find the right health coverage is not a small thing,” said Johnathan Sublet, executive director of SENT Inc. “It can shape whether they get care when they need it, whether they can stay financially stable, and whether they have a real chance to thrive. That is why this partnership is so important. It reflects the kind of collaboration Kansas needs, with rural and under-resourced urban communities working together to close gaps for families across our state. By housing this resource at SENT’s one-stop Family Resource Center, we can connect people not only to insurance help, but also to other supports that strengthen the whole family. When trusted help is in one place, it reduces strain, restores dignity, and makes it easier for people to move forward.”
