Thrive Allen County awarded $11.9 million to help Kansans enroll in health coverage
Thrive Allen County will continue to help underserved communities, consumers and small businesses find and enroll in affordable health care coverage thanks to a recent $11.9-million federal grant.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is awarding the grant in advance of this year’s Nov. 1 open enrollment date for the Health Insurance Marketplace, or HealthCare.gov. Grants were awarded to 44 Navigator programs across the nation.
The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund provided funding support to help Thrive Allen County apply for the federal grant. Thrive Allen County is a non-profit organization that exists to strengthen Kansas’ rural communities through advocacy, programs, community outreach and communication.
Thrive Allen County’s Navigator program, called Kansas CARES, works with partners across the state to provide free assistance to people exploring health care coverage through HealthCare.gov. The five-year, $11.9-million grant will help them continue providing this important service.
Navigators are federally trained, vetted and certified individuals who help consumers find and apply for Marketplace health insurance. They help with everything from reviewing available plans to assisting with eligibility and enrollment forms to providing post-enrollment services, such as using coverage to get care.
Navigators also can assist people with enrolling in or renewing coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
“As trusted community partners, their mission focuses on assisting the uninsured and other underserved communities. Navigators serve an important role in connecting communities that historically have experienced lower access to health coverage and greater disparities in health outcomes to health coverage,” according to CMS.
Visit KansasCARES.org for more information or to find a Navigator near you.
To learn more about this year’s Navigator grantees, visit In-Person Assistance in the Health Insurance Marketplaces | CMS. Consumers in any state can access Navigators by visiting Find Local Help for assistance with their application and more. For additional details on Marketplace Open Enrollment, which will run from Nov. 1 to at least Jan. 15, 2025 (and longer in some states), visit HealthCare.gov.
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