State officials are reaching out to organizations that might be interested in helping to educate and enroll individuals in Connecticut’s health insurance exchange as part of a new Outreach Assisters Program.
Administrators of the Connecticut exchange – Access Health CT – and of the state Office of the Healthcare Advocate are seeking the assistance of local businesses, civic groups, nonprofits, faith-based groups and municipal- and health-focused organizations as the state looks to open enrollment for its health insurance marketplace this October.
“We are committed to reaching as many uninsured residents of Connecticut as possible, and the Assister program is a key part of our grassroots effort,” said Kevin Counihan, CEO of Access Health CT, in a May 2 statement. “Having trained, respected local leaders sitting down and talking with people in their own communities about a topic as important as health insurance will have a tremendous impact.”
Participants in the Outreach Assisters Program may be public or private organizations, and must be impartial as they assist consumers. They cannot include health insurers or their subsidiaries, or associations that include members of, or lobby on behalf of, the insurance industry.
The deadline for submitting proposals is May 24, with detailed information available at www.accesshealthct.com/outreachprograms.
Organizations selected to participate will receive grants of up to $6,000 to assist them in reaching out to their communities. The funding is part of a $2.1 million grant awarded to Access Health CT by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support the state’s outreach efforts.
