Connecticut enjoys high rates of economic achievement and some of the best health outcomes in the country when compared on a state-by-state basis. However, within Connecticut the gap between the wealthy and the poor continues to widen.
According to a recent report from Access Health CT, “Reducing the uninsured population is not possible without targeting the subpopulations with the largest groups of uninsured. Only 5.9% of Connecticut ‘s population is uninsured, but this relatively small number hides significant disparities among race/ethnic groups and across space. ”
The report noted that Hispanics in Connecticut were nearly four times more likely to be uninsured than non-Hispanic Whites and Blacks are three times more likely than Whites. Blacks and Hispanics have also lost health insurance coverage at a greater rate during the pandemic.
Also, while most Connecticut neighborhoods cluster in a range with 2% to 6% uninsured residents, Access Health warned that “many neighborhoods across the state have 20% or more uninsured residents, several exceed 30%. Invariably, the latter neighborhoods are disproportionately composed of Hispanics or Blacks, as are the cities and towns where the neighborhoods are located. ”
During a recent press conference, Access Health CT ‘s CEO James Michel announced the launch of the Broker Academy, an effort to improve health outcomes for underinsured Connecticut residents by training new insurance brokers with strong community ties to help their neighbors navigate the complexities of finding coverage.
“By activating members of these underserved communities to become licensed brokers, Access Health CT can build trust by meeting members of the community where they are, and at the same time create economic benefits in those areas, ” Michel said. “A core part of our mission is to reduce the uninsured rate and address health disparities in Connecticut. The Broker Academy will help us succeed in fulfilling those goals. ”
“Expanding access to insurance is vitally important to the citizens of our state, ” Insurance Commissioner Andrew Mais agreed. “People need to be able to minimize their risks, and this is especially important in underserved communities and for residents who are living paycheck to paycheck and simply may not have the resources to cover an unexpected event out of pocket. ”
Mais explained that grants from the American Rescue Plan will be used to subsidize the Academy, though the exact cost is yet to be determined.
The inaugural class of the program will launch June 1, and the initial focus will be on providing the training and a laptop for free to members of the most underinsured communities in the state. The first class will consist of 100 students drawn from Bridgeport, Harford and New Haven, the state ‘s least insured communities. Applicants need to have at least a high school diploma or GED, as well as a history of community service to demonstrate ties to the area where they are encouraged to work.
In addition to the computer and training, Michel added that those joining the academy will be partnered with an experienced broker to act as a mentor. He introduced Cesar Cortez, an Access CT broker who has been working with the organization since 2013 and planned to mentor some of the future Broker Academy students.
“I myself came from a mentoring program, ” Cortez said. “When I first came to the state of Connecticut in 2007, I was lucky enough to find a Spanish-speaking gentleman who understood where I was coming from, being from an underserved community and not having a rich family or friends. He was able to mentor me, train me, certify me and hire me, putting me in the position of being within three to four years to build my own successful business. ”
Cortez talked about how his business, focused on providing insurance to his own community, not only provided his neighbors with health care but let him become a job creator who in turn wants to help others take on a profession with potentially unlimited earnings.
Gov. Ned Lamont appeared briefly at the end of the press conference and said to Cortez, “Cesar, you need to talk to the 5% of people in Connecticut that still don ‘t have insurance. “
