NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2013
Contact:
For Public Health Management Corporation
Jessica Sharp: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 215.434.7192
For Enroll America
Paydon J. Miller: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 215.370.1960
In collaboration with Enroll America, InsurePA to use the one-year, $340,000 grant for increasing marketplace outreach and enrollment
PHILADELPHIA, PA—Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities, has been awarded funding to manage InsurePA, a first-of-its kind statewide consortium for the Community Catalyst Certified Application Counselor Initiative. The one-year, $340,000 grant will assist more than 15,000 Pennsylvania consumers with education and insurance enrollment through the federally-facilitated marketplace. The funding is made possible by a grant from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to Community Catalyst, a national nonprofit advocacy organization.
InsurePA is comprised of four Certified Application Counselor designated organizations: PHMC, Consumer Health Coalition (CHC), Benefits Data Trust (BDT) and Pennsylvania Health Access Network (PHAN). Consortium agencies possess in-depth experience in helping diverse communities of consumers navigate systems and enroll in benefits. InsurePA is working in conjunction with Enroll America, a collaborative, non-partisan organization whose mission is to maximize the number of uninsured Americans who enroll in health coverage made available by the Affordable Care Act.
"This first-of-its kind consortium unites expertise from across Pennsylvania, bringing together unique skill sets including insurance enrollment and eligibility, community-based relationships, outreach and education, and caring for the state's most vulnerable populations," said Tine Hansen-Turton, Chief Strategy Officer for PHMC, the project's lead agency, and CEO of National Nursing Centers Consortium, a national network of over 250 nurse-managed health centers. "The strength of these statewide partnerships will ensure optimal collaboration and execution."
Certified Application Counselors and Navigators are critical resources who will coordinate to help maximize the number of people accessing affordable coverage through the marketplace. The InsurePA project sets out to significantly increase on-the-ground CAC capacity, hiring new counselors and ensuring additional employees are certified and deployed. Recognizing that outreach and enrollment efforts are already underway across the state, InsurePA and Enroll America will collaborate with the full network of organizations providing services through CACs and Navigators. Together, they will ensure maximum access to enrollment assistance while minimizing duplication of efforts.
"Enroll America's goal is to break down barriers that prevent consumers from learning more about and enrolling in health insurance," said Bill England, Enroll America Pennsylvania State Director. "The key to the project's success lies in our collective ability to coordinate with other statewide efforts."
"Together, we will combine proven outreach methods with expert on-the-ground enrollment consultation and assistance to reach Pennsylvania's uninsured population," added Beth Heeb, Executive Director, CHC.
InsurePA will target the regions with the highest need: Allegheny County in the Southwest and the five-county Southeast region. Together, they comprise 40% of the state's 1.2 million uninsured.
"This collaboration will provide targeted outreach and comprehensive application assistance to help uninsured individuals throughout the state of Pennsylvania access coverage," said Ginger Zielinskie, Executive Director, BDT.
To track effectiveness, InsurePA will utilize PHMC's reporting system, developed by Health Resources and Services Administration and in-place across PHMC's nurse-managed, Federally Qualified Health Center network. In addition, Enroll America's online system will be leveraged, updated and maintained.
"Through the consortium model, InsurePA strives to meet the needs of Pennsylvania's geographically, racially and culturally diverse communities," added Antoinette Kraus, Executive Director, PHAN.
To access a Certified Application Counselor, consumers are encouraged to call the statewide toll-free number at 1-855-486-9331.
About PHMC and InsurePA
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute with more than 40 years of experience leading statewide and regional projects to improve public health and access to health care. The InsurePA program is a first-of-its kind statewide consortium for the Community Catalyst Certified Application Counselor Initiative. The one-year, $340,000 grant will assist more than 15,000 Pennsylvania consumers with education and insurance enrollment through the federally-facilitated marketplace. The funding is made possible by a grant from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to Community Catalyst, a national nonprofit advocacy organization. InsurePA is comprised of four Certified Application Counselor designated organizations: PHMC, based in Southeastern PA with statewide outreach; Consumer Health Coalition, located in Pittsburgh; Benefits Data Trust in Southeastern PA with statewide outreach; and Pennsylvania Health Access Network, based in Philadelphia with statewide outreach.
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