Enrollment Assistance

Countdown to 2014: Designing Navigator Programs to Meet the Needs of Consumers

Exchanges are required to establish a navigator program that provides grants to community or consumer-focused nonprofits and other organizations to conduct outreach and help consumers and small employers connect to health coverage. States have broad flexibility in designing their programs as long as minimum federal guidelines are met. While similar to existing models of consumer assistance in Medicaid and Medicare, navigator […]

Tricia Brooks

July 23, 2012

Fresh Insights into Strategies and Messages for Enrollment in Medicaid and the Exchange

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently released new research to help states identify messages that will encourage enrollment in Medicaid in 2014 when minimum eligibility levels are expanded to 133% FPL. The research also explores issues relating to state Exchanges, including attitudes about enrolling and choosing health insurance online. It was conducted in three states: […]

Tricia Brooks

July 19, 2012

Six States Explore More Efficient Ways to Provide Family Benefits

For those of us who appreciate the opportunities and challenges states face in implementing the Affordable Care Act, it is easy to get wrapped up in making sure the expanded health coverage programs are streamlined and well coordinated. Much of the work ahead relies on having sophisticated IT systems that will revolutionize the eligibility and […]

Tricia Brooks

May 31, 2012

Final Exchange Rules Provide Roles for Both Brokers and Navigators

One of the thorniest issues arising early on in states at the forefront of planning and implementing their Exchanges has been the role of brokers and navigators. In a number of states, brokers have contended that only “licensed brokers” should serve as navigators. On the other hand, consumer groups have maintained that brokers lack not […]

Tricia Brooks

March 29, 2012

A New Online Path to Children’s Health Care Coverage

Gene Lewit, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Living in Silicon Valley, I am used to reading about new tech wonders every day. In fact, today, we use the internet to do many things we used to do in person, by snailmail or on the telephone. This trend is encouraged by new technology, but has […]

Guest

March 15, 2012

Medicaid Growth Slows; Medicaid Directors’ Innovative Efforts Expand

By Tara Mancini Overall, the economic conditions surrounding state Medicaid budgets are continuing to improve, even as states make their way through the first full budget year after the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act enhanced FMAP funding expired. In January 2012, unemployment hit a three year low of 8.3 percent, down from 9.4 percent a […]