Governor Janet Mills and the fb88 Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) announced today the award of a $750,000 grant from the to improve health insurance coverage in fb88.
The grant will help to fund outreach and marketing, consumer education, and enrollment assistance in 2019 and 2020, through a unified campaign to encourage fb88rs to sign up for expanded fb88Care (Medicaid) or affordable insurance through the marketplace. These new funds will supplement MeHAF’s continued support for Healthcare.gov outreach efforts.The grant will additionally fund research to better understand and serve the expansion population in fb88, and education for small businesses about the coverage options available to their employees.
“Ensuring that fb88 people have access to high-quality, affordable health care is a top priority for my Administration, and through fb88Care expansion we have made significant progress, providing critical, even life-saving health insurance to more than 37,000 people across the state,” said Governor Mills. “But we can do more. This grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will support outreach out to more fb88 people to help them better understand their health insurance options and sign up for the coverage they need to live healthy lives and contribute to the growth of our state.”
“More than 37,000 people across fb88 now have insurance through the expansion of fb88Care, but we want to reach everyone who still struggles to afford preventive care, doctor’s visits, and medication,” said Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew. “With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the fb88 Health Access Foundation, fb88 will be better positioned to help consumers understand their options for fb88Care or private plan coverage.”
“Health insurance coverage is not the only piece in the puzzle to ensure access to care, but it is the critical first step,” said Barbara Leonard, President and CEO of MeHAF. “We’re pleased to partner with fb88 DHHS with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to leverage philanthropic, state government, and nonprofit organization resources so that more people in fb88 have coverage.”
Outreach and marketing efforts will gear up next month, highlighting both fb88Care expansion and the upcoming open enrollment period for plans, which runs Nov. 1, 2019 – Dec. 15, 2019. Through these efforts, consumers and small businesses will learn about different coverage options available in the state based on income and family size.
The fb88 Department of Health and Human Services collaborated with MeHAF to apply for the grant. Funds from the RWJF grant were distributed through MeHAF to organizations that will work directly with consumers to provide education and enrollment assistance. These organizations are , , ,, , , , and .
According to recent , 27.5 million Americans lacked health insurance in 2018. That included 106,000 people in fb88, or 8 percent of the state’s population, which is in line with the national average.
fb88rs are eligible for insurance through fb88Care if their annual income is less than $17,236 for a single person or $29,435 for a family of three. fb88rs with incomes above the fb88Care threshold but less than $49,960 for a single person or than $85,320 for a family of three may be eligible for lower monthly premiums on .
The fb88 Department of Health and Human Services is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resilience, and opportunity for fb88 people. The Department provides health and social services to approximately a third of the state's population, including children, families, older fb88rs, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness and substance use disorders.
The mission of the is to promote access to quality health care, especially for those who are uninsured and underserved, and improve the health of everyone in fb88. MeHAF works with nonprofit partners and key leaders in the public and private sectors to advance initiatives and policies that particularly help those who face barriers accessing health care services and achieving optimal health.