Forty-eight million Americans live in food insecure households, meaning they worry about where and how to find their next meal. Many of these individuals and families are covered by Medicaid but are not receiving critical nutritional support. They are eligible for SNAP which could help support their nutrition and improve their health, but they are not enrolled.
What is SNAP?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps) helps low-income households purchase adequate, nutritious food. Benefits are distributed monthly on an Electronic Benefits Transfer card, known as “Link” in Illinois, which acts much like a debit card. Money from SNAP can be spent at authorized retailers, and some farmers markets, on any foods that recipients prepare and eat at home. SNAP recipients nationally spend over 85 percent of benefits on fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy, meat and meat alternatives. Beneficiaries also increase the amount of money they spend on groceries each month, instead of simply replacing their food budget with SNAP dollars. By supplementing, not replacing, grocery budgets and allowing for the purchase of more nutritious food, SNAP reduces food insecurity in low-income households. This is particularly true of households with children.
Why Help Consumers Apply for SNAP Benefits?
Connecting more Medicaid recipients with SNAP benefits can address food insecurity and inadequate nutrition, which this population experiences at high rates, and improve health outcomes. In addition to helping a family afford healthier food, children who receive nutrition supports are healthier and more likely to finish school while participating in the program. A report recently released by the White House Council of Economic Advisers details the long-term benefits of this program, including: for mother’s receiving support during pregnancy, reductions in incidences of low birth-weights; and for adults who received support when they were children, reductions in obesity rates and metabolic syndrome, increased likelihood of having completed high school, and significant improvements in overall health and economic self-sufficiency among women.
New Opportunities in Illinois to Reduce the SNAP Gap
The Affordable Care Act has made it easier for low-income individuals and families to access public benefits by helping states pay for electronic systems to apply for benefits. In Illinois, the new Application for Benefits Eligibility enables applicants to submit a single application for both SNAP and Medicaid. However, despite this improved online application, we have not fully reduced the “SNAP Gap”—the number of Medicaid clients who are income-eligible for SNAP but do not receive this benefit. We need to work with medical providers, medical plans, social service organizations and other partners to make sure that everyone who is eligible for SNAP gets the help they need to pay for healthy food.
The newest change to the Illinois SNAP program is that on January 1, 2016, Illinois raised the gross income limit for SNAP from 130% to 165% of the federal poverty level, making nearly 40,000 low-income working families newly eligible for SNAP. With more families in Illinois now eligible for SNAP and the ability to submit a single application for both SNAP and Medicaid benefits, it’s time to close the SNAP Gap and make sure families have the food they need to stay healthy. If you’re not familiar with SNAP’s application process join us on HelpHub for more information and resources for both providers and consumers.
MacKenzie Speer
Advocacy Program Associate
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
Connecting Navigators to Jobs so They Can Continue Connecting Consumers to Coverage
Navigators are key to health care outreach and enrollment across the country, but in Cook County the number of working Navigators is on the decline as grant funding slows. This is not only bad for individual Navigators unable to find work, but compromises the success of future enrollment cycles. In-person assisters of all stripes — including Navigators, Certified Application Counselors, agents, and brokers — play a crucial role in helping people apply for coverage. An Enroll America study found that people who got in-person help were nearly 60 percent likelier to enroll. To help keep assisters in the community, through the Health Insurance Workforce Pipeline Initiative, Health & Disability Advocates and the Chicago Cook County Workforce Partnership are connecting unemployed Navigators with jobs in the health insurance field — specifically as brokers.
Health & Disability Advocates is leveraging its connections in the health insurance community to bring employees and employers to the table. Meanwhile the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership contributes Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (WIOA) dollars that pay for job-readiness training, workshops, and on-the-job training that new hires may need once they start their jobs as brokers. Since its formation in early May 2015, the Health Insurance Workforce Pipeline Initiative has hosted Rapid Response Workshops that describe the resources available for unemployed or soon-to-be unemployed enrollment assisters. HDA and CCWP also organized an exclusive job fair where Navigators could meet and interview with employers looking to hire.
Former Navigators are already transitioning into new jobs thanks to this initiative. A group of eight new hires who had previously collaborated as enrollment assisters to connect 51,000 people with Medicaid and marketplace coverage will now be working together as brokers, drawing on their experiences as Navigators. According to Tearalla, a new hire, “As a broker, my Navigator skills are transferable and aligned with my current responsibilities. I will continue to provide outreach, education, and enrollment assistance to newly enrolled consumers and consumers seeking to re-enroll in the Marketplace.”
These transitioning Navigators will be doing outreach and drawing on their strong connections — including with Navigators — in the communities where they worked for the first two enrollment cycles where they already have strong connections. Said Tearalla, “Networking with existing community stakeholders is ongoing.”
Everyone wins — employers and Navigators alike — when these Navigators transition into new roles as brokers. According to one hiring manager, they were able to hire more former Navigators because money spent for training was covered by WIOA dollars. The hiring manager was also excited that the new hires have great working relationships with groups and community leaders.
New hires are eager to continue enrollment work. They are already reaching out to previous community contacts to spread the word about their new role and the ongoing opportunity to get health insurance. Said one former enrollment assister, Olivia, “I’m excited about the opportunity to continue to enroll folks in the ACA.” It’s a wonderful opportunity for the overall enrollment push in Illinois, too. Having seasoned pros with strong community connections on the front lines of Affordable Care Act outreach like Olivia and Tearalla can help set up a strong foundation for the upcoming enrollment cycle and get even more people connected to health insurance.
This post originally appeared on Enroll America's blog.
Bryce Marable
Health Policy Analyst
Health & Disability Advocates
Training for In Person Counselors and Navigators in Illinois
The State is preparing to award grants in early July to community based entities who will employ helpers to educate consumers about their new health care options under the Affordable Care Act and to assist people in enrolling in the new Medicaid expansion and Health Insurance Marketplace when open enrollment begins on October 1. These helpers will be called In Person Counselors (IPCs); however, there will also be other enrollment "helpers" called Navigators and Certified Application Counselors. The different names just refer to how the assister is funded; all of the assisters will help people choose and enroll in coverage.
In order to train these assisters, the State has partnered with the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health to develop a curriculum and training program to begin by the end of July and go through the middle of September. The curriculum will consist of both online and in person learning modules. The training will be ongoing and will consist of a testing and certification process as required under state law. There will be continuing education and a backup technical assistance call center for individual questions.
In addition to the state training, IPCs and Navigators will also take a federal online Navigator training by the fall which will inform them about using the federal Marketplace portal. This is important, because all assisters in Illinois must be familiar with both the state Medicaid system as well as the federal Marketplace system since Illinois has chosen to be a partnership state and administer its health care reform programs jointly for the first year with the federal government. We are waiting on federal guidance regarding the Certified Application Counselors' training requirements.
Many other community based providers will help their clients understand and access health care coverage, even if they aren't designated "assisters" or "Navigators." These front line workers also need information on the ACA but may not need as intensive a training program as the certified assisters. There are training materials and presentations available to these organizations/ entities throughout the state including the Starting Strong Webinar Series and other events on the Illinois Health Matters events page.
Stephanie Altman
Health & Disability Advocates
The ACA is Coming – How Can I Help Enroll People?
The past few weeks have brought a flurry of activity from the federal and state government agencies who are reaching out to community-based entities to solicit their assistance in Affordable Care Act outreach, education and enrollment. In Illinois, it’s even more confusing because there are three possible “helper” groups: Navigators, In Person Counselors and Certified Application Counselors.
This blog is intended to answer some of your frequently asked questions about these enrollment helpers and how you can get involved.
What’s a Navigator and How Can I Be One?
“Navigator” is the term that has been given to people or organizations charged with providing guidance to individuals enrolling in the Health Insurance Marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. Many of you have been wondering how you can become one of these entities. Unfortunately, there are no actual “navigator positions” right now. This is because various entities have to apply for funding (grant application due June 7) to become navigators and receive training.
What do you mean by “entity”?
Many types of groups/entities can be Navigators. Self-employed persons and public or private organizations are eligible to apply for funding to operate as Navigators (see the FAQ here). In each Marketplace there must be at least two sub-sets of entities and at least one will be a community and consumer-focused nonprofit. There are some restrictions, however: navigators cannot have conflicts of interest. Therefore, navigators cannot be health insurers, have affiliations with health insurers, or accept any form of payment from insurers that is related to enrollment inside or outside of the marketplaces.
What if I don’t want to or am not eligible to apply for these Navigator grants?
If you don't think you or your organization would qualify for this funding alone, you could consider reaching out to another organization in your area that might be applying. Check out this consumer assistance matchmaking spreadsheet to meet up with other groups. Another option would be to wait until the grants have been decided upon and then reach out to see if the recipient organizations need any additional staff.
What is the In-Person Counselor (IPC) Program?
In-Person Counselors (IPCs) are the same as Navigators, in that they will educate people about the new system, help them understand their health plan choices, and facilitate their selection of the plan that is right for them. They are different than Navigators because funding for these entities comes from the state instead of the federal government and they will receive training directly from the state.
The IPC grant application just came out and applications are due May 30th. Entities in Illinois can apply for these funds and hire new personnel or use existing staff as In-Person Counselors in the community. Find more information and access to the application here. The Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace will be conducting a webinar for those interested in the IPC program on Thursday, May 9 at 10 am. You must register to participate.
But how is a Navigator and In Person Counselor different from a Certified Application Counselor (CAC)?
CAC's have been defined as “trusted community-based organizations, providers, or other organizations with expertise in social service programs.” CACs allow organizations that would likely aid consumers anyway (such as hospitals or clinics) be involved more formally in the process of finding health coverage. Unlike Navigators and IPCs, CACs are not eligible for public funding but the Marketplace will be required to certify CACs to help people apply for Medicaid and plans sold through the exchange.
So what should I do now if I want to be one of these helpers?
- Read the IPC application
- Look at the Illinois Consumer Assistance Matchmaking Spreadsheet to see who else wants to apply to be a Navigator or IPC
- Participate in the webinar on May 9th about the IPC program
- Stay tuned for more information about the CAC program in Illinois
Stephani Becker & Alexa Herzog
Illinois Health Matters
Funding Opportunity Announced for Illinois In-Person Counselors
Beginning October 1, 2013, the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace will open for enrollment. Pursuant to the Affordable Care Act, the Marketplace will be a website where those seeking insurance coverage can shop for health care and determine if they are eligible for financial assistance with premiums and health costs. In Illinois, we are estimating that more than half of our Health Insurance Marketplace customers will want help enrolling in the program.
In order to meet their needs, Governor Pat Quinn and the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace established the In-Person Counselor program (IPC). IPCs will educate people about the new system, help them understand their health plan choices, and facilitate their selection of the plan that is right for them. IPCs will be instrumental in the Marketplace’s plan to create a statewide “Culture of Coverage” by engaging, educating, and enrolling the uninsured in Illinois in qualified health plans.
Today, the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace is very excited to announce the release of the grant application for the In-Person Counselor program.
The Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace, in coordination with the Illinois Department of Public Health, will be accepting applications through the end of May 2013 from community groups and other qualified organizations who want to participate in the IPC program. The state has designated approximately $28 million in federal funds for grants to participating groups. Organizations that are selected through the online application process will participate in a training and certification process this summer.
For more information about the application process for the Illinois IPC Grant Program, go to: http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/healthcarereform/Pages/IPC.aspx.
Additionally, the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace will also conduct an informational webinar on Thursday, May 9 at 10:00 AM. Interested groups can register for the webinar by going to https://www305.livemeeting.com/lrs/8002054163/Registration.aspx?PageName=hfhrvf978qb8w95p.
Thank you,
Brian Gorman
Director of Outreach and Consumer Education
Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace