HHS Announces $60 Million In Navigator Grants

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

The grants are designed to facilitate signups in the health insurance marketplace.

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell has announced $60 million in Navigator grant awards to 90 organizations in states with federally-facilitated and state partnership Marketplaces. These awards support preparation and outreach activities in year two of Marketplace enrollment and build on lessons learned from last year.

“In-person assisters have an impact on the lives of so many Americans, helping individuals and families across the country access quality, affordable health coverage,” said Secretary Burwell. “We are committed to helping Americans get covered and stay covered with in-person assistance in their own communities.”

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey found a variety of assisters, including Navigators, in both state-based and federally-facilitated Marketplaces aided an estimated 10.6 million consumers apply for coverage in Marketplace plans, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) during the first Open Enrollment period. Another poll – this one conducted by PerryUndem – demonstrated Latinos in particular valued the assistance of in-person help. Assisters tend to help those consumers in communities with the most challenging or complicated enrollments.

HHS states navigators provide unbiased information to consumers about the Marketplace and other public programs in a way that recognizes the cultures of the communities they serve. A competitive grant process decided which navigators were selected to receive these awards based on their ties with the communities they will be serving and other standards such as effectiveness and program integrity.

Since many of the award winners also received grants last year, these awards build on lessons learned from the first year of Marketplace operations.

• Navigator grantees must maintain a physical presence in the Marketplace service-area, so that consumers can easily access face-to-face assistance.
• Navigator grantees are required to be trained on and comply with strict security and privacy standards to ensure that consumers’ personally identifiable information (PII) is protected, as was the case last year. In no case will Navigators obtain a consumer’s PII without the consumer’s consent.
• In addition to quarterly and annual reporting, Navigators will also be required to submit to HHS weekly progress reports detailing their progress and activities in the communities they serve.
• Based on feedback from the assister community, HHS is incorporating new elements into this year’s required training, such as a course on advanced Marketplace issues with detailed information on topics such as how to help college-age students enroll in coverage and re-enrollment. HHS is committed to providing Navigators with on-going technical assistance and training opportunities throughout the year.

In addition to Navigators, Marketplaces make other resources available to consumers to help them access Marketplace coverage, such as certified application counselors, non-navigator assistance personnel (also known as in-person assisters), and agents and brokers. Consumers in federally-facilitated and state partnership Marketplaces can visit Find Local Help to find assistance in their area.

Before open enrollment last year, HHS gave out grants. The administration is hoping to avoid the technical glitches that had navigators using paper applications and phone calls to enroll people last fall.

New training for navigators this year will include a course on dealing with “advanced marketplace issues,” like strategies for encouraging college-age adults to enroll. Organizations will also be required to submit weekly reports on their activities.

See the full list of navigator organizations here.