Health Coverage Enrollment Outreach Targets Michigan Direct-Care Workers
The Affordable Care Act presents a tremendous opportunity for direct-care workers across the country to have access to quality affordable health care coverage.
After a slow start with the launch of the Health Insurance Marketplace, the federal website is now up and running to assist everyone in understanding their health care coverage options, shopping for affordable plans, and navigating the sometimes complex world of health insurance.
PHI Michigan is offering information and resources through its new online site, Get Coverage Now, to help direct-care workers and their employers understand how to access coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace and Healthy Michigan, the new Medicaid expansion program for individuals and families with incomes under 138% of the federal poverty level.
PHI estimates that 50,000 direct-care workers could be eligible for coverage under Healthy Michigan alone.
Share Your Stories
PHI Michigan is seeking stories both from employers who have used materials from the Get Coverage Now site to help their staff enroll in health coverage and direct-care workers who have enrolled in health coverage. Contact Tameshia Bridges to share your stories.
A flyer (pdf) on the Get Coverage Now site provides basic information on coverage options and points workers to Enroll Michigan, where they can find a trained Navigator in their community to provide free, individualized assistance to enroll in health care coverage. Michigan Consumers for Healthcare (MCH), a statewide health care advocacy coalition, received a federal grant to create Enroll Michigan, a statewide network of Navigators providing free, one-on-one assistance to individuals, families, and small businesses in enrolling in health care coverage. (See upcoming enrollment events.)
“It is critical for organizations like MCH, long-term care employers, aging and disability advocacy groups, and people using long-term supports and services to get the word out to direct-care workers that the Marketplace is open and there is free, unbiased assistance available to help with enrolling in coverage,” said Tameshia Bridges Mansfield, Midwest program and policy manager. “The state of Michigan has not invested very many resources to support education and enrollment.”
Get Coverage Now also includes information for employers on how to find coverage through the SHOP Marketplace and how to find an agent or broker in their area.
“We encourage employers to get the facts about the options available to them and share the flyer and other information on the Get Coverage Now site with their staff,” Bridges said.
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— by the PHI Policy Group
