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PLA’s Insurance Education and Outreach Initiatives

PLA, in partnership with and the , for the third year are working together to inform communities about health insurance enrollment. PLA will continue to help libraries promote the Open Enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act for 2021 and will add information on how to promote Medicaid all year long.

Public libraries, as critical community anchors, are well positioned to share information about insurance enrollment, to support patron’s efforts to enroll successfully, and to advance population health with improved outcomes.

• Open enrollment in the Affordable Care Act is November 1, 2020–December 15, 2020. Consumers that receive in-person assistance are nearly 60% more likely to enroll in the health insurance marketplace. To see if your state utilizes the Federal Marketplace, please review the list here: (Kaiser Family Foundation). For more information on PLA’s Affordable Care Act project, visit Libraries Connecting You to Coverage: Affordable Care Act.
• Medicaid enrollment is possible at any time during the year. Applications can go through the Federal Marketplace or through .

Medicaid Project Overview

With job loss and illness resulting from the COVID-19 crisis, having affordable, accessible health insurance is more important than ever. PLA is launching a new effort to spread awareness of Medicaid as an insurance option. PLA will work nationally to provide messaging and social media graphics, education, and funding to help libraries promote Medicaid. We are prioritizing work in four states (see below) due to their population size, opportunity for increased enrollment, and gaps between the percentage of the population eligible for Medicaid and the percent enrolled.

Medicaid is the nation’s public health insurance program for people with low income, covering 1 in 5 Americans, including many with complex and costly needs for care. Seniors and people with disabilities make up 1 in 4 beneficiaries, and critical coverage is also provided to children through CHIP, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Seven in ten Americans report a connection with Medicaid (coverage of a family member or themselves, for instance), and the program generates favorable opinions even across the political spectrum. The (CMS) is responsible for implementing Medicaid, but as a state-federal partnership program, Medicaid differs in each state.

We have the opportunity to show the power of public libraries to serve their communities and help them recover from COVID-19. Libraries can undertake a range of activities—from simple social media messaging to hosting virtual programs with local partners to educate and enroll.

Priority States

We encourage all public libraries to learn about Medicaid and promote Medicaid enrollment in their communities. However, PLA is prioritizing work in four states due to their population size, opportunity for increased enrollment, and gaps between the percentage of the population eligible for Medicaid and the percent enrolled. Those states and links to their state Medicaid information from both official agencies and advocates are below.

• Florida: (state government); (state government)
• Michigan: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (state government); Michigan Legal Help (nonprofit legal aid organization)
• New Jersey: State of New Jersey Department of Human Services (state government); New Jersey Department of Human Services (state government)
• Texas: Texas Health and Human Services (state government)

Resources

Watch this site for ready-made graphics, social media messages and more that you can use in your library to promote Medicaid.

Outreach Tips

From September 2020 Focus Groups; prepared by PerryUndem and Betty & Smith.

• Promote Medicaid to the recently uninsured. Medicaid is not on their radar, and many will become interested in enrolling.
• Incorporate peace of mind themes in messaging. Remind people that enrolling in Medicaid would mean one less worry for them, a chance to feel normal and whole again.
• Consider using weekly income amounts—not annual. Newly unemployed/uninsured people may be confused about their income and think they earn too much for Medicaid.
• Appeal to those who have been denied in the past. Remind them that their circumstances may have changed during the pandemic and they should check back with Medicaid.
• Use assisters/navigators to help people enroll remotely. While most prefer to apply online, many also want help by telephone or online chat if they have questions or are confused.
• Remind those who are hesitating to apply that Medicaid can be temporary coverage. Many seem to be holding out for insurance through their next job. Letting them know that they can still be covered while they job search could be effective.
• Reach out to those most impacted by COVID. This includes immigrants, people of color, and essential workers—these individuals in the focus groups seemed most anxious and vulnerable without coverage. Build partnerships with employers and share Medicaid information with them since many of the newly uninsured are not aware of the program and feel COBRA is too expensive.
• Remind them that having insurance coverage helps them be there for their family. Parents feel strongly their families rely on them—they cannot afford to get sick and incur medical bills. This has particular resonance for those in immigrant families.

This national partnership to assist uninsured consumers in enrolling in Medicaid is made possible by funding from the and .