$108,000 grant will help hard-to-reach Kentuckians enroll in health insurance

Grant awarded to Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Foundation

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Jan. 6, 2016) — A $108,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will help Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Foundation, part of KentuckyOne Health, enroll uninsured Kentuckians in state health insurance exchanges and Medicaid for 2016.

The grant is being deployed to enroll hard-to-reach populations to help: the homeless, justice-involved individuals and immigrants/refugees; improve take-up rates for individuals eligible for qualified health plans; support Medicaid enrollees in maintaining coverage which is often lost due to low comprehension of how to use and keep benefits; and address gaps in accessing data maintained at the state level to ensure accurate measurement of outcomes.

The grant will support one-to-one community outreach efforts intended to help people understand their options and enroll in coverage.

“Research shows that individuals with health coverage are three times more likely to receive preventive care and screenings,” said Alice Bridges, vice president of healthy communities for KentuckyOne Health. “Helping individuals enroll in health coverage plans is a critical tool in our efforts to create a healthier Kentucky.”

Since the Affordable Care Act went into effect in January 2014, Kentucky has decreased its uninsured rate from 20.4 percent to 9.8 percent, the nation’s second largest change in percentage. Also, Medicaid has been expanded to more than 400,000 residents.

More than 100,000 Jefferson County residents has enrolled in Medicaid, more than twice the number originally estimated as eligible (47,451). More than 28,000 enrolled in Qualified Health Plans (QHPS) out of 54,000 who were originally estimated as eligible.

The grant also supports Certified Application Counselor training, increasing the number of qualified navigators who can help people enroll in coverage. In some locations, health coaches and social workers in physician offices will be trained to identify and track people who may need enrollment support.