Coalition seeks to educate health consumers about state marketplace

When the next enrollment period begins in November and residents sign up for health insurance through the Missouri Health Insurance Marketplace, agencies across the state will be prepared to help them reach their goal.

The Cover Missouri Coalition, a project of the Missouri Foundation for Health, is traveling around the state hosting a series of education sessions and bringing together certified application counselors, marketplace navigators and coalition members to prepare for the Nov. 15 open enrollment period.

The coalition came to Miner, Missouri, on Tuesday to host a summit for the Southeast Missouri region and discussed the best ways to reach out and assist Missourians without health insurance.

"The overall goal is to maximize our resources so we can have the greatest reach and help enroll as many folks as we can," said Nancy Kelley, Missouri Foundation for Health's program director for expanding coverage.

To reach that goal, she said the coalition is focusing on three strategies: connect, support and learn.

While a strong effort has been launched to educate the "assisters" who will help Missourians enroll in the marketplace, Kelley said the educational opportunities won't stop there. Information will continue to be shared regularly, either through webinars, in-person meetings or the coalition website.

The education then ties in to the "support" prong of the coalition's strategy, as it will help keep assisters on sound footing throughout the 2014-2015 enrollment period. It also helps them better connect with the public and reach those who may need additional assistance.

"Last year, there was more of a broad, general effort, and I think in some ways we got the low-hanging fruit -- the folks who were already maybe a little bit knowledgeable or poised to make a decision right away," Kelley said of efforts in the previous enrollment session. "This year, we're going to be focusing on people who maybe hadn't heard the message or needed to hear it again. Particularly, people who may be living in communities where they don't have Internet access, and so it wasn't easy for them to get right on the marketplace website."

Many people may have avoided or ignored the marketplace, believing it would offer no affordable health insurance plans, but Kelley said the coalition is working to help spread the word about financial assistance. More than 80 percent of those who got marketplace plans in Missouri received financial help through tax credits or cost-sharing, she said.

Confusion and misinformation also have played a part in keeping some people away from the marketplace. C.J. Smallwood, contract specialist and certified application counselor for the Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corp., said her organization deals with those issues regularly. The recent summit hosted by Cover Missouri can go a long way in helping combat them, she said.

"A lot of people ... they don't understand the co-payments and the deductibles and the premiums and that kind of thing, so that's definitely something I had taken from the summit," said Smallwood. "I myself have gotten a better definition of those things and that's something I can take to the consumers."

Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corp. is a "hub leader" that helps coordinate other organizations in the Southeast Missouri area to spread awareness and make sure everyone in the region has access to health insurance marketplace resources. The organization also works to bring new partners to the table.

"We know we haven't reached everyone," said Kelley, "so if there's a school or a business or a chamber of commerce, any of those organizations that feel like this is a connection for them, DAEOC is really in a position to help them get involved."

Those interested in learning more or connecting with Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corp. may visit daeoc.com.

Kelley also said the coalition and assisters across the state plan to put more emphasis into communications with the public about possible penalties. Those who do not receive health insurance through employers, the marketplace or a government program such as Medicare may face a penalty through their April 2015 tax returns.

Those who go without insurance all year must pay the greater of two options: 1 percent of household income above the tax-filing threshold of $10,150 or $95 per adult and $47.50 per child younger than 18, but no more than $285 a family.

More information about the Missouri Health Insurance Marketplace is available at covermissouri.org and mffh.org.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

Miner, Mo.