NOVUS Health Expands Medicaid Outreach and Enrollment into Southeast Missouri

NOVUS Health Outreach and Enrollment Team (L to R) Georgia Rodgers, SE MO Community Health Worker; Keanna Jackson, St. Louis Community Health Worker; Amanda Williams, Community Health & Prevention Manager

In August 2021, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that Medicaid expansion was to be funded, following delayed implementation due to legislative and legal issues. This measure opened up eligibility to adults 19-64 who earn up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level. The state began accepting applications for the Adult Expansion Group (AEG) in October 2021 and since that time, over 250,000 Missourians have been enrolled under AEG.

In an effort to reach those newly eligible for Medicaid, the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) established an outreach and enrollment grant program. It has long been the mission of MFH to eliminate health inequity and transform systems, which is reflected through their project known as “Cover Missouri”. This project was established to promote quality and affordable health coverage for all Missourians.

In 2022, Novus Health became a recipient of funding through MFH and is currently working with Cover Missouri to increase awareness of Medicaid expansion for underserved, vulnerable and marginalized populations in the St. Louis area. These groups often experience a number of barriers (lack of transportation, low health literacy, no access to internet, etc.) that make it difficult to enroll in health coverage.

Among those vulnerable groups are rural communities, where people tend to be older and face inequities that result in poorer health. In terms of Medicaid expansion, it has been estimated that over 40% of newly eligible individuals may reside in rural areas. In November 2022, Novus Health expanded its reach beyond St. Louis to more rural areas in Southeast Missouri. A Community Health Worker (CHW), Georgia Rodgers, was added to the NOVUS Community Health and Outreach team. She is trained in Medicaid enrollment assistance and is also a Certified Application Counselor through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. She is currently conducting Medicaid outreach in Cape Girardeau and surrounding areas, the same community that she has resided in for 39 years.

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Amanda Williams, Community Health & Prevention Manager, had this to say about Georgia, “As a result of her familiarity with the community, she has been able to quickly form partnerships with local organizations such as The Salvation Army, Riverside Regional Library, and Footsteps Medical Missions. This allows her to connect with many residents needing assistance with health coverage. We look forward to continuing our expansion into the Southeast region, developing our new community partnerships, increasing our outreach, and improving our access to care through telehealth services, which will be available in Summer 2023.”

Contact Georgia Rodgers at 314.897.1326 or at Georgiar@novushealthstl.org for more information about our Southeast Missouri services.

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About NOVUS Health:

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Our mission at NOVUS Health is to improve the quality of life and advocate for the health and wellbeing of all individuals in our community through the delivery of primary, holistic, and preventative care coupled with supportive services.

We accomplish our mission by providing comprehensive trauma-informed care and prevention services in a compassionate and nonjudgmental environment.

NOVUS Health staff has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. With a focus on providing trauma informed, holistic health we expect all staff to meet patients, community partners, and co-workers with respect and dignity. We challenge each other to acknowledge biases that exist in healthcare including race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and/or personal beliefs. We look for ways to eliminate these biases at all points of services and care. As a team, NOVUS is working to break down barriers, build access, and create healthier communities.

The vision of NOVUS Health is to become a trusted patient-centered medical home model, providing equitable access to primary care and linking individuals to the specialty care and preventative services that are customized to their needs. The NOVUS team engages and collaborates with individuals to meet their overall health goals while working to provide tools and resources that ensure ongoing retention in and adherence to all points of care, prevention, and treatment.

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We Value Trust. Communication. Compassion.

About Missouri Foundation for Health:

Missouri Foundation for Health is building a more equitable future through collaboration, convening, knowledge sharing, and strategic investment. Working in partnership with communities and nonprofits, MFH is transforming systems to eliminate inequities within all aspects of health and addressing the social and economic factors that shape health outcomes.

Our mission: to eliminate underlying causes of health inequities, transform systems, and enable individuals and communities to thrive.

About Cover Missouri:

Groups from across Missouri are convening as the Cover Missouri Coalition because they share the vision of reducing the number of uninsured in Missouri. Members work to build awareness, facilitate enrollment, increase health insurance literacy, and support Medicaid transformation. They also share learnings and best practices, maximize resources, identify challenges and opportunities, and build inclusive plans to insure Missourians.

Cover Missouri is a project of Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) to promote quality, affordable health coverage for every Missourian. MFH is the convener of the Cover Missouri Coalition and is an independent philanthropic foundation dedicated to improving the health of the uninsured and Missourians most in need.

For more information about NOVUS Health, contact Dale Wrigley, Chief Executive Officer, at dale@novushealthstl.org, visit novushealthstl.org, or follow and like us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn: @novushealthstl.