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New House Bill Restores Funding for ACA In-Person Enrollment Assistance, Outreach & Advertising

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2018

Contact: Paydon Miller
(202) 734-6543 | paydon.miller@younginvincibles.org

New House Bill Restores Funding for ACA In-Person Enrollment Assistance, Outreach & Advertising

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Kathy Castor introduced the Expand Navigators’ Resources for Outreach, Learning and Longevity (ENROLL) Act, a bill that would restore funding for the Affordable Care Act’s Navigator program and for open enrollment consumer outreach and advertising – programs and efforts that over the last five enrollment periods have contributed to the huge gains made in health coverage around the country. Despite the importance of consumer education, outreach, and support, the Trump Administration has cut funding for the Navigator program by 84 percent, and cut the advertising budget by 90 percent over the past two years.

In response to the bill’s release, Erin Hemlin, Director of Training and Consumer Education for Young Invincibles, issued the following statement:

“The ENROLL Act is an important step forward for young adults, and consumers everywhere, who need assistance enrolling in health coverage. The Trump administration’s drastic and arbitrary cuts to these programs are purely politically motivated – a cruel action intended to hurt those consumers who need help the most.

Lack of awareness about coverage options, particularly financial help and deadlines, is one of the biggest barriers in reaching the remaining uninsured. If we want to help those ‘hard to reach’ populations get covered, we need to invest in making sure they know that coverage is available and accessible. The Navigator program has been a critical resource in this effort to educate and empower consumers. For young people, who are often purchasing insurance for the first time, restoring this funding would give them the impartial, expert guidance that only Navigators can provide. Restoring funding for outreach and advertising would continue to ensure that consumers have the information they need, and could help those who don’t know about open enrollment and the ACA marketplace find coverage before it’s too late.

When first learning about their coverage options, young people need all the information they can get, and both in-person outreach and advertising make a difference in getting them covered. Fully funding Navigator and outreach programs will vastly improve consumers’ ability to cut through the confusion and enroll in the coverage they need. Now is the time for Congress to act. We urge Congress to pass this bill, and restore funding for these programs that help young people get the coverage they need to stay healthy.”

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Available for Interview:

Members of the media interested in talking to a young person about how access to quality, affordable health coverage impacts their life can email Paydon Miller at paydon.miller@younginvincibles.org.