FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2021
Contact: Juan Ramiro Sarmiento
(785) 760-6567 | juanramiro.sarmiento@younginvincibles.org

New Report: 2021 State of Enrollment Outreach and Enrollment Assistance during COVID-19

(Washington, DC) – Today, Young Invincibles released their new report, The State of Enrollment: Health Insurance Outreach and Enrollment during COVID-19. This report is based on extensive interviews with dozens of people representing a broad spectrum of stakeholders within the enrollment community, representing 13 different programs across 15 states. The report focuses on consumer assistance and education efforts such as the Navigator program, established as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the challenges confronted during the global pandemic.

In response, Phelan O’Neill, Deputy Director of Product and Innovation and Manager of the Get Covered Connector for Young Invincibles issued the following statement:

“Expert enrollment assistance that guides someone through the application and plan selection can make all the difference whether a person enrolls in health insurance or not. Young adults, low-income individuals, people with limited English proficiency, those with mixed eligibility-status families, and others with additional barriers to enrollment hugely benefit from the seasoned, expert assisters highlighted in this report. Hundreds of thousands of people have gained health coverage thanks to the dedication and resilience of the enrollment community.

This is the first report in years to provide an in-depth, firsthand account of the work of an assister. During a time where Navigator funding has been slashed to unconscionable levels and a public health and economic crisis rocked the country, assisters continued to adapt, finding new and creative ways to make sure their communities can get covered.

We hope this report highlights the need to fully fund this work, and to create a sustainable model for consumer assistance work to play this crucial role in connecting public programs to the people who need them most.”

Young Invincibles runs the National Get Covered Coalition, a broad enrollment coalition made up of over 500 partners working as Navigators, assisters, outreach workers, and others supporting ACA outreach and enrollment. To learn more about the Coalition and get involved, please reach out to Mina Schultz at mina.schultz@younginvincibles.org.

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