August 29, 2022 – The HHS, through the CMS, is investing $98.9 million in grant funding to 59 returning Navigator organizations for the 2023 Open Enrollment Period to help consumers navigate enrollment through the Marketplace, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and make health coverage more equitable and accessible to everyone. These awards will enable Navigator organizations to retain staff and add to the more than 1,500 existing Navigators who were trained to help consumers find affordable, comprehensive health coverage in nearly every HealthCare.gov state and county during the 2022 open enrollment period. This follows a historic Open Enrollment Period in 2022 and is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to enroll more people in health care coverage.
This marks the single largest Navigator funding award provided to date and serves as a continuation of historic levels of funding. The HHS previously awarded $80 million to the program, quadrupling the number of Navigators for the 2022 Open Enrollment Period. More than 1,500 certified Navigators held more than 1,800 outreach and education events at accessible areas—such as local libraries, vaccination clinics, food drives, county fairs, and job fairs. This historic investment in outreach and enrollment efforts helped contribute to the record-breaking 14.5 million people who signed up for 2022 health care coverage through the Marketplaces, including nearly 6 million people who newly gained coverage.
Navigators play a vital role in helping consumers prepare applications to establish eligibility and enroll in coverage through the Marketplaces and potentially qualify for an insurance affordability program. They also provide outreach and education to raise awareness about the Marketplaces, and refer consumers to health insurance ombudsman and consumer assistance programs when necessary. Navigators operate year-round increasing awareness among the remaining uninsured about the coverage options available to them, helping consumers find affordable coverage that meets their needs, and assisting consumers beyond the enrollment process to ensure they’re equipped with the tools and resources needed to utilize and maintain their health coverage all year. Navigators must complete comprehensive federal Navigator training, criminal background checks, and state training and registration (when applicable), prior to assisting consumers.
The 2022 Navigator awardees will continue to focus on outreach to particularly underserved communities and includes $12.5 million to support additional direct outreach, education, and enrollment activities aimed at helping eligible individuals transition from Medicaid/CHIP to Marketplace coverage. Additional funds may be used for hiring additional Navigator staff to expand in-person services to more locations across their state, targeting outreach efforts in areas of high-need, and increasing enrollment assistance capacity through the use of virtual and telephonic appointments.
Navigator organizations will focus on outreach to people who identify as racial and ethnic minorities, people in rural communities, the LGBTQ+ community, American Indians and Alaska Natives, refugee and immigrant communities, low-income families, pregnant women and new mothers, people with transportation or language barriers or lacking internet access, veterans, and small business owners.