Community Action to seek health insurance Navigator service grant [Daily Record, The (Wooster, OH)]

WOOSTER -- Community Action of Wayne Medina is preparing to help people who have questions about purchasing health insurance through the Affordable Care Act's health insurance exchange.

The CAWM board approved the agency to be a partner in the application for Navigator services being submitted by the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies to the Ohio Department of Health and Human Services.

According to Interim CEO Carla Unkefer, who made the request to be a part of the application, OACAA decided to submit the application on behalf of any community action agencies in Ohio that wanted to participate.

Having Navigator services would allow the agency to provide assistance to anyone, regardless of income, who is seeking to purchase health insurance through the AFA's health insurance exchange.

<p>The state is awarding $2 million for the grant. Although the agency does not know what the exact amount of its award would be, Unkefer said it would be "rather small."

"But, any amount would help us," she said.

The grant application was submitted June 7. The agency will be notified about the grant in August.

The agency would be able to provide education, referrals and any type of assistance needed so that an individual can make an intelligent decision.

"I think that purchasing health insurance from the exchange is going to be a somewhat complicated endeavor for anybody," said Unkefer.

If the grant is received, community action staff members would have to complete training to become navigators. While the agency typically serves low income individuals, the grant requires that they serve anybody, and not turn anyone away.

The money would be used to cover the personnel costs, specifically when the staff serves clients who earn higher income. Unkefer said the agency already has funds from a Community Service Block Grant that can cover the cost of serving low income individuals.

Even if the agency isn't awarded the funds for the Navigator services, the staff would still try to prepare to assist clients with questions regarding health insurance.

"(We) would certainly learn the basics," said Unkefer, noting they always try to do research and teach themselves new information in order to provide better assistance.

Reporter Amanda Gallagher can be reached at 330-287-1635 or [email protected].