Here’s How to Find Critical Health Insurance Enrollment Assistance

Open Enrollment at HealthCare.gov (the Health Insurance Marketplace) is open until January 15, 2022. In order to have coverage that begins on January 1st, consumers must enroll by December 15th.  

Enrollment Assisters

Professional assistance is available for free to help people sign up for health insurance. 

Navigators and other enrollment assisters are individuals at community-based organizations that help guide consumers in the Marketplace; assist with applications for the Marketplace, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP); and enroll consumers in a health plan. They are required to be unbiased and their services are free to consumers.

Health insurance can be daunting, but assisters play a vital role. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 6 out of 10 consumers found enrollment in marketplace insurance difficult. Even after enrolling, 27% of consumers returned to their assister for post-enrollment help, such as understanding how to use their new coverage. In-person enrollment assistance and post-enrollment support by navigators can greatly reduce the complexity in applying for and using health coverage. Navigators are tasked with serving underserved communities, so their enrollment assistance and post-enrollment support can also help reduce health inequities.  

Accessibility

Navigators provide critical services by providing impartial information in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. Navigators must provide free written translations or oral interpretation services to consumers in their preferred language, if necessary, or upon request.    

Assisters are also required to provide information and services in a manner that is accessible for consumers with disabilities. To provide adequate assistance to consumers, assisters may supply accommodations to physical barriers, auxiliary aids and services, printed materials in braille or large font, and other resources. 

Increased Funding

At a time when insurance is more affordable, there is now also increased funding for enrollment assistance. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced ten Texas organizations were awarded $13 million in federal navigator grant funding for the 2022 plan year. This substantially increased enrollment assister capacity in Texas compared with recent years. In 2019, Texas had a mere $1.5 million available statewide. 

Texas Navigator groups include: 

Finding Enrollment Assistance

Community organizations are standing by to offer free, expert help with the sign-up process across Texas: 

  • HealthCare.Gov has a tool to find local help from certified enrollment assisters at local community-based organizations who can help you sign up for coverage through HealthCare.Gov, Medicaid, and CHIP. 
    • To filter search results for community-based groups including navigators, click on the “Agent or Broker” box under “Filter,” so that only the “Assisters” box is showing.
    • CuidadoDeSalud.gov is the HealthCare.Gov website in Spanish, and it features the tool to find local help in Spanish. 
  • The Get Covered Connector lets you search for enrollment assistance locations statewide by zip code. Bonus: in the Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Corpus Christi areas, you can also book an appointment for assistance.

Enrollment assistance organizations serving major metro areas include:

      

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