Covered California recently announced the 105 community-based organizations and clinics that will be awarded grants under its Navigator program lasting from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027. The Navigators will educate consumers about their health plan options, provide in-person enrollment and renewal assistance, and offer ongoing support with getting the best value from their plan.
Navigators play a vital role in Covered California’s mission to expand access to affordable, quality health care in California. They are crucial in helping individuals become aware of and enroll in health insurance, with a focus on diverse and underserved communities. In this grant cycle, some of Covered California’s Navigator partners will receive additional grant funding to collaborate with community-based organizations and community health workers.
“By working with groups that are embedded in our communities and familiar with the cultural nuances and specific needs of diverse populations, we’re ensuring that information about their health insurance options is accessible, culturally and linguistically relevant, and simple to understand,” said Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman. “This approach not only supports the enrollment process, but helps create a stronger, more informed and healthier community.”
These organizations will establish 1,108 enrollment sites throughout California, ensuring that 91 percent of Californians are within a 15-minute drive of a Navigator location. Selection was based on each organization’s ability to achieve the program’s objectives, its strategy for reaching and enrolling consumers and its overall potential impact on expanding coverage.
Since its inception in 2014, the Navigator program has provided grants to community organizations with proven track records in enrolling consumers in health insurance. The program currently includes almost 40 grantees, which employ over 1,200 certified enrollers across the state.
In addition to Covered California’s Navigator program, the agency also partners with more than 10,500 Licensed Insurance Agents and other certified representatives throughout the state. Enrollment assistance is important to many people, as seen during the last open-enrollment period when nearly 63 percent of people signed up for coverage with the assistance of agents, certified enrollment counselors, plan-based enrollers, county eligibility workers and Covered California service center representatives.
“Covered California would like to acknowledge the efforts of all organizations that submitted applications,” said Robert Kingston, interim director of the Outreach and Sales Division at Covered California. “We are encouraged by the passion and dedication across the state to support Californians in accessing the health care they need. We invite applicants who were not selected to request feedback and anticipate potential future collaborations.”
The Navigator program and Covered California’s marketing efforts are funded by revenue generated by Covered California. Navigators receive no state or federal support. Organizations were selected through a competitive grant application process. The Navigator program is an essential component of Covered California’s efforts to ensure that all Californians have the opportunity to obtain affordable, high-quality health insurance. Navigators are grantee organizations that provide targeted outreach, education, and enrollment assistance to consumers, particularly those in hard-to-reach communities, across California.
Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance companies. Covered California is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Depending on their income, some consumers may qualify for the low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal program.
Covered California is an independent part of the state government whose job is to make the health insurance marketplace work for California’s consumers. It is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the governor and the Legislature. For more information about Covered California, visit www.CoveredCA.com.
