Community Health Center approach to ACA outreach and education: Experiences from the Golden State

As the first state to implement a state-based exchange through the Affordable Care Act, California has the opportunity to set the stage for successful implementation.  Medicaid coverage has been expanded in the state and the exchange will be the largest in the county.  In San Diego, the absence of a public hospital means that health care for the uninsured frequently occurs at one of many Community Health Centers.  With a broad geographic spread and the ability to provide care by trusted professionals in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner, the community health model is a great starting point for engaging eligible people about new coverage options.

More people than ever before can now access free or low-cost health insurance.  By meeting people in the healthcare setting that they already utilize and trust, there is a great opportunity for engagement about the topic of coverage.  This session will describe the strategies and experiences of a program that centers around Community Health Centers and their staff as the access points for information and enrollment assistance.  Some of the unique issues to this region are families that have mixed immigration status, different provisions for Native American and Alaska Native populations, cross-border insurance coverage and refugee community language access.