U.S. Representative Kathy Castor hosted a press conference March 21 at the USF Health Neuroscience Institute’s Byrd Alzheimer’s Center, announcing her creation of a bill that will help continue funding the work of marketplace navigators who enroll individuals in insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act.

U.S. Rep Kathy Castor (left) and USF Health’s Jodi Ray address local media at the Byrd Alzheimer’s Center in Tampa.

“Because I believe that the work of our navigators here at the University of South Florida, all across the state, and all across the country is so important, and because our issue with health care costs for families is so difficult, I have filed a bill – the Enroll Act – to ensure our navigators stay on the beat,” Rep. Castor said.

“It’s called the ENROLL Act. That bill will work in tandem with a bill I have filed that will outlaw junk insurance plans, the short-term, limited duration plans that masquerade as real insurance…These initiatives together should help to lower health care costs for everyone.”

Also speaking at the press conference was USF Health’s Jodi Ray, director of Florida Covering Kids and Families and faculty in the USF College of Public Health. Ray and her teams of navigators won the largest Navigator grant in the country and in Florida several years in a row after the insurance marketplace opened in 2013 – totaling more than $14.5 million in grant funding. The grants allowed the navigators in all 67 Florida counties to work with consortium partners that deploy in-person assisters known as navigators to explain health insurance options and help people sign up for plans.

U.S. Rep Kathy Castor (left) listens as Jodi Ray explains the important work of navigators in helping citizens enroll in health insurance options.

“Every day navigators have the opportunity to witness the life-altering impact of what attaining coverage means to the lives of Floridians who have been assisted with enrolling in health insurance,” Ray said. “For many consumers, enrollment simply would not be possible without the help of these individuals. They serve as the first point of contact for many of the consumers seeking help.”

Health insurance marketplace navigators are individuals who are trained and able to help consumers, small businesses, and their employees as they look for health coverage options. Navigators play a vital role in helping consumers prepare applications to establish eligibility and enroll in coverage for the marketplace and potentially qualify for insurance for affordability programs. They also provide outreach and education and raise awareness about the marketplace, and refer consumers to health insurance ombudsmen and consumer assistance programs when necessary. These individuals and organizations are required to be unbiased, and their services are free to consumers.

“Without consumer assistance, these models and systems of care we see being proposed can fail to be effective without consumer assistance included,” Ray said. “Leaving this piece out of the equation going forward is shortsighted and fruitless. Navigators are reaching our most vulnerable populations in Florida. We have an extraordinary opportunity before us to expand upon those milestones we have already achieved in this state.”

“The lead navigator in the country has been right here at the University of South Florida, led by Jodi Ray,” Castor said.

“Jodi, I’m going to say to you today that I’m grateful for everything you have done. You’ve been the inspiration in my bill, the ENROLL Act, which is the Expand Navigators, Resources for Outreach Learning and Longevity Act. We’re going to make sure our navigators stay on the beat and provide that independent, free advice to families all across the country.”

As the third-year of open enrollment kicked off  nationwide Nov. 1 for the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, attention was once again on USF, which for the second consecutive year attracted the largest Navigator grant in the country.  This time Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and White House Special Assistant to the President Michael Smith toured the community outreach event hosted by USF Health navigators, observing firsthand students and families signing up for health care insurance.

Navigator Philip Conti of the Hillsborough County Division of Health Care Services speaks with Jodi Ray, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, and Michael Smith, special assistant to the President.

The “Nav-Lab” was set up in the USF Marshall Student Center and both Buckhorn and Smith were introduced to navigators and consumers by Jodi Ray, project director for the Florida Covering Kids & Families (FL-CKF) program at the Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies, USF College of Public Health.

The added attention stems from the fact that USF received a $5.9M 2016 Navigator grant, once again the country’s largest award, to help educate uninsured Floridians about the insurance plans that can best meet their health care and financial needs and assist those eligible with enrollment.  This year, the focus will be to help consumers understand how to get the most out of their coverage as well continue new enrollments and renewals, officials said.

After visiting the consumer Nav-Lab, Buckhorn and Smith joined other representatives from USF, Enroll America and a USF Health Morsani College of Medicine student, who is a local Marketplace consumer, for a press conference to talk about this year’s enrollment.

Michael Smith addresses local media at the USF Marshall Center.

Open Enrollment gives millions of uninsured Floridians the opportunity to enroll in health coverage for the calendar year of 2016. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), almost half of the remaining Marketplaces-eligible uninsured are between the ages of 18 and 34. Also, despite historic gains in coverage, Latinos and African Americans are still more likely to be uninsured than their white counterparts.

Because of these facts, this year’s push is keenly focused on that younger group and on minorities, Smith said.

“You could not talk about health care in this country without talking about serving what are some of our most vulnerable youth and communities,” Smith said.

“And we know that many uninsured and younger folks come from underserved communities. It’s going to be more challenging this year than it’s been in past years, with historic gains in coverage and an improving economy, there are just fewer uninsured to enroll. Ultimately, though, having fewer uninsured is a good problem to have, but means we’re going to have to work smarter and harder.”

In introductory remarks, Edmund Funai, MD, vice president and chief operating officer for USF Health, noted the parallels that today’s USF community event has with USF’s overall mission.

USF Health Chief Operating Officer Dr. Ed Funai.

“Our mission, as a large, public research institution serving one of America’s largest metropolitan areas, requires us to be an economic engine and a trusted resource for our region, our state, the nation, and the world,” Dr. Funai said. “The program we are here to highlight today is a perfect example of the way in which we carry out that mission at USF each day. We could not be prouder of the tremendous talent and dedication of the (USF Navigator) grant’s lead investigator Jodi Ray and her team at the USF Florida Covering Kids & Families program. They work with partners across the state to assist Floridians in making informed choices about the health care insurance coverage that best meets the needs of themselves and their families.”

Tampa Mayor Buckhorn congratulated USF on receiving the country’s largest Navigator grant and emphasized how well the Marketplace is working to reduce the number of uninsured citizens in Tampa and across Florida.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

“You have seen the amazing results from the last two enrollments,” Buckhorn said. “Over a 1.7 million Floridians have signed up to get access to health care. I can tell you as a mayor that there’s probably not anything more important than the citizens I represent having affordable access to health care. It makes such an amazing difference in the quality of their lives. In Hillsborough County, over 77,000 citizens – our friends, our neighbors – were able to acquire access to health care because of the Affordable Care Act.”

To help convey the real impact navigators have on helping Floridians find coverage, Jodi Ray put forth hard numbers.

USF Navigator Grant Principal Investigator Jodi Ray.

“More than 9.9 million consumers were enrolled nationwide during the second enrollment period and almost 1.6 million of those were Floridians – far surpassing projection numbers,” Ray said. “Nearly 200,000 individuals received one-on-one education and application assistance from USF Project Navigators and almost 700,000 consumers were reached through more than 3,600 community outreach activities across the state. Additionally, our combined marketing and communications effort throughout the year had a reach of nearly 58 million.”

Despite those numbers, there are still many who remain uninsured, said Raymond Paultre, executive director of Florida Enroll America.

Raymond Paultre, Florida State executive director of Enroll America.

“The good news is that the remaining uninsured still want insurance,” Paultre said. “According to recent polls, 7 out of 10 of remaining uninsured said it was important to them, but half of the remaining the uninsured still haven’t visited Get Covered America or Healthcare.gov . In addition to reaching out to the uninsured, we also be reaching out to the newly insured to check out the new options and to actively shop on the marketplace before they renew to make sure they’re getting the plan that best suits their financial needs and their family’s needs. HHS has recently reviewed some data showing that Floridians who changed plans when re-enrolling their coverage were saving close to $500 a year.”

Open Enrollment for health coverage began Nov. 1, 2015, and ends Jan. 31, 2016. This third enrollment period is also a chance for people to avoid paying a fine when they file their taxes. Those who do not enroll in a plan by the deadline of Jan. 31, 2016, could face a fine of $695 or 2.5 percent of yearly income, whichever is greater.

For more information, visit Healthcare.gov or call (813) 803-0628 to speak with a USF navigator.

From left, Michael Smith, Jodi Ray and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

From left, Dr. Ed Funai, Michael Smith, and Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Office of Communications.

For the last 3 years Jodi Ray’s team has successfully partnered with key organizations statewide, providing enrollment education and outreach to vulnerable populations in all 67 Florida counties

Tampa, FL (Sept. 17, 2015) — Over the last three years, the University of South Florida has been awarded more than $14.5 million in federal Navigator grants to help eligible uninsured Floridians get health care coverage.

That total includes a $5.9 million 2016 Navigator grant announced Sept. 2 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which awarded a total of nearly $67 million in grants in 34 states federally facilitated and state partnership Health Insurance Marketplaces.  All recipients will have the opportunity to renew their grants for the next two years.

The Year 3 Navigator grant marks the second consecutive year that Jodi Ray’s team at the Florida Covering Kids & Families program (FL-CKF), USF College of Public Health, has won the largest Navigator grant in the country and in Florida.  Once again the program, directed by Ray, covers all 67 Florida counties, working with consortium partners that deploy in-person assisters known as navigators to explain health insurance options and help people sign up for plans.

“Jodi Ray and her incredible team are dedicated to helping everyone in Florida secure the means to access the health care they need to live full, productive lives,” said Donna Petersen, ScD, dean of the USF College of Public Health. “This level of support three years in a row is a clear testament to the incredible knowledge, skill and talent this group has cultivated over many years, connecting Florida families to health care coverage.  The College of Public Health couldn’t be prouder of their continued excellent work.”

For three years running, Jodi Ray, director of the Florida Covering Kids and Families program at the USF College of Public Health, has been the lead investigator for USF’s Navigator grant.

In its third year, the program will focus on helping consumers understand how to get the most out of their coverage as well continue new enrollments and renewals, Ray said.

“We want people who get health coverage to keep it and to understand how to use their benefits correctly to access care,” she said. “We will continue to make a concerted effort to target hard-to-reach populations and hone in on post-enrollment activities.”

USF FL-CKF will work with the following 11 consortium partners this year to expand education, outreach and enrollment:

• Florida CHAIN
• 90Works
• WellFlorida Council
• Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida
• United Way of Brevard
• Primary Care Access Network
• The Family Healthcare Foundation
• Health Council of Southeast Florida
• Broward Regional Health Planning Council
• Health Council of South Florida
• Health Planning Council of Southwest Florida

-USF Health-

USF Health’s mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, and the USF Physicians Group. USF Health is an integral part of the University of South Florida, a high-impact, global research university dedicated to student success. For more information, visit health.usf.edu.

Media contact:
Anne DeLotto Baier, USF Health Communications
abaier@health.usf.edu or (813) 974-3303

With enrollment starting for year two of the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell paid a visit Nov. 17 to the community outreach and enrollment event hosted by USF Health navigators.

U.S. DHHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell meets with enrollees with U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (left) and Program Director Jodi Ray (right), at the USF Health Nav-Lab.

Sec. Burwell toured the “Nav-Lab” set up in the USF Marshall Student Center with U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and Jodi Ray, project director for the Florida Covering Kids & Families (FL-CKF) program at the Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies, USF College of Public Health.

In a roped-off area of the Marshall Center lobby navigators from USF Health, joined by those from Florida CHAIN and Covering Tampa Bay, assisted eligible students and families in making informed choices about their health care insurance coverage and guided those interested in enrolling through the application process.  Sec. Burwell and Rep. Castor were able to see firsthand the personal assistance navigators give to enrollees, meeting with several to talk about their experiences.

They then joined representatives from USF, Enroll America and a USF Public Health student who is a local Marketplace consumer for a press conference to talk about the Affordable Care Act and the Open Enrollment period.

USF Health’s Dr. Ed Funai recognizes the DHHS for providing USF with the largest Navigator grant in the country.

In his welcoming remarks, Edmund F. Funai, MD, chief operating officer and vice president for administration at USF Health, said USF’s mission as a leading public research institution requires the university to be an economic engine and trusted resource for the region, state, nation and world.

“The program we are here to highlight today is a perfect example of the way in which we carry out that mission at USF each day, Dr. Funai said.  “We are honored that just a few weeks ago, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recognized USF’s commitment to these ideals and the incredible capabilities of our faculty, students and staff by awarding USF the largest Navigator Grant in the country this year.”

Jodi Ray, principal investigator for the USF Navigator grant and project director for Florida Covering Kids & Families.

“USF is extremely proud of the accomplishments achieved in Year 1 of the Marketplace initiative,” said Jodi Ray, principal investigator for the USF Navigator grant.  “Our reach was far and wide.  Close to 100,000 individuals received one-on-one education and application assistance from USF Project Navigators, and more than 230,000 consumers were reached through community outreach activities, in addition to 37 million individual hits reached through the numerous educational marketing and communication efforts.

“We’re excited to participate in Year 2, and this year USF and its 12 consortium partners will be on the ground providing outreach, education and enrollment support to the entire state of Florida.  We don’t take a top-down approach, but rather one built and designed by the local communities being served.”

U.S. Rep. Castor commended USF’s role in helping Florida lead the federal Marketplace.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor thanked USF for their efforts and encourage citizens to enroll for health care coverage.

“I’m proud of USF for their efforts,” Rep. Castor said. “The challenge is to replicate that and to sign up more this year.”

Then Sec. Burwell took the podium, sharing details of this year’s enrollment efforts and fielding questions from reporters.

Sec. Sylvia Burwell explains Year 2’s enrollment and answers questions from reporters.

“Last year, we had 10.3 million fewer adults uninsured, a cut of 26 percent of the uninsured,” Sec. Burwell said to a room filled with local and national media. “So far, in the first two days of this year’s enrollment, we’ve had 1 million visitors, 200,000 calls, including 20,000 calls to our Spanish language lines, and 500,000 successful entries in the system.”

This year’s system is aimed at providing something more like window shopping, she said.

“We’re taking a targeted outreach approach in what is a shorter period of time (for enrollment), using what we learned last year,” she said. “How are people making decisions and what information do they need to do that? … The big focus is how we can serve the consumer this year, to get them the information so they can make good choices for themselves.”

Local and national media hear from Sec. Sylvia Burwell.

In 2013, USF’s FL-CKF received the second largest award nationwide out of $67 million in “Navigator” grant awards distributed to 105 organizations.  USF received the largest of these awards among eight recipients in Florida.

Just this September, USF was awarded a $5.38 million, second-year Navigator grant – the largest single award in the country and in Florida – to help enroll more eligible consumers and small employers in the Health Insurance Marketplace.

In its second year, FL-CKF expects to surpass its Year 1 accomplishments through one-on-one renewal and enrollment assistance and indirectly reach more than 1.5 million individuals through outreach activities in the 67 counties served by the USF Navigator grant, Ray said.

In addition to Ray, other members of the USF Navigator team at FL-CKF are Michelle Ray, Xonjenese Jacobs, Wendy Hathaway, Avery Slyker, Linda Detman, Jessica Berumen, and Tommi Rivers.

For more information, visit Healthcare.gov. Or call (813) 803-0628 to speak with a USF Navigator.

Sec. Burwell hears from Ashley Brunson, who is re-enrolling for Year 2.

Navigator Maria Jimenez (right) helps Chris Villatte enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Peggy Johnson (left) and Don Gray (right) enroll for coverage with help from Navigator Joanna Reid.

From left, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, U.S. DHHS Sec. Sylvia Burwell, and USF’s Jodi Ray at the USF Health Nav-Lab.

Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Office of Communications.

The USF Navigator grant, the largest in the country and in Florida, will build upon the program’s successful statewide outreach

The University of South Florida has received a $5.38 million second-year Navigator grant – the largest award in the country and in Florida – to help enroll more eligible consumers and small employers in the Health Insurance Marketplace.

People shopping for and enrolling in health insurance coverage through the Marketplace can get local help several ways, including through in-person assisters called navigators.

Principal investigator Jodi Ray and her team at Florida Covering Kids and Families, USF College of Public Health, were competitively awarded the country’s largest Year 2 Navigator grant.

For this second year of funding announced Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded a total of $60 million in Navigator grants to 90 organizations in states with federally-facilitated and state partnership Marketplaces.

USF’s $5.38 million grant this year exceeds the $4.2 million USF received last year. It adds three counties – Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe – meaning that all 67 Florida counties will be covered by the Florida Covering Kids & Families program (FL-CKF) at the USF College of Public Health, which oversees and works with a consortium of 12 organizations across the state.

“The second year of this grant will allow us to continue working with our partners and expand our efforts to provide vital one-on-one assistance to thousands of consumers statewide,” said Jodi Ray, principal investigator for the USF Navigator grant and project director for FL-CKF. “We have a lot of work to do this year to make sure Floridians get health care coverage. We have maintained a strong infrastructure across the state that has been proven effective, and we will build upon that to strengthen our outreach.”

According to a recent outside survey, a variety of assisters, including navigators, were responsible for helping an estimated 10.6 million consumers apply for coverage in Marketplace plans, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) during the first open enrollment period. Florida enrolled nearly 1 million uninsured – more than any other state participating in the federal Marketplace.

The consortium partners working with USF this year to assist uninsured with the enrollment process and to conduct public education activities to raise awareness about options for coverage in the Marketplace are:

–      Northwest Florida Comprehensive Services for Children (90Works)

–      The Center for Health Equity, Inc.

–      North Central Florida Health Planning Council, Inc. (WellFloridaCouncil, Inc.)

–      Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida

–      United Way of Brevard

–      Primary Care Access Network

–      The Family Healthcare Foundation

–      Health Planning Council of Southwest Florida, Inc.

–      Treasure Coast Health Council (Health Planning Council of Southeast Florida)

–      Broward Regional Health Planning Council, Inc.

–      Health Council of South Florida

–      Florida CHAIN – statewide

Ray said over the last year FL-CKF successfully designed and implemented a statewide outreach and enrollment initiative. That included directly assisting and educating 72,905 individuals in 64 counties through one-on-one appointments and outreach, she said.

In its second year, FL-CKF expects to provide one-on-one assistance to approximately 47,800, or 2.7 percent of the eligible uninsured and indirectly reach more than 1.5 million individuals through outreach in the 67 counties served by the USF Navigator grant, Ray said.

The next open enrollment period for plans that comply with the Affordable Care Act begins Nov. 15.

In addition to Ray, other members of the USF Navigator team at FL-CKF are Michelle Ray, Xonjenese Jacobs, Wendy Hathaway, Avery Slyker, Linda Detman, Jessica Beruman, and Tommi Rivers.

For a list of HHS navigator awardees, or more information about navigators and other Marketplace resources, visit http://cciio.cms.gov/programs/exchanges/assistance.html

Tamina Johnson, a USF engineering sciences doctoral student, knows a lot about the complexities of proteins, but she needed a little help when it came to choosing healthcare insurance for the first time.

Johnson, 29, was among the consumers from across campus and the surrounding community, including 15 USF students, who were assisted at the March 6 “Nav-Lab Enrollment Blowout” at USF Health.

Representatives from Enroll America offered education about the Health Insurance Marketplace, while navigators from USF Health, Florida CHAIN and Covering Tampa Bay, helped individuals and families interested in enrolling with the application process.

USF graduate student Tamina Johnson, left, discusses her healthcare coverage options with Catherine Fuhrman, a navigator with the Family Healthcare Foundation.

“There are a lot of scenarios for coverage, so coming in today really helped guide me through the options,” said Johnson, who kept her Nav-Lab appointment despite the downpour and mid-day tornado warnings.

Johnson began looking at plans online in November. She said she wants health insurance but has difficulty affording it as a graduate student.  She was pleased to find that she could sign up for a plan through the marketplace that would provide significant savings.

“This way I don’t have to pay as much, because I also need money to live on and eat with,” she said.

Jodi Ray, project director for Florida Covering Kids & Families based at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, leads more than 100 navigators across Florida, which has the second highest rate of uninsured in the country.

Jodi Ray, project director of the Florida Covering Kids & Families program at the Chiles Center for Health Mothers and Babies, USF College of Public Health, oversees the USF navigator grant, the largest in the state.

As the March 31 deadline to enroll for coverage under the Affordable Care Act this year nears, the USF navigator group continues to team with its consortium partners to push community outreach initiatives targeting uninsured Floridians, Ray said. That includes, she said, the so-called “young invincibles,” adults 18 to 34, an age range that tends to be healthier and can help balance out risk in the insurance pool to keep premiums in check.

Kristen Nash, a political science graduate student at USF, has worked at the grassroots level on campus and in the community to help get more of her young adult peers covered.

Kristen Nash, 23, a USF political science graduate student and field organizer for Enroll America, says she feels fortunate to be covered as a dependent under her parents’ health insurance plan.  But, she said, that isn’t always an option for young adults under age 26.

“A significant number of students cannot remain under a parent’s plan, either because their parents cannot afford to add them to an employer’s health insurance policy through work, their parents are retired, or for some other reason,” Nash said.

USF navigator project coordinator Xonjenese Jacobs, right, with Ryan Morris, a health organizer for Florida CHAIN.

Both Ray and Nash point out a young person injured in an accident or even hit with a sudden illness can quickly run into financial difficulty when medical bills mount.

“It’s really important to get covered,” Nash said. “Starting early with preventive care, which is free under the plans, can help us live better.”

USF Navigators will offer another onsite event to help those interested  find out about healthcare coverage from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, March 17, at USF Student Health Services.  To register, email mchavez1@health.usf.edu or call 813-974-0176; walks-in are also welcome.

Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications

“Nav-Lab” open to USF campus, community; anyone with questions about coverage welcome

Tampa, FL (Feb. 25, 2014) — An on-site community outreach event to help consumers learn more about their enrollment options in the federal Health Insurance Marketplace will be held 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday March 6, in the USF Health Computer Lab at the Faculty Office Building (first floor), 13220 USF Laurel Drive, Tampa, FL 33612.

Navigators from USF Health, joined by those from Florida CHAIN and Covering Tampa Bay, will be able to assist 40 people an hour.   Representatives from Enroll America will offer education about the Marketplace, and navigators can help individuals and families sort out the coverage choices and guide those interested in enrolling through the application process.

“Getting covered is about taking personal responsibility for your health and financial well-being,” said Jodi Ray, project director of the Florida Covering Kids & Families program at the USF Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies, College of Public Health. “We can help people navigate the Marketplace to find a plan that provides the care they need and fits their budgets.”

The $4.2 million navigator grant awarded to the University of South Florida last year was the largest in Florida. USF Health works with 10 consortium partners across the state to help those who want assistance shopping for and enrolling in private healthcare insurance available through the online marketplace.

The deadline this year to enroll for coverage under the Affordable Care Act is March 31.

“Nav-Lab” walk-ins are welcome, but registration is recommended because parking is limited.

For more information or to register, please email mchavez1@health.usf.edu, or call (813) 974-0176.  Accommodations for people with disabilities or those who speak other languages can be made when appointments are scheduled.

Visitors parking on the USF Tampa campus are required to purchase a daily parking permit.  USF students, faculty and staff may park in the Laurel Drive Parking Garage, top floor, or Lot 42 adjacent to the garage. In addition, a Bull runner shuttle stops at the corner of Laurel and Holly Drives, immediately in front of the Faculty Office Building, where the Nav-Lab event will be.

USF Health navigator Michelle Ray assists a consumer with enrollment.

                                                                                                       -USF Health-

USF Health’s mission is to envision and implement the future of health. It is the partnership of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, the College of Public Health, the College of Pharmacy, the School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences; and the USF Physician’s Group. The University of South Florida is a Top 50 research university in total research expenditures among both public and private institutions nationwide, according to the National Science Foundation. For more information, visit www.health.usf.edu

Media Contact:
Anne DeLotto Baier, USF Health Communications
abaier@health.usf.edu or (813) 974-3300

Chris Dawson, 20, reared by his grandparents, lost health insurance when he “aged out” of the state foster care system at age 18.  So, the University of South Florida College of Public Health student said he was eager to be one of the first Tampa Bay consumers to seek navigator assistance when the Health Insurance Marketplace launched Oct. 1.

For the last two years, Dawson has been unable to pay out of pocket to treat flare-ups of bronchitis and recurrent sinus infections.  “I know many other students in my same circumstances — not covered because health insurance is simply not affordable,” Dawson said. “There shouldn’t be a battle between buying food and healthcare coverage.”

Jodi Ray, project director of the Florida Covering Kids and Families program at the Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies, USF College of Public Health, with Chris Dawson, a USF public health student, at the recent panel discussion on affordable health care.

Savanah Goodland, 23, a part-time St. Petersburg College student, supports herself as a full-time waitress but receives no benefits.  Goodland’s uninsured younger brother has a congenital heart defect and a recent health scare generated thousands of dollars in hospital bills. Under a provision of the Affordable Care Act, starting in 2014, most plans cannot deny coverage or charge more to individuals, with a pre-existing health condition, like Goodland’s brother.

“We’ve been given a new day,” said Goodland, referring to the opportunity she and her brother have to apply for coverage through the marketplace.

Dawson and Goodland participated in a panel discussion Oct. 8 with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Tampa area navigators and consumers.  The event was held at the USF Health Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation.   Jodi Ray, project director for Florida Covering Kids and Families (FL-CKF) program, part of the Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies, USF College of Public Health, moderated the panel.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius joined the panel of Tampa area navigators and consumers.

In August, the FL-CKF program received a $4.2-million navigator grant – the largest grant of eight such grants awarded in Florida — to help educate and enroll consumers in the marketplace.  The online marketplace is aimed at those cannot obtain affordable coverage through employers or government programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

“We’ve been busy,” Ray said of the USF-based navigator office and USF’s 10 consortium partners across the state.

The Healthcare.gov site had more than 10 million hits its first week.  Even while technicians are working 24/7 to improve the site, Sebelius said, grassroots efforts in communities across the country continue to help people apply to the insurance marketplace – online, over the phone, and with paper applications.

“It’s important to remember this first open enrollment period is 26 weeks… the earliest any benefits start is January 1.  Prices (for plans) are locked in; we won’t run out of product,” Sebelius said.  “We are very pleased with the USF navigation grant efforts.  Jodi’s organization has had lots of experience helping families understand affordable health care.”

Sebelius answers media questions following the event at the USF Health Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation.

Over the years, Ray has managed a network of collaborative partnerships and served as principal investigator on several federal, state and private grants aimed at increasing enrollment in Florida KidCare, the state’s Children’s Health Coverage Program (CHIP) and Medicaid. In January, the efforts earned Ray and USF national recognition from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services with the esteemed Excellence in Children’s Health Outreach and Enrollment award.

City of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Donna Peterson, interim senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF College of Public Health, welcomed Sebelius, community leaders, media and others who gathered for the panel discussion.

“We want to continue the conversation,” Petersen said. “How will we assure that the citizens of Tampa, Florida and the country have every opportunity to be healthy… to access quality healthcare?  That’s our mission at USF Health and speaks to the core values of our community.”

At 23 percent, Florida has the nation’s second-highest rate of residents without health insurance, surpassed only by Texas.

To check out the marketplace, go to www.healthcare.gov (Localhelp.healthcare.gov), or call 1-800-318-2596.

Sebelius with panel moderator USF Health’s Jodi Ray

L to R: Consumers Savanah Goodland and Chris Dawson, and USF lead navigator Michelle Ray.

Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications

RELATED STORY:
USF navigators open for business as health insurance marketplace launches nationwide

Tampa, FL  — When the Healthcare Insurance Marketplace, a key provision of the Affordable Care Act, opened Oct. 1, USF-based navigators were prepared to help those who had made appointments.  And they continued to schedule more appointments as the day continued.

Even though the healthcare.gov website was down — federal officials reported millions of hits to the site by early afternoon– consumers received in-person assistance filling out paper applications and had many questions about their potential options answered.

USF navigator Michelle Ray (left) discusses coverage options of the health insurance marketplace with Jessica Spencer-Hammac, the first consumer to apply at the USF site. “The basic level of care is more comprehensive than anything I saw shopping outside of the marketplace,” Spencer-Hammac said.

“People want affordable health care coverage,” said Jodi Ray, project director of the Florida Covering Kids & Families program at the Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies, USF College of Public Health.

“We are scheduling people with appointments, so we can take the time with them that they need. Right now, that is working best.  People should look at the December 15 date as the deadline to apply for coverage that begins January 1, so there is still plenty of time to enroll.”

This summer, USF, along with 10 consortium partners across the state, received a $4.2-million federal grant to help individuals and families who want assistance shopping for and enrolling in private healthcare insurance available through the online marketplace. It was the largest navigator grant awarded in Florida.

Navigators, local advisors with certified training and state licenses, are available to help consumers understand their coverage options in the federal marketplace, so they can select the option that best meets their budget and needs.

They are a resource to provide outreach and unbiased education about the marketplace, and will not suggest that a consumer purchase any plan over another, Ray said.  “Navigators are ready and able to help those people who want assistance to complete the application process.”

Shoppers across the Tampa Bay area have more 100 different policies to choose from, all required to cover at least 10 essential services, including maternity care, preventive care, ambulatory care, mental health and prescription drugs.

To check out the marketplace go to:
www.healthcare.gov or 1-800-318-2596
Localhelp.healthcare.gov

To make an appointment with a navigator in Hillsborough, Pinellas or Pasco counties, contact:

The Family Healthcare Foundation:  813-995-1066

USF: Wendy Hathaway ( whathaway@health.usf.edu )
813-974-9088 office, or 813-727-9677 cell

USF: Xonjenese Jacobs ( xjacobs@health.usf.edu )
813-974-3809 office, or 813-727-8906 cell

USF Michelle Ray ( michelleray@health.usf.edu )
813-974-7735 office

Jody Ray (left), who oversees the USF navigator grant, speaks with ABC Action News health reporter Linda Hurtado on opening day of the health insurance marketplace.

The Department of Health and Human Services navigator award is the largest in Florida, and second nationwide

A $4.2 million grant awarded to the University of South Florida will help eligible uninsured individuals get health care.  The one-year grant, awarded by the Depart­ment of Health and Human Services, will help individuals who want in-person assistance with shopping for and enrolling in plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace, the health insurance exchanges scheduled to begin open enrollment Oct. 1.

The Florida Covering Kids & Families program (FL-CKF) at the USF Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies, received the second largest award nationwide out of $67 million in “Navigator” grant awards distributed to 105 organizations.   USF got the largest of these awards among eight recipients in Florida.

L to R: USF President Judy Genshaft; Jodi Ray, project director of the Florida Covering Kids & Families program at the USF Chiles Center; and Donna Petersen, ScD, interim senior vice president, USF Health, and dean, College of Public Health.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recognized FL-CKF’s well-established, successful community outreach in helping thousands of uninsured children in Florida get health care following her announcement of the new awards Aug. 15 at a press conference in the USF College of Health.  Sebelius was introduced by Donna Petersen, ScD, interim senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the public health college.

“Navigators will be among the many resources available to help consumers understand their coverage options in the marketplace,” Sebelius said, “so they can find the option that best fits their budget and need.”

USF will oversee and work with consortium of 10 partners in all but three counties in Florida.  Counselors, or navigators, will be trained and certified  to guide people seeking health insurance coverage through the new online marketplace.  They will provide unbiased information in a culturally competent manner to consumers about health insurance;  the new Health Insurance Marketplace, qualified health plans, and public programs including Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the new navigator grant awards to media attending a press conference at USF.

Jodi Ray, project director of FL-CKF, said the new DHHS award will allow USF to build on a network already in place to serve a larger population of individuals in need of health insurance coverage.  

“This grant will help us expand the work we have been doing to enroll children to additionally include adults,” Ray said. “We have many community-based grassroots efforts that will allow navigators to go to the places where people are to assist them there.”

“I’m very proud of what we’ve done here at USF Health and the USF College of Public Health to build the infrastructure that enables families to seek and find healthcare insurance coverage for their children, increases access to high-quality health care, creates clinical interventions that are effective,  and, at the population level, helps to advance healthier communities,” Dr. Petersen said. “This award  is recognition of that and our capacity to make life better.”

L to R: USF President Judy Genshaft, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Interim Senior Vice Presidentfor USF Health Donna Petersen, U.S.Representative Kathy Castor, and FL-CKF Project Director Jodi Ray.

USF will work with the following 10 partners in expanding its education, outreach and enrollment: 

• Health Council of Southeast FloridaThe Kids Healthcare Foundation
• Primary Care Access Network
• Health Planning Council of Southwest Florida
• WellFlorida Council
• United Way of Brevard
• Panhandle Area Educational Consortium
• Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida
• Northwest Florida Comprehensive Services for Children (Families Count)
• Florida CHAIN.

-Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications