The Federal Open Enrollment Period (OEP) to sign up for or change health insurance plans runs from Nov. 1, 2023, through Jan. 15, 2024. Navigators from Florida Covering Kids & Families (FL-CKF), housed within the USF College of Public Health, along with their community partners are poised to help consumers find health insurance plans that are right for them.

Florida Covering Kids & Families works collaboratively with Florida agencies and stakeholders to advocate and conduct outreach to ensure all Floridians have access to affordable healthcare coverage. It has seven contracted partners that serve all 67 counties in Florida and is funded by a multimillion-dollar, multi-year grant from the U.S. Health and Human Service Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

While the FL-CKF has no large-scale, in-person sign-up events scheduled in the community this year, Nikia Gates, program manager for the FL-CKF Navigator Project, said Navigators—specially trained individuals who help a consumer “navigate” the health insurance marketplace—are just a phone call away to answer questions and schedule in-person or virtual appointments.

“Florida Covering Kids & Families will provide education and support, offer referrals when applicable, and schedule appointments with a Navigator partner in the consumer’s area if needed,” Gates said. “We will also be providing technical support to the Affordable Care Act consortium of partners. Additionally, we will be contacting consumers via mail through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Marketplace Assistance Community (MAC) database.”

Navigators will also be out and about in the community.

Family Healthcare Foundation, a Tampa-based nonprofit that partners with FL-CKF and provides outreach and application assistance in publicly funded health care programs such as Florida KidCare, the Health Insurance Marketplace and local county health care programs, will have Navigators meeting with consumers on the phone and virtually. Tampa Bay Navigators will be at locations such as Tampa General, BayCare Health Systems hospitals, the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County Family Resource Centers and Feeding Tampa Bay’s Empowerment Centers.  

“Offering multiple options to meet with a Navigator at a variety of community and clinical settings truly ‘meets’ people where they are to help them navigate a complicated system of understanding what their health insurance options are,” Katie Roders Turner, executive director of Family Healthcare Foundation, said. “We assist anyone and encourage everyone to reach out to speak with us if they are looking for health insurance information. Navigators are always free and always confidential.”

Anyone exploring new health insurance options or needing to change an existing plan is urged to utilize the OEP.

“The OEP is open to everyone. Appointments are available virtually, over the phone, and in person,” Gates said. “Anyone needing assistance getting health coverage through the Marketplace can call Covering Florida at (877) 813-9115 or visit coveringflorida.org to book an appointment with a Navigator in their area. Consumers can also visit healthcare.gov to explore resources that will help make enrollment faster and easier. Resources are available to help consumers determine if they qualify for savings, making health care even more affordable.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health