Many Programs have outreach and enrolment. This became a specific training and job with the advent of the affordable care act. One of the requirements for health is access to health care and in the USA that means access to funding to pay for that care which for most people means the need for health insurance. The ACA included a mandate for every USA citizen to have health insurance. People trained  through the ACA to help you access health insurance are Certified application counselors /assistants. (CAC)  Many of CAC  have also been given the job of helping people to enroll in other state run benefit programs like WIC or CalFresh ( Nutrition Assistance)

 Starting October 1, 2013, consumers in all states were able to access affordable health insurance options through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Some states set up a State-based Marketplace and the remaining states opted for the Federally-facilitated Marketplace.

No matter what state they live in, consumers can receive help as they apply for and choose new insurance through the Marketplace.

Open Enrollment for the 2021 plan year begins November 1, 2020 and individuals will again be able to provide assistance to consumers in a number of different ways: by becoming Navigators or certified application counselors. In addition, agents and brokers will still be able to help consumers enroll in health insurance through the Marketplace.

Navigators play a vital role in helping consumers prepare applications to establish eligibility and enroll in coverage through the Marketplaces and potentially qualify for an insurance affordability programs. They also provide outreach and education to raise awareness about the Marketplace, and refer consumers to health insurance ombudsman and consumer assistance programs when necessary. Navigators are funded through federal grant funds and must complete comprehensive federal Navigator training, criminal background checks, and state training and registration (when applicable), prior to assisting consumers.

On August 28, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded $10 million in Navigator grant awards to 30 organizations who will serve as Navigators in Federally-facilitated Marketplace states. These awards will support the work of organizations that offer assistance to consumers navigating, shopping for, and enrolling in health insurance coverage for plan year 2021.

A list of 2020 Navigator grant recipients can be found here: 2020 Navigator Grant Recipients (PDF). The 2020 Navigator awards are for the second 12-month budget period of a 24-month period of performance, which runs through August 29, 2021. Entities and individuals cannot serve as Navigators in the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces without receiving federal grant funding from CMS to perform Navigator duties.

On April 21, 2021, CMS announced plans to make $80 million available in grants to Navigators in the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces for the 2022 plan year. Details about the Navigator grant funding, including eligibility requirements and required Navigator duties, are available through the 2021 Navigator Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Forecast. The NOFO Forecast includes information on the intended release date of the 2021 Navigator NOFO later this spring and can be view on grants.gov  by searching for CFDA # 93.332. 

All information contained in the forecast is subject to change and no applications are requested at this time.