This four-part webinar training series, sponsored by The Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund, included information and resources on health care enrollment assistance.
Enrollment Videos
Immigrant Access under ACA, CHIP, & Medicaid Webinar
October 2023
Participants heard latest updates on the issues and policies affecting our work to enroll immigrants in health care. Speakers reviewed Federal and Texas issues, and provided a special focus on immigrants and mixed-immigration status families.
Speakers:
Anne Dunkelberg | Every Texan
Texas State of Enrollment 2023
Our latest free three-day virtual conference with webinars on the latest on outreach and enrollment in Texas health care and benefit programs.
Latest Updates on HealthCare.Gov and Open Enrollment (Oct. 10)
Marketplace Open Enrollment is just around the corner! This session will provide the latest Marketplace updates and what you can expect this year. The session will also provide an explanation of the Federal Poverty Level chart and explain why for 8 months out of the year, Marketplace uses an FPL chart that is different from one used for Medicaid and CHIP. Also participants should be aware of some fraudulent behavior and what to do to report abuse if you encounter it with your clients.
Speakers:
Mina Schultz – Young Invincibles
Anthony Lechuga — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Sonia Lara — Texas Association of Community Health Centers
What’s New with Texas Medicaid, SNAP, and Healthy Texas Women (Oct. 10)
Ch-ch-ch-changes in Texas! During this session you’ll hear from experts on Texas health care and food programs about what changes have already taken place, what is on the horizon, and how those changes will impact your client’s access to health care and food programs like Medicaid, SNAP, Summer EBT, and Healthy Texas Women.
Speakers:
Rachel Cooper — Every Texan
Diana Forester — Texans Care For Children
Kristen Lenau — Texas Women’s Healthcare Coalition
Texas Medicaid Unwinding: Challenges and Successes (Oct. 11)
During “unwinding” 6 million Texans will go through Medicaid renewal, some for the first time. Enrollment assisters play a critical role, helping Texans understand and take the steps needed to maintain Medicaid or transition to CHIP, the Marketplace, or job-based health insurance. We’ve learned a lot since unwinding started in April. In this session, we’ll get the latest updates from HHSC, get a snapshot of outcomes in Texas, and hear best practices from Texas enrollment assisters.
Speakers:
Carina Sturgeon — La Esperanza Clinic
Michelle Alletto — Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Ana Rangel — Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic
Stacey Pogue — Every Texan
Step-By-Step Walkthrough of Your Texas Benefits (Oct. 11)
Your Texas Benefits is the portal for Texans to enroll in SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP, TANF, and other state programs. Learn from the experts the best practices for assisting consumers in enrolling for state benefit programs with a step-by-step walkthrough of the online application.
Speakers:
Leyda Valdez — North Texas Food Bank
Amy P. Cuellar — Feeding Texas
Immigrant Access and Eligibility (Oct. 12)
This session will provide an overview of the DACA proposed federal rule. Also, a review of public benefits available to eligible immigrant families will be provided as well as work arounds for families who are erroneously denied. Participants will also understand the public charge resources available through the Seguro Texas campaign, which was created to “thaw” the public charge chilling effect to educate mixed-status families about their rights to access public benefits.
Speakers:
Esther Reyes — Children’s Defense Fund Texas
Yu Gu — Light and Salt Association
Anne Dunkelberg — Every Texan
Martha Sanchez — Young Invincibles
The Power of Storytelling (Oct. 12)
Storytelling is a powerful tool used to inspire, persuade, and mobilize individuals to support a cause or a change. Learning how to tell stories to influence policies that affect your mission and your beneficiaries require several importance best practices. During this session, participants will learn the power of telling stories to bring awareness to individuals insured and uninsured, plus the importance of their voices. This session will present outreach ideas and the importance of messaging for reaching policy makers, funders, and the masses.
Speakers:
Amber Ayala — Children’s Defense Fund Texas
Aurora Harris — Young Invincibles
Texas State of Enrollment 2022
Latest Updates on HealthCare.Gov (Oct. 18)
HealthCare.Gov Open Enrollment starts just around the corner. Enhanced subsidies remain in place, making coverage much more affordable. In this session, national experts will provide updates on what to expect at HealthCare.Gov during this Open Enrollment.
Speakers:
Mina Schultz – ACA Outreach and Enrollment Program Manager, Young Invincibles
Martha Sanchez – Director of Health Policy and Advocacy, Young Invincibles
What’s New with Texas Medicaid, SNAP, and Healthy Texas Women (Oct. 18)
Ch-ch-ch-changes in Texas! During this session you’ll hear from experts on Texas health care and food programs about what changes have already taken place, what is on the horizon, and how those changes will impact your client’s access to health care and food programs like Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, and Healthy Texas Women.
Speakers:
Rachel Cooper – Director of Health & Food Justice, Every Texan
Jen Biundo – Senior Director of Policy and Research, Healthy Futures of Texas
Diana Forester – Director of Health Policy, Texans Care for Children
This session is Part 1 of 2 about the public health emergency unwinding. With the expectation that the public health emergency will end in January, this session will focus on what the public health emergency unwinding entails and what it means for the millions of Texans on Medicaid. Learn what is at stake and what Texas’ plans for implementing the unwinding are, including renewals, dis-enrollments, and transition to other coverage.
Speakers:
Tricia Brooks – Research Professor, Georgetown Center for Children and Families
Gina Carter – Senior Policy Advisor to AES Deputy Executive Commissioner, HHSC
Helping Clients Maintain Coverage at the End of the PHE (Oct. 19)
This session is Part 2 of 2 about the public health emergency unwinding. Enrollment assisters will play a critical role during unwinding, helping Texans maintain Medicaid or transition to CHIP or the Marketplace. In this session, you’ll learn the skills and best practices that will help you get clients ready now and keep coverage during unwinding.
Speakers:
Leyda Valdez – SSA Field Manager, North Texas Food Bank
Mary Lou Martinez – Community Outreach & Enrollment Specialist, North Texas Area Community Health Center
Karla Martinez – Policy Analyst, Every Texan
This session will provide an overview of the latest public charge rule released in September. A review of who is eligible for immigrant access to public benefits will also be provided. The session will end with information about the Texas campaign to “thaw” the public charge chilling effect and resources available to assisters to help educate mixed-status families about their rights and access to public benefits.
Speakers:
Anne Dunkelberg – Senior Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Esther Reyes Martinez – Director of Immigration Policy & Advocacy, Children’s Defense Fund – Texas
Gabrielle Lessard – Senior Policy Attorney, National Immigration Law Center
Helping Clients Maintain Coverage at the End of the PHE (Oct. 20)
In this session, we will learn who remains uninsured in Texas and outreach ideas and messages that can help you best reach them.
Speakers:
Coda Rayo-Garza – Research & Data Director, Every Texan
Julie Bataille – Managing Director & Senior Vice President, GMMB
Kevin Caudill – Senior Account Executive, GMMB
Texas State of Enrollment 2021
Texas Enrollment Assistance 101 (Oct. 19)
This session is specifically for brand new enrollment assisters and will provide participants with the basics of outreach and enrollment. We kick off the session with a motivational story that sets the tone and illustrates why this work matters and is so important for many who do this work. We then provide a quick review of the Affordable Care Act, explain the Medicaid gap, review roles and responsibilities whether you are a Federal Navigator or a Certified Application Counselor, and provide a high-level overview of eligibility for the three health insurance coverage programs: Marketplace, Medicaid and CHIP. The session ends with a discussion of Texas networks and resources available for all assisters in Texas.
Speakers:
Daniel Bouton | Senior Director of Health & Wellness, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
Sonia Lara | Outreach & Enrollment Director, Texas Association of Community Health Centers
Karla Martinez | Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Aurora Harris | Southern Region Director, Young Invincible
Step-by-Step Walkthrough of the Marketplace Application (Oct. 19)
A first step in helping consumers enroll in affordable coverage at HealthCare.gov is completing the application. This session walks step-by-step through the Marketplace application to explain each question. We share strategies and tools that make it easier to determine household size, estimate future income, and more. While this session is designed to prepare new enrollment assisters to complete Marketplace applications, any enrollment assister who would like a refresher is welcome to join us.
Speakers:
Arianna Anaya | Training Coordinator, Foundation Communities
Latest Updates on the Health Insurance Marketplace and Policies for Immigrants (Oct. 20)
The upcoming Marketplace Open Enrollment Period will be really different from ones in the recent past. Expanded subsidies make coverage much more affordable, Texas will have 10 Navigator organizations (up from just 2), and HealthCare.gov has resumed marketing. We just wrapped up an extended special enrollment period that added 417,000 Texans to Marketplace coverage. Federal threats and barriers to immigrants trying to access health care have shifted over the last year too. In this session, you’ll hear updates from experts on two topics: (1) Marketplace coverage, and (2) immigrants’ access to health care.
Speakers:
Shelby Gonzales | Vice President for Immigration Policy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Erin Hemlin | Health Policy Director, Young Invincibles
What’s New with Texas Medicaid, SNAP, and Healthy Texas Women (Oct. 20)
There have been many changes to food and health care programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and others made during the 2021 Texas Legislative Session. More changes are on the horizon, with the eventual end of the temporary Medicaid enrollment freeze and possible Congressional action to provide coverage to Texans in the “coverage gap.” During this session you’ll hear from experts on Texas health care and food programs about what changes have already taken place, what is on the horizon, and how those changes will impact your client’s access to health care and food programs like Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, Pandemic EBT, and Healthy Texas Women.
Speakers:
Rachel Cooper | Senior Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Anne Dunkelberg | Associate Director/Health & Wellness Program Director, Every Texan
Melissa McChesney | Health Policy Advisor, UnidosUS
Erika Ramirez | Policy and Advocacy Director, Texas Women’s Healthcare Coalition
Providing Remote Application Assistance: Policy and Practice (Oct. 21)
COVID-19 requires us to think creatively about health coverage outreach and enrollment for our communities. In this session, the Texas Health & Human Services Commission provides an overview of remote enrollment policies for Your Texas Benefits programs. Enrollment Assisters will then provide examples of their practices, including creative ways they’ve adapted marketing and provided remote enrollment for the Marketplace and/or Your Texas Benefits over the last year. We close the session with ideas to improve access to remote enrollment assistance for Your Texas Benefits.
Speakers:
Arianna Anaya | Training Coordinator, Foundation Communities
Graciela Camarena | Program Director, Children’s Defense Fund – Texas
Norma Lee | Director of Outreach, La Esperanza Clinic
Melissa McChesney | Health Policy Advisor, UnidosUS
Jerrod Holton | Director of Community Engagement, Texas Health and Human Services
Helping Consumers Navigate the Plan Selection Process (Oct. 21)
In some areas of Texas, consumers will choose among 100 or more plan options in the Marketplace. Enrollment assisters provide critical support, helping consumers make sense of insurance elements that many people find confusing like cost sharing, prescription drug formularies, and provider networks. This webinar provides strategies and tools to help streamline the process of educating consumers on how insurance works and comparing Marketplace plan options, so consumers can select a Marketplace plan that best meets their needs.
Speakers:
Arianna Anaya | Training Coordinator, Foundation Communities
Aurora Harris | Southern Region Director, Young Invincibles
Texas State of Enrollment 2023
Our latest free three-day virtual conference with webinars on the latest on outreach and enrollment in Texas health care and benefit programs.
Latest Updates on HealthCare.Gov and Open Enrollment (Oct. 10)
Marketplace Open Enrollment is just around the corner! This session will provide the latest Marketplace updates and what you can expect this year. The session will also provide an explanation of the Federal Poverty Level chart and explain why for 8 months out of the year, Marketplace uses an FPL chart that is different from one used for Medicaid and CHIP. Also participants should be aware of some fraudulent behavior and what to do to report abuse if you encounter it with your clients.
Speakers:
Mina Schultz – Young Invincibles
Anthony Lechuga — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Sonia Lara — Texas Association of Community Health Centers
What’s New with Texas Medicaid, SNAP, and Healthy Texas Women (Oct. 10)
Ch-ch-ch-changes in Texas! During this session you’ll hear from experts on Texas health care and food programs about what changes have already taken place, what is on the horizon, and how those changes will impact your client’s access to health care and food programs like Medicaid, SNAP, Summer EBT, and Healthy Texas Women.
Speakers:
Rachel Cooper — Every Texan
Diana Forester — Texans Care For Children
Kristen Lenau — Texas Women’s Healthcare Coalition
Texas Medicaid Unwinding: Challenges and Successes (Oct. 11)
During “unwinding” 6 million Texans will go through Medicaid renewal, some for the first time. Enrollment assisters play a critical role, helping Texans understand and take the steps needed to maintain Medicaid or transition to CHIP, the Marketplace, or job-based health insurance. We’ve learned a lot since unwinding started in April. In this session, we’ll get the latest updates from HHSC, get a snapshot of outcomes in Texas, and hear best practices from Texas enrollment assisters.
Speakers:
Carina Sturgeon — La Esperanza Clinic
Michelle Alletto — Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Ana Rangel — Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic
Stacey Pogue — Every Texan
Step-By-Step Walkthrough of Your Texas Benefits (Oct. 11)
Your Texas Benefits is the portal for Texans to enroll in SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP, TANF, and other state programs. Learn from the experts the best practices for assisting consumers in enrolling for state benefit programs with a step-by-step walkthrough of the online application.
Speakers:
Leyda Valdez — North Texas Food Bank
Amy P. Cuellar — Feeding Texas
Immigrant Access and Eligibility (Oct. 12)
This session will provide an overview of the DACA proposed federal rule. Also, a review of public benefits available to eligible immigrant families will be provided as well as work arounds for families who are erroneously denied. Participants will also understand the public charge resources available through the Seguro Texas campaign, which was created to “thaw” the public charge chilling effect to educate mixed-status families about their rights to access public benefits.
Speakers:
Esther Reyes — Children’s Defense Fund Texas
Yu Gu — Light and Salt Association
Anne Dunkelberg — Every Texan
Martha Sanchez — Young Invincibles
The Power of Storytelling (Oct. 12)
Storytelling is a powerful tool used to inspire, persuade, and mobilize individuals to support a cause or a change. Learning how to tell stories to influence policies that affect your mission and your beneficiaries require several importance best practices. During this session, participants will learn the power of telling stories to bring awareness to individuals insured and uninsured, plus the importance of their voices. This session will present outreach ideas and the importance of messaging for reaching policy makers, funders, and the masses.
Speakers:
Amber Ayala — Children’s Defense Fund Texas
Aurora Harris — Young Invincibles
Texas State of Enrollment 2022
Latest Updates on HealthCare.Gov (Oct. 18)
HealthCare.Gov Open Enrollment starts just around the corner. Enhanced subsidies remain in place, making coverage much more affordable. In this session, national experts will provide updates on what to expect at HealthCare.Gov during this Open Enrollment.
Speakers:
Mina Schultz – ACA Outreach and Enrollment Program Manager, Young Invincibles
Martha Sanchez – Director of Health Policy and Advocacy, Young Invincibles
What’s New with Texas Medicaid, SNAP, and Healthy Texas Women (Oct. 18)
Ch-ch-ch-changes in Texas! During this session you’ll hear from experts on Texas health care and food programs about what changes have already taken place, what is on the horizon, and how those changes will impact your client’s access to health care and food programs like Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, and Healthy Texas Women.
Speakers:
Rachel Cooper – Director of Health & Food Justice, Every Texan
Jen Biundo – Senior Director of Policy and Research, Healthy Futures of Texas
Diana Forester – Director of Health Policy, Texans Care for Children
This session is Part 1 of 2 about the public health emergency unwinding. With the expectation that the public health emergency will end in January, this session will focus on what the public health emergency unwinding entails and what it means for the millions of Texans on Medicaid. Learn what is at stake and what Texas’ plans for implementing the unwinding are, including renewals, dis-enrollments, and transition to other coverage.
Speakers:
Tricia Brooks – Research Professor, Georgetown Center for Children and Families
Gina Carter – Senior Policy Advisor to AES Deputy Executive Commissioner, HHSC
Helping Clients Maintain Coverage at the End of the PHE (Oct. 19)
This session is Part 2 of 2 about the public health emergency unwinding. Enrollment assisters will play a critical role during unwinding, helping Texans maintain Medicaid or transition to CHIP or the Marketplace. In this session, you’ll learn the skills and best practices that will help you get clients ready now and keep coverage during unwinding.
Speakers:
Leyda Valdez – SSA Field Manager, North Texas Food Bank
Mary Lou Martinez – Community Outreach & Enrollment Specialist, North Texas Area Community Health Center
Karla Martinez – Policy Analyst, Every Texan
This session will provide an overview of the latest public charge rule released in September. A review of who is eligible for immigrant access to public benefits will also be provided. The session will end with information about the Texas campaign to “thaw” the public charge chilling effect and resources available to assisters to help educate mixed-status families about their rights and access to public benefits.
Speakers:
Anne Dunkelberg – Senior Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Esther Reyes Martinez – Director of Immigration Policy & Advocacy, Children’s Defense Fund – Texas
Gabrielle Lessard – Senior Policy Attorney, National Immigration Law Center
Helping Clients Maintain Coverage at the End of the PHE (Oct. 20)
In this session, we will learn who remains uninsured in Texas and outreach ideas and messages that can help you best reach them.
Speakers:
Coda Rayo-Garza – Research & Data Director, Every Texan
Julie Bataille – Managing Director & Senior Vice President, GMMB
Kevin Caudill – Senior Account Executive, GMMB
Texas State of Enrollment 2021
Texas Enrollment Assistance 101 (Oct. 19)
This session is specifically for brand new enrollment assisters and will provide participants with the basics of outreach and enrollment. We kick off the session with a motivational story that sets the tone and illustrates why this work matters and is so important for many who do this work. We then provide a quick review of the Affordable Care Act, explain the Medicaid gap, review roles and responsibilities whether you are a Federal Navigator or a Certified Application Counselor, and provide a high-level overview of eligibility for the three health insurance coverage programs: Marketplace, Medicaid and CHIP. The session ends with a discussion of Texas networks and resources available for all assisters in Texas.
Speakers:
Daniel Bouton | Senior Director of Health & Wellness, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
Sonia Lara | Outreach & Enrollment Director, Texas Association of Community Health Centers
Karla Martinez | Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Aurora Harris | Southern Region Director, Young Invincible
Step-by-Step Walkthrough of the Marketplace Application (Oct. 19)
A first step in helping consumers enroll in affordable coverage at HealthCare.gov is completing the application. This session walks step-by-step through the Marketplace application to explain each question. We share strategies and tools that make it easier to determine household size, estimate future income, and more. While this session is designed to prepare new enrollment assisters to complete Marketplace applications, any enrollment assister who would like a refresher is welcome to join us.
Speakers:
Arianna Anaya | Training Coordinator, Foundation Communities
Latest Updates on the Health Insurance Marketplace and Policies for Immigrants (Oct. 20)
The upcoming Marketplace Open Enrollment Period will be really different from ones in the recent past. Expanded subsidies make coverage much more affordable, Texas will have 10 Navigator organizations (up from just 2), and HealthCare.gov has resumed marketing. We just wrapped up an extended special enrollment period that added 417,000 Texans to Marketplace coverage. Federal threats and barriers to immigrants trying to access health care have shifted over the last year too. In this session, you’ll hear updates from experts on two topics: (1) Marketplace coverage, and (2) immigrants’ access to health care.
Speakers:
Shelby Gonzales | Vice President for Immigration Policy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Erin Hemlin | Health Policy Director, Young Invincibles
What’s New with Texas Medicaid, SNAP, and Healthy Texas Women (Oct. 20)
There have been many changes to food and health care programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and others made during the 2021 Texas Legislative Session. More changes are on the horizon, with the eventual end of the temporary Medicaid enrollment freeze and possible Congressional action to provide coverage to Texans in the “coverage gap.” During this session you’ll hear from experts on Texas health care and food programs about what changes have already taken place, what is on the horizon, and how those changes will impact your client’s access to health care and food programs like Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, Pandemic EBT, and Healthy Texas Women.
Speakers:
Rachel Cooper | Senior Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Anne Dunkelberg | Associate Director/Health & Wellness Program Director, Every Texan
Melissa McChesney | Health Policy Advisor, UnidosUS
Erika Ramirez | Policy and Advocacy Director, Texas Women’s Healthcare Coalition
Providing Remote Application Assistance: Policy and Practice (Oct. 21)
COVID-19 requires us to think creatively about health coverage outreach and enrollment for our communities. In this session, the Texas Health & Human Services Commission provides an overview of remote enrollment policies for Your Texas Benefits programs. Enrollment Assisters will then provide examples of their practices, including creative ways they’ve adapted marketing and provided remote enrollment for the Marketplace and/or Your Texas Benefits over the last year. We close the session with ideas to improve access to remote enrollment assistance for Your Texas Benefits.
Speakers:
Arianna Anaya | Training Coordinator, Foundation Communities
Graciela Camarena | Program Director, Children’s Defense Fund – Texas
Norma Lee | Director of Outreach, La Esperanza Clinic
Melissa McChesney | Health Policy Advisor, UnidosUS
Jerrod Holton | Director of Community Engagement, Texas Health and Human Services
Helping Consumers Navigate the Plan Selection Process (Oct. 21)
In some areas of Texas, consumers will choose among 100 or more plan options in the Marketplace. Enrollment assisters provide critical support, helping consumers make sense of insurance elements that many people find confusing like cost sharing, prescription drug formularies, and provider networks. This webinar provides strategies and tools to help streamline the process of educating consumers on how insurance works and comparing Marketplace plan options, so consumers can select a Marketplace plan that best meets their needs.
Speakers:
Arianna Anaya | Training Coordinator, Foundation Communities
Aurora Harris | Southern Region Director, Young Invincibles
Texas State of Enrollment 2020
During our virtual conference, we had three days of engaging discussions on health care outreach and enrollment in Texas.
2020 Check-In: Updates on Benefit Access in the Time of COVID-19 (Oct. 22)
Participants heard the latest updates on the issues and policies affecting our work to enroll Texans in health care, food, and other basic needs during this pandemic and economic crisis. Speakers reviewed Federal and Texas issues, and provided a special focus on immigrants and their families.
Speakers:
Anne Dunkelberg | Associate Director, Every Texan
Erin Hemlin | Director of Health Policy and Advocacy, Young Invincibles
Shelby Gonzales | Director of Immigration Policy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Self-Care and Support for OEE Work: Navigating America’s New Moment of Racial Reckoning and the COVID-19 Pandemic (Oct. 22)
This interactive session provided an opportunity for participants to join a conversation about the special challenges of work in the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic downturn, and the national awakening around Racial and Ethnic Equity, Inclusion and Justice.
Speakers:
Heather Bates | Chief Operations Officer, Transform Health
Marlene G. Williams, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor, Texas Woman’s University
What’s New in SNAP and Healthy Texas Women (Oct. 23)
Rachel Cooper from Every Texan provided policy updates on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected eligibility and enrollment for nutrition access programs. Erika Ramirez from Healthy Futures of Texas provided an update on the Healthy Texas Women (HTW) program as well as an update on the HTW 1115 waiver and how it might impact eligibility and enrollment for this program.
Speakers:
Rachel Cooper | Senior Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Erika Ramirez | Policy and Advocacy Director, Healthy Futures of Texas
Providing Remote Application Assistance: Policy and Practice (Oct. 23)
We are living in very challenging quarantimes indeed. COVID-19 and the resulting social distancing guidelines requires us to think creatively about health coverage enrollment for our communities. Young Invincibles and Every Texan started by providing an overview of policy and best practice for remote enrollment assistance. During this interactive session participants had the opportunity to discuss their organization’s approach to remote open enrollment and share their own promising practices
Speakers:
Aurora Harris | Southern Regional Director, Young Invincibles
Melissa McChesney | Senior Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Arianna Anaya | Health Coverage Program Manager, Foundation Communities
Jeness Sherell | Navigator Program Coordinator, Change Happens
Targeted Marketing and School Outreach During the Pandemic (Oct. 24)
This session focused on marketing messages for prospective new enrollees eligible for the Marketplace and financial assistance. The session also covered how to conduct school outreach when social distancing is necessary.
Speakers:
Lisa Goodgame | Principal at Lisa Goodgame Consulting
Gracie Camerena | Child Health Outreach Program Director, Children’s Defense Fund — Texas
Tina Guel | Community Health Outreach Associate, Children’s Defense Fund — Texas
Mary Carreon | Community Health Outreach Associate, Children’s Defense Fund — Texas
Keeping Families Covered: Improving Renewals in Medicaid & CHIP (Oct. 24)
This session covered new, limited-time policies in place during the COVID-19 pandemic related to renewing Medicaid and CHIP. Assisters learned how these policies should work and best practices to ensure eligible clients don’t lose coverage once the public health emergency ends. We also discussed how Texas can learn from this moment to improve the renewal process after the pandemic ends.
Speakers:
Melissa McChesney | Senior Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Health Care Assistance During COVID-19
#GetHoustonCovered: Becoming a Certified Application Counselor (Sept. 9)
This webinar featured step-by-step instructions on how to become a Certified Application Counselor (CAC) and best practices for helping people connect with health insurance coverage.
Speakers:
Aurora Harris | Southern Regional Director, Young Invincibles
Medicaid and CHIP Application Assistance 101 (Sept. 11)
This webinar provided an overview of Medicaid and CHIP, how to submit an application, and best practices for assisting others.
Speakers:
Melissa McChesney | Senior Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Remote Enrollment Assistance for the ACA Marketplace (Sept. 14)
Young Invincibles addressed accessibility considerations for anyone doing remote enrollment work. Additionally, participants heard promising practices for providing remote enrollment assistance gathered from the field, including streamlining workflows and strategies to overcome challenges and technological limitations. Participants also had the opportunity to discuss their organization’s shared approaches to remote open enrollment.
Speakers:
Aurora Harris | Southern Regional Director, Young Invincibles
Keeping Families Covered: Improving Renewals in Medicaid & CHIP (Sept. 17)
Every Texan addressed current policies and guidelines for anyone doing remote enrollment work for Medicaid and CHIP. Additionally, best practices for providing remote enrollment assistance for Medicaid and CHIP were discussed in detail. Participants also had the opportunity to discuss their organization’s shared approaches to remote open enrollment.
Speakers:
Melissa McChesney | Senior Policy Analyst, Every Texan
Other Assister Webinars
The Right Fit: Helping Consumers Navigate the Plan Selection Process in Texas (Oct. 7)
This presentation provided strategies for assisters to support consumers in understanding how commercial insurance works, evaluating and comparing marketplace plans, and selecting the plan that best meets the family’s needs.
Speakers:
Dave Chandrasekaran | Health Policy Consultant, Certified Application Counselor (CAC)
Keeping Families Covered: Improving Renewals in Medicaid & CHIP (Sept. 17)
Every Texan explained immigrant eligibility for coverage under the ACA and enrollment barriers for immigrants in the marketplace. The webinar also discussed the “public charge” rule, the fear it has instilled in many immigrant communities to apply for and use benefits, and the “invisible wall” of recent policies that are “chilling” health care and food aid access.
Speakers:
Anne Dunkelberg | Associate Director, Program Director – Health & Wellness Team
Melissa McChesney | Senior Policy Analyst, Every Texan