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

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

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Tampa, FL (Feb. 2, 2012) – USF Health’s Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation doesn’t officially open until Monday.

But on Thursday, USF Health hosted its first public event at CAMLS: a visit from U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in Tampa to tout the benefits of the federal Affordable Care Act.  She was welcomed by USF President Judy Genshaft and City of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

“This is an amazing university, and this facility will be on the map across the country and across the world,” Sebelius said of CAMLS. “I have no doubt of that.”