Kaptur urges Trump Administration to release Navigator funding to help citizens enroll in health insurance plans
Joins 31 House colleagues in letter urging HHS to continue funding Navigator program
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) today sent a letter urging the Trump administration to release promised funding for the Affordable Care Act's Navigator enrollment assistance grant program. The letter was led by Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) and cosigned by 31 House Democrats.
"Navigators are an essential resource for the American people, and the Navigator program is critical to the success of Open Enrollment. We urge you to unfreeze these funds immediately," the Members wrote. "Americans already face a number of new hurdles to enrolling in coverage during the upcoming Open Enrollment period, including an enrollment timeframe that has been cut in half and a 90% cut to the outreach budget that could have informed consumers about this significant change. Destabilizing the Navigator program could further compound the challenges consumers will face in understanding when and how to enroll."
The letter, addressed to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma, notes that on Friday, September 1st, HHS unexpectedly froze committed funding for the Navigator grant period that was scheduled to begin on Saturday, September 2nd. As of Monday, September 11th, grantees had received no update on when they should expect to receive this essential funding. The letter urges that funds be released immediately with a retroactive date of September 2nd.
Members noted Navigators' significance in keeping the Marketplaces stable, writing: "Helping Americans sign up for Marketplace coverage has many benefits, including strengthening the risk pool of the individual health insurance market. Conversely, discouraging enrollment could weaken the market and drive up premiums."
Full text of today's letter:
September 12, 2017
Secretary Tom Price
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Administrator Seema Verma
U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244
Dear Secretary Price and Administrator Verma:
We write to urge you to unfreeze Navigator grants and immediately release Notices of Award to 2017 program grantees. As you know, Navigators are essential to the success of Open Enrollment, which begins just a few weeks from now.
Navigators provide an essential, free service to people across the country who need help finding the best plan for their needs and budget. Since its inception, the Navigator program has helped over 9 million consumers learn about their coverage options. Comparing coverage options can be confusing, especially for people who haven't had insurance in the past. Navigators help consumers find and enroll in the plan that's best for them and their families.
On Friday, September 1st, your Department unexpectedly froze committed funding for the Navigator grant period that was scheduled to begin on Saturday, September 2nd. As of Monday, September 11th, grantees have received no update on when they should expect to receive this essential funding. Disturbingly, we have heard reports that some Navigators have already been laid off because of CMS's highly unusual actions.
Americans already face a number of new hurdles to enrolling in coverage during the upcoming Open Enrollment period, including an enrollment timeframe that has been cut in half and a 90% cut to the outreach budget that could have informed consumers about this significant change. Destabilizing the Navigator program could further compound the challenges consumers will face in understanding when and how to enroll. Helping Americans sign up for Marketplace coverage has many benefits, including strengthening the risk pool of the individual health insurance market. Conversely, discouraging enrollment could weaken the market and drive up premiums.
Navigators are an essential resource for the American people, and the Navigator program is critical to the success of Open Enrollment. We urge you to unfreeze these funds immediately with a retroactive date of September 2nd.
Sincerely,
Carol Shea-Porter
Rick Larsen
David E. Price
Tom O'Halleran
Emanuel Cleaver
Jerrold Nadler
Ro Khanna
Steve Cohen
Adam Smith
Earl Blumenauer
Michelle Lujan Grisham
Raúl Grijalva
Danny K. Davis
Ted Lieu
Dina Titus
Joe Courtney
Bill Foster
Marcy Kaptur
David Scott
Chellie Pingree
John Yarmuth
Tim Ryan
Charlie Crist
Denny Heck
Alma Adams
William R. Keating
Sean Patrick Maloney
Lucille Roybal-Allard
Jan Schakowsky
Bobby Scott
Donald S. Beyer Jr.
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