Healthcare Navigator grants

Posted by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on June 16, 2014

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a funding opportunity for organizations and individuals to operate as Navigators in Federally-facilitated Marketplaces (FFMs) and State Partnership Marketplaces (SPMs). As they did this year, Navigators will continue to assist consumers in various ways, including as they learn about available coverage options through the Marketplace during the 2015 open enrollment period for the individual market.

Navigators have been an important resource for the millions of Americans who enrolled in coverage in 2014. This second year of funding ensures this important work will continue in 2014-2015, including during the 2015 open enrollment period for the individual market Marketplaces .

We look forward to your ongoing support in both the application process and in making sure we have a strong Navigator program in 2014-2015.

Key Changes

In this year’s Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), Navigator applicants will be encouraged to discuss the community(ies) they expect to target, their relationships within their target communities, and how they intend to build on these relationships as part of their outreach efforts. Navigators are required under newly finalized regulations to maintain a physical presence in the community(ies) so that face-to-face assistance can be provided to consumers. Applicants will also be encouraged to discuss plans to conduct criminal background checks on all Navigator staff that will be handling sensitive or personally identifiable information (PII). We have also included language to ensure that applicants are aware of new rules regarding Navigator requirements that were finalized on May 27, 2014.

The Navigator program still requires that at least two types of entities serve as Navigators in each Marketplace, and that at least one of those Navigators be a community and consumer-focused nonprofit. Entities or individuals serving as Navigators are also required to have expertise in the needs of underserved and vulnerable populations; eligibility and enrollment rules and procedures; the range of QHP options and insurance affordability programs; and privacy and security standards. We continue to encourage organizations interested in applying to form consortiums to cover a particular service area.

Application and Award Information

HHS will award $60,000,000 to recipients across all service areas of FFMs (including SPMs).

Key Dates for Pre-Application Calls:
– Call #1: Thursday, June 12, 2014 from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. EDT
https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1036932
– Call #2: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. EDT
https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1036407
– Call #3: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. EDT
https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1036408
– Call #4: Tuesday, July 1, 2014 from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. EDT
https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1036406

Letter of Intent to Apply (required) Due: June 30, 2014
Applications Due: July 10, 2014
Anticipated Award Date: September 8, 2014

At least $600,000 in total cooperative agreement funds will be available for each FFM (including SPM) service area. Small entities and individuals proposing to serve smaller, hard-to-reach or underserved populations are encouraged to apply, particularly by partnering with other entities and/or individuals to form a consortium which serves a larger total portion of the population.

To see the FOA for the Cooperative Agreement to Support Navigators in Federally-facilitated and State Partnership Marketplaces go to Grants.gov and search for CFDA 93.332

http://www.grants.gov/