As the start of open enrollment (October 1, 2013) draws closer, there has been a flurry of resources concerning how to help consumers screen for eligibility and enroll in Marketplace plans and Medicaid. Below you will find several new resources relevant to the Philadelphia region. Community-based providers and AIDS service organizations are encouraged to explore all the resources and opportunities available to assist with the transition to the era of health reform and new coverage options. You can explore our other blog posts about health reform here.

Stakeholder Call with HHS and CMS about the Health Insurance Marketplace in PA - July 31, 2013

This second in a series of three calls is intended specifically for stakeholders in Pennsylvania. HHS and CMS regional officials will give brief updates on the operational execution of the Marketplace including systems readiness; consumer support and outreach.

Certified Application Counselor Organizations

There are going to be opportunities for organizations to be trained and certified to provide counseling to enrollees. As a CAC organization, your staff and volunteers will help people understand, apply, and enroll  for health coverage through the Marketplace. There are three official trainings on how to become a Certified Application Counselor Organization over the next couple of weeks. Register at the links below.

Date ; Time ; Webinar Link
July 31, 2013 ; 1:30 – 3:00 pm ET ; https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1020077

August 6, 2013 ; 1:30 – 3:00 pm ET ; https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1020167

August 7, 2013 ; 1:30 – 3:00 pm ET ; https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1020171

Kaiser Family Foundation Issue Brief -- Helping people with HIV Navigate the Transition to ACA Coverage.

This issue brief is a summary of a roundtable discussion convened by Kaiser Family Foundation in March 2013 concerning planning for the coverage transition, helping people with HIV choose and enroll in coverage and troubleshooting during coverage transitions.
Key passages:
Pg. 5 - HIV community needs to plan for changes in the role of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program 
Pg. 5 - HIV community stakeholders need to be aware of their state's organizational structure and work to inform state policymakers about the needs of people with HIV and standards for HIV care.
Pg. 6 - HIV service providers may need to consider business re-design options to maximize their engagement with the health system.
Pg. 6 - Best practices and lessons learned from states and organizations that have begun navigating through HIV-related policy changes will help inform how to better plan for challenges that may occur
Pg. 8 - It may be important to differentiate between types of HIV enrollees in ACA coverage
Pg. 9 - While HIV providers and clinic staff are poised to play a central role in supporting coverage transitions, they may require specific training and support

Insurance Marketplace Pre-screening Tools and other Resources at HIVhealthreform.org

There are too many great resources on hivhealthreform.org to list here. One of the most interesting is the pre-screening tools (for both Medicaid-expansion states and those not currently expanding Medicaid coverage) from Duke Law Project.