Washington, D.C. - September 5, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) has submitted an amendment that would save the Affordable Care Act’s Navigator enrollment assistance grant program from elimination in this week’s House omnibus appropriations bill.
“Navigators provide an essential, free service to people in New Hampshire and around the country who need help finding the best plan for their needs and budget,” said Shea-Porter. “Comparing coverage options can be confusing, especially for people who haven’t had insurance in the past. I’ve seen New Hampshire Navigators’ skill and compassion firsthand, which is why I’m fighting to protect this essential community program from partisan Washington attacks.”
The enrollment assistance program, which provided $600,000 for New Hampshire grantees to hire Navigators last year, faces escalating threats from the Trump administration and House Republicans. On Friday, the Trump administration proposed cutting the Navigator program by $23 million, while this week’s House Republican Omnibus bill would completely eliminate the program by prohibiting any funding for Navigator grants during the upcoming fiscal year. Shea-Porter’s amendment strikes this prohibition and instructs the Administration to return $3 million to the Navigator program. Earlier this year, the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), which administers the Navigator program, transferred $3 million in Navigator funding to conduct an anti-ACA study.
“Without local Navigator support, individuals and their families may lack information to make a thoughtful decision on insurance coverage options,” said Tess Stack Kuenning, President and CEO of Bi-State Primary Care Association, one of New Hampshire’s Navigator grantees. “Navigators are an ongoing community resource to help ensure that New Hampshire families have the coverage they need to stay healthy.”
Since its inception, the Navigator program has helped educate over 9 million consumers about their coverage options. In New Hampshire, Navigators work through the Bi-State Primary Care Association and the state’s Community Health Centers to provide impartial information about Marketplace plans, help consumers understand and evaluate all their options and apply for federal tax subsidies to lower the cost of premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and assist residents throughout the enrollment process.
On Wednesday (Sept 6), the House Rules Committee will decide whether Shea-Porter’s amendment is in order for a House floor vote later in the week.
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