Health insurance enrollment outreach and support
Local governments can invest in this strategy using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
- This strategy can help residents access health services. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that strategies that help achieve this outcome are eligible for the use of Fiscal Recovery Funds.
Program basics
- Assists individuals whose employers do not offer affordable coverage, who are self-employed, or who are unemployed with health insurance needs
- Can be offered by a variety of organizations
- Outreach effort can vary and are often supported through grants from federal agencies or private foundations
Strength of evidence
Evidence level: Strong (second-highest tier)
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Strong (second-highest tier)
Ranked as having the second-highest level of evidence by County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
Target population
Low- and moderate-income adults and families
Program cost
Not available
Implementation locations
- Nationwide
Dates active
Not available
Outcomes and impact
- Increased enrollment in health insurance programs, especially among children
- Increased awareness of health insurance availability
- Reduced health coverage disparities across demographics
Keys to successful implementation
- Note: This content is under review
- Successful strategies in most states focus on grassroots and community efforts to support enrollment
- Outreach efforts should include inputs from trusted community groups in immigrant and Native American communities
- Investing in social and informational infrastructure that can provide situational targeting during life transitions, such as divorce or job loss, should be a part of enrollment support
- States that expanded outreach efforts and used a combination of methods like text reminders, in person assistance, telephone helplines and media coverage, generally saw higher rates of enrollment
- Barriers to participation include language and translation difficulties and misinformation with respect to the marketplace and its offerings within certain communities
- Outreach programs should use strategies that can provide accurate information in persuasive ways, explaining all benefits and legal requirements and tailored to specific demographic needs