Friday, April 4, 2025
4/4/2025
Cooperative Agreement to Support Navigators in Federally-facilitated Exchange - For the HHS/CMS Cooperative Agreement to Support Navigators in Federally-facilitated Exchanges, Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. (LASO) proposes to provide healthcare coverage assistance to Oklahomans. Partners are: Latino Community Development Center, RAIN Oklahoma, TulsaCares, Community Health Centers, and the Oklahoma Hospital Association. Requested funding for the FFE state of Oklahoma is $2,767,049.00 for the second 12-month budget period (August 27, 2022 to August 26, 2023). This project has been designed to meet Oklahoma-specific needs and align well with service to the underserved and vulnerable populations in the state. There will be a special focus on hourly workers, independent contractors, the self-employed, those who work at small, rural businesses and others who do not have access to employer-sponsored health plans. Oklahoma has an uninsured rate of 17.2% among the non-elderly population, according to 2020 estimates prepared by Kaiser Family Foundation based on US Census data. There will be assistance statewide. All 77 counties in Oklahoma are to be served: Adair, Alfalfa, Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Cimarron, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Craig, Creek, Custer, Delaware, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Harper, Haskell, Hughes, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnston, Kay, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Latimer, LeFlore, Lincoln, Logan, Love, McClain, McCurtain, McIntosh, Major, Marshall, Mayes, Murray, Muskogee, Noble, Nowata, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Payne, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Roger Mills, Rogers, Seminole, Sequoyah, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, Tulsa, Wagoner, Washington, Washita, Woods, Woodward. The LASO program staff includes 35 total Navigators, with 4 (11%) as full-time, and 31 (89%) as flex-time, with a total Full-Time Equivalent calculation of 14.5 FTEs. This staffing will be in place by October 1, 2022 and continue after January 16, 2023. This cooperative agreement will be used to perform Navigator functions from a network of ��16 existing LASO offices, whose service area covers all 77 counties in Oklahoma. There will also be Navigators embedded in agencies serving special populations, such as Latinos/Hispanics and persons identifying as 2S-LGBTQ+. Other Navigators will be at health facilities, such as Community Health Centers (FQHCs) and hospitals, most of which serve rural communities. There will be a new initiative to place Navigators at faith-based organizations, such as church centers that encourage mental health or substance abuse treatment. LASO also serves many Tribal Nation members and has been selected by CMS to provide additional Marketplace training on Tribal plans and applications. Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. has been involved in the Navigator program for eight years, and has been the statewide grantee for three years. It has 501c3 status with the IRS, and experienced staff to administer this cooperative agreement.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).