Friday, April 4, 2025
4/4/2025
Cooperative Agreement to Support Navigators in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges - El Centro del Barrio, founded in 1973 and doing business as CentroMed, is a bilingual and bi-cultural community and consumer-focused non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) whose mission is to improve the wellbeing of families through high-quality, compassionate health care. CentroMed requests support in the amount of $3,000,000 per year for the five-year budget period totaling $15,000,000 under the Cooperative Agreement to Support Navigators in Federally-Facilitated Exchanges opportunity (CMS-NAV-24-001). Nationally, the percentage of the population not covered by private or public health insurance has decreased 7% from 8.6 to 8.0% between 2021 and 2022. However, Texas is the state with both the largest number and percentage of uninsured residents in the United States. Texans make up 9% of the U.S. population, but 18% of the U.S. uninsured. In 2022, about 17% (4.9 million) Texans of all ages were uninsured. In addition, Texas children and youth (under 19) are more than twice as likely as U.S. kids overall to be uninsured, 11% in Texas compared to 5.1% for the U.S. No other state has a child uninsured rate in the double-digits. CentroMed proposes to continue its Navigator Program in Texas, operating in thirteen (13) Texan counties. These counties include Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Uvalde and Wilson. CentroMed’s Navigator Program seeks to serve priority populations that are diverse, underserved, vulnerable, historically disenfranchised and disproportionately impacted by health disparities and inequities, including racial and ethnic minorities, rural communities, LGBTQ+ individuals, low-income, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), people experiencing homelessness, pregnant mothers, new mothers, victims of domestic violence and their children, individuals with mental health disorders, individuals with substance use disorders, American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals, people with physical or intellectual disabilities, individuals with cognitive, hearing, speech, and/or vision impairments, Medicaid-eligible consumers who are not enrolled in coverage despite being eligible for Medicaid, and ensuring those who are on Medicaid/CHIP remain on the programs without interruption by ensuring they re-enroll in a timely manner. CentroMed requests funds to support 39.0 FTE Navigator staff (14.25 FTE Navigator I; 17.0 FTE Navigator II; 6.0 FTE Navigator III; 0.75 FTE Manager; 1.0 FTE Director). All staff will be in line with 45 C.F.R. § 155.210 and § 155.215 and will be federally trained and certified for PY2025 by October 1, 2024 and throughout open enrollment (OE). CentroMed’s Navigator’s scope will include: conducting public education activities to raise awareness about the Exchange; Facilitating selection of a QHP; Providing information in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate to the needs of the population served by the Exchange, including individuals with limited English proficiency; ensuring accessibility and usability of Navigator tools and functions for individuals with disabilities; providing referrals to any applicable office of health insurance consumer assistance or health insurance ombudsman established under section 2793 of the PHSA, or any other appropriate state agency or agencies, for any enrollee with a grievance, complaint, or question regarding their health plan, coverage, or a determination under such plan or coverage, complying with applicable training and conflict of interest standards; obtaining the authorization of applicants for coverage available through an Exchange application prior to accessing their personally identifiable information; and providing targeted assistance to serve underserved or vulnerable populations, as identified by the Exchange, within the Exchange service area.
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).