At Wednesday afternoon’s Joint Committee on Health Care Financing hearing, a number of individuals spoke about the importance of the MassHealth Outreach Grants. This session, Senator Benjamin Downing is sponsoring S. 539, An Act Relative to Health Care Outreach and Enrollment. The bill will make permanent the grant program, currently unfunded in both the Governor’s and House budgets.

Senator Downing spoke first, asking for support of the bill. Then a panel from the ACT!! Coalition discussed the myriad ways outreach workers connect communities to insurance and care. Chip Joffe-Halpern, Dayanne Leal, and Meg Kroeplin each spoke on the panel, followed by Michael Dechiara and then Jen Chow and Phillip Gonzalez from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation.

ACT!! testimony hit the following points:

• The MassHealth Outreach Grants assure stable enrollment into health coverage, helping individuals maintain their insurance over time.
• The MassHealth Outreach Grants engage individuals in proper use of health coverage, thereby leading to improved health outcomes.
• The MassHealth Outreach Grants bring cost control to the community through education and assistance in navigating the health care system.
• The MassHealth Outreach Grants offer the State key information from local communities on policy and operational issues.
• The MassHealth Outreach Grants are part of our health care safety net, ensuring coverage for our most vulnerable populations.

Click here for the full testimony.
Lindsey Tucker