The Pennsylvania Insurance Department is looking for libraries to host health insurance sign-up events during open enrollment, which runs November 1st to December 15th this year. The Department will work with local navigator organizations and insurers to provide assistance at your locations.
Navigators fill a distinctive role in helping the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, including those who have trouble enrolling online due to lack of internet access or because of a language barrier. Many Pennsylvanians turn to these navigators yearly for assistance in making critical decisions about their health insurance coverage. With the changes to the budget to fund these roles, the department has some concerns that many Pennsylvanians will not receive the local help necessary to sign up for health insurance so they are asking libraries for help offering a space.
Because of budget cuts, the Department is focused on areas that have high uninsured rates. They would like to set up events in any of the areas of focus, which include: Crawford, Mercer, Indiana, Fayette, Centre, Schuylkill, Monroe, Lehigh, Lebanon, Lancaster, Franklin and Adams counties.
If you’re interested in working with the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, you may contact David J. Buono Jr., Consumer Liaison, at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. The Department is a PA Forward partner organization, working through the Health Literacy Team.