The School of Social Work at The University of Southern Mississippi has been awarded more than $1.2 million in Affordable Care Act funding from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The funds will help consumers sign up for affordable Health Insurance Marketplace coverage in 2016.
With Marketplace Open Enrollment beginning Nov. 1, the funding will support outreach efforts designed to connect people with local help as they seek to understand coverage options and financial assistance available at HealthCare.gov.
“The beneficiaries of the project are uninsured individuals and families in Mississippi’s three southernmost health care districts eligible for health insurance under the landmark Affordable Care Act,” said Dr. Michael Forster, dean of the College of Health and principle investigator. “Assessing options and matching them to people’s needs is complicated, to say the least, hence the value of providing trained navigators to help in the process.”