HHS: Neighborcare Health Secures Funds for Minority Enrollment

Press Release

HHS Awards $3.2 million to Help Support Minority Enrollment in Health Insurance Coverage  

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS), Office of Minority Health (OMH) announced $3.2 million in grant awards to 13 organizations to help support health coverage enrollment of racial and ethnic minorities.  The new Partnerships to Increase Coverage in Communities (PICC) Initiative will help identify, inform and enroll minority populations in the Health Insurance Marketplace (Marketplace). Information on financial assistance, education and translation services to support health insurance enrollment is also funded through the PICC grant awards.

Because of the health care law more minorities now have access to affordable, quality health care coverage.  However, gaps in health coverage continue to persist among minority populations.

“Racial and ethnic minorities have lower rates of health insurance coverage than the national average and stand to benefit greatly from the Affordable Care Act,” said J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health and Director of the Office of Minority Health.  “Grantees under the Partnerships to Increase Coverage in Communities Initiative will play a critical role in connecting eligible, underserved minorities to coverage that meets their needs and the needs of their families.”

Programs funded through PICC are intended to increase minority enrollment in health insurance coverage through the Marketplace, Medicaid and CHIP.  The PICC Initiative awards will support organizations, partnerships and coalitions in developing culturally competent and linguistically appropriate services designed to reach racial and ethnic minorities and underserved communities.

The PICC Initiative awardees are listed below:

• AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Los Angeles, CA — $249,898
• Benefits Data Trust, Philadelphia, PA — $247,268
• Bexar County Hospital District as University Health System, San Antonio, TX — $236,394
• Chicago Family Health Center, Inc., Chicago, IL — $250,000
• Gateway to Care, Houston, TX — $250,000
• Jessie Trice Community Health Center, Inc., Miami, FL — $250,000
• My Brother’s Keeper, Inc., Ridgeland, MS — $250,000
• National Alliance for Hispanic Health, Washington, DC — $248,731
• National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Little Rock, AR — $250,000
• Neighborcare Health, Seattle, WA — $242,640
• New Hampshire Voices for Health, Concord, NH — $241,166
• The Dannon Project, Birmingham, AL — $250,000
• University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA — $237,816

For additional information about the PICC Initiative and grant awardees, contact the OMH Press Office at: OMHMedia@hhs.gov .