The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation has awarded Lynn Community Health Center $40,000 to provide outreach to low-income residents who need help enrolling in health insurance through its “Connecting Consumers with Care” grant program.
“Blue Cross has been a strong partner in our outreach efforts for many years,” said Lori Abrams Berry, health center Executive Director. “Signing up for health insurance is very complex, requiring lots of paperwork. Most of our patients need guidance through this process.”
“With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) underway, the Foundation’s support of organizations on the front lines is more important than ever,” said Audrey Shelto, President. “These organizations all have a clear strategy to impact access or affordability, a history of collaboration with other groups on important issues, and strong track records in consumer engagement and support.”
Lynn Community Health Center has seen the number of uninsured patients drop from 40% in 2006 to 12% since the implementation of Massachusetts Healthcare Reform. It continues to see demand for enrollment assistance; helping approximately 400 new patients each month enroll in health insurance. Staff also assist thousands of patients each year with renewal applications, which are required periodically for many public insurance programs.
“The health center expects to be especially busy this fall as the Federal Affordable Care Act is rolled out,” said Berry. “Many of our patients are eligible for new or updated coverage. Our team has been trained and is ready to help consumers sign up for coverage under the new law.”
If you are uninsured, or would like information about health insurance, please call the health center at 781-581-3900 and ask to speak to an enrollment coordinator.