WHAT WORKS AND WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED:

Transcription

1 WHAT WORKS AND WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED: A conversation to improve farmworker health insurance enrollment ECMSF 2015 Memphis, TN October 16, 2015 Alexis Guild, Farmworker Justice Ann Watson, NC Farmworker Health Program

2 Agenda Welcome/Introductions Overview of Farmworker Enrollment Small Group Discussion Report Back/Large Group Discussion Available Resources Questions Next Steps

3 Getting to Know You

4 Overview of Farmworker Enrollment U.S. Since 2013, the uninsurance rate for Latinos fell by 12.4 percentage points 1 Impact of ACA on uninsurance rate in farmworker communities is unclear Most recently released NAWS data from % of workers have health insurance Next set of released NAWS data should provide a clearer idea but won t provide the full picture. Why? H-2A workers are not included in NAWS Vast majority of eligible farmworkers qualify for subsidies, including cost-sharing reductions Nationally, during Open Enrollment 2015, 87% of consumers qualified for the APTC Farmworkers are enrolling but barriers to enrollment are more pronounced in farmworker communities 1. Families USA, blog post published April 9, Available at

5 Overview of Farmworker Enrollment U.S. Opinion about impact of ACA in farmworker communities is mixed It s hard to pay the premium when there are other bills to pay at the end of the month There are still people in the community who don t get the help they need. But there are others who finally have the opportunity to have health insurance that wouldn t have had health insurance before. - Worker, Maryland Algunos pueden obtener mejores servicios pero aun hay muchas personas afuera sin obtener cuidado medico - Community Organization, California - Promotora, Arizona Some workers have been able to get healthcare, but many documented workers are established in other states and so have trouble using their health insurance here. - Community Organization, New Jersey

6 Overview of Farmworker Enrollment North Carolina In 2014 there were14,306 H2A Workers in NC 2 NC Growers Association 10,592 Other 3,714 H-2A Labor Contractor 1,901 Fixed-Site Employer 1,813 Grand Total 14, Estimates of Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers During Peak Harvest by County, NC Department of Commerce- Workforce Solutions, Agricultural Services Available at:

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8 Overview of Farmworker Enrollment NC Opinion about health insurance coverage among H2A Farmworkers in Eastern NC It is good to have one, especially when you are working. You never know when you might get sick. By having a health plan, I am protected in and out of work. It s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it It s not because of my own motivation, but because it s a requirement to work here. As long as I am fine, I will not use it. Farmworker Quotes from focus group participants, September 2015

9 Overview of Farmworker Enrollment NC Countless challenges to enroll farmworkers! Creation of Statewide Coalition: 2014 stakeholders began meeting Goal was to collectively address challenges (focus on H2A workers) 2015 formalized Farmworker Health Insurance Team (FHIT) Workgroups: Health Education O&E/Farmworker Outreach Partnerships Collaboration with Employers Taxes Workgroup

10 SUCCESS! Farmworker Enrollments of FHIT Member Orgs Green County Health Care, Inc. (CHC) 785 Rural Health Group (CHC) 420 Piedmont Health Services (CHC) 391 NC Farmworkers Project (Non-profit) 200

11 Small Group Discussion H-2A, non H-2A migrant, mixed status families 1. What are 2 or 3 challenges you are facing either during enrollment or post-enrollment? 2. What are workarounds you implemented to address these challenges? 3. Solutions to share with federal agencies

12 Resources FJ ACA Guides (available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole) FJ webinars Getting Ready for Open Enrollment Getting Ready for Tax Season Greene County s Farmworker Health Insurance Enrollment Tip Sheet NC FW Project Health Insurance Guide NCCHCA webinar (pdf): Helping H-2A Workers Enroll If you have resources you would like to share, them to Alexis

13 Questions & Next Steps

14 Thank you! Ann Watson, North Carolina Farmworker Health Program Alexis Guild, Farmworker Justice