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Sustaining and Improving Consumer Assistance
Cheryl Fish-ParchamFamilies USA, November 11, 2010
How to Support an Advocacy Rolein Government Based Programs Join its advisory committee, or at least meet
regularly; Encourage new program staff to talk with/visit
good established programs; Make sure outreach is really done: notices in
insurance plan materials; community speaking; media; include contact info in your own materials;
Make Sure Staff Is Trained• Help with staff training on: – Issues of concern to the advocacy community;– Public programs and community resources;– Affordable Care Act • Ask staff to speak in community trainings
• Suggest/facilitate training by others:– IRO on successful appeals– HHS and DOL should be sending training teams –
staff need a person to call in each agency for complex cases
– Plug staff into national conference calls/listserves
Work Towards Subcontracts For: Outreach and community education Community intake Training Representation in appeals Perhaps setting up systems: policy and
procedures; data systems – HHS will also help with the latter
Help program play a sentinel role Review data; Talk regularly about difficult cases that show a
need for administrative or policy change; Help write/review reports to get legislators’
and administrators’ attention; Facilitate oversight hearings or informal
meetings with legislators/regulators
Sustainability Can you help the program get good PR?
Community awards? Columns in legislators’ newsletters?
Legislators’ and governor’s constituent service staff aware of program?
Recognition from agency head? Would a state law help ensure continuity? How is the placement?
Federal Appropriations Law says: $30 million for first fiscal year; “Authorized to be appropriated…sums as
necessary” for future years This does not guarantee future years of
funding! We must work for it!!!
Steps• Now: Will President request >$ in 2012 budget? – Letter to President, cc Secretary Sebelius
• Jan/Feb: Ask your Member & Senator to request an appropriation:– Draft a formal letter for them to send to approps
committee– Explain how much $ your state got and how it is used.– If your Member/Senator is on Ways and Means,
Finance, or HELP, ask for Committee sign-on letters to appropriators requesting further funding as dictated by ACA
Steps (continued) Work with champion Members/Senators who
authorized consumer assistance Get allies involved:
Friendly insurance commissioner to start a sign-on Sign-on of nonprofits that received subcontracts Disease associations/others
Resources from Families USA CHAPS listserv “Consumer Health Assistance Programs” web
page on www.familiesusa.org. Hapnetwork.org – website for SHIPs (Medicare
counseling programs) but has helpful materials on volunteer use, other best practices
“Legal Rights Center”
