HHS drastically cuts funding to ACA navigators

Advocates of the ACA navigator program say cuts will undermine work to help consumers get insurance coverage once open enrollment begins. Photo: Getty

Groups acting as Affordable Care Act navigators are struggling after Health and Human Services officials informed them that their funding for services this year will be reduced by as much as 92 percent. Some, however, anticipated the Trump administration’s move and have already secured alternative funding to advertise and help people sign up for exchange plans during open enrollment this fall.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Aug. 31 announced that it plans to spend $10 million on promotional activities in order to meet the needs of new or returning ACA enrollees, a figure that the agency says is consistent with promotional spending on Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D. CMS itself will advertise and conduct outreach to educate consumers on the new dates of the open enrollment period, which starts Nov. 1, through digital media, email, and text messages.