“Last year the California Health Benefit Exchange received initial funding from the federal government to begin implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Developing a comprehensive outreach and education plan is a required element of the federal award. In December 2011, the California Exchange, in collaboration with the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB), issued a solicitation to select a firm to help the State design and develop a comprehensive outreach and education plan. The costs of developing the plan and its eventual implementation are paid for entirely by the federal government.
The federal government has required states to develop effective outreach efforts to assure that consumers seeking health insurance know about the full range of affordable health coverage programs for which they are eligible for in 2014.
The purpose of California’s outreach effort is to help eligible uninsured individuals understand their health care coverage options under the Affordable Care Act, and encourage them to obtain health coverage, both to protect themselves from unexpected medical expenses as well as to improve their health.
