Funds will support community outreach and MNsure enrollment assistance in the seven county Twin Cities metro area
Portico Healthnet is pleased to announce it has received an outreach and enrollment grant from MNsure to continue assisting residents of the seven county Twin Cities metro area find health care coverage. The grant will help further Portico Healthnet’s mission to reduce the number of people without coverage for health care services.
Portico Healthnet has been an outreach and enrollment grant recipient since MNsure’s inception six years ago. During that time, Portico Healthnet has assisted more than 34,000 Minnesotans access health coverage through MNsure. Portico specializes in serving clients with barriers to accessing health coverage and care. In 2018, 53 percent of people served by Portico spoke a language other than English as their primary language; 37 percent of those over 18 years old did not have a high school diploma; 90 percent had household income at or below 200 percent of federal poverty level; and 23 percent were involved with the criminal justice system.
“Portico continues to be a valued partner to MNsure and a vital asset to the communities they serve,” said MNsure CEO Nate Clark. “Their hard work has helped thousands of Minnesotans gain access to comprehensive health care coverage.”
MNsure grantees work to assist communities with all aspects of the application, enrollment and renewal process, and utilize established relationships with populations facing barriers to coverage.
“We are honored to continue to receive support from MNsure,” said Meghan Kimmel, President, Portico Healthnet. “Our partnership with MNsure is critical to our work to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to health coverage and care.”
MNsure awarded 24 grants for the Fiscal Year 2020 Navigator Outreach and Enrollment Grant Program. Grants totaled $4.2 million and will fund 43 organizations across the state. These grants will support targeted outreach to uninsured populations and sustain a robust statewide navigator network to provide application, enrollment and renewal assistance to Minnesotans who need help to get and maintain coverage.
Over the last year, with the help of a navigator from one of MNsure’s grantee organization, more than 42,000 Minnesotans found coverage and tens of thousands were helped with other important steps, like reporting changes or renewing coverage.
Portico Healthnet a nonprofit organization with a 24-year history helping low-income Minnesotans access affordable health care. Portico assists low-income, uninsured Minnesotans to enroll into health care coverage, understand how to use the health care system, and access community resources. Since its founding, Portico has helped nearly 50,000 low-income, uninsured children, families and adults overcome barriers to quality health care coverage and services. Portico employs multi-lingual and culturally competent community health workers and care management coordinators in order to effectively serve the diverse populations represented among Minnesota’s uninsured. To learn more, visit porticohealthnet.org or call 651-489-2273.
MNsure is Minnesota’s health insurance marketplace where individuals and families can shop, compare and choose health insurance coverage that meets their needs. MNsure-certified navigators are trained experts at local, trusted community organizations. Minnesotans can use a navigator for help filling out an application and enrolling in coverage. Services from MNsure-certified navigators are always free. Visit mnsure.org or call 651-539-2099 for more information.