One of the main recipients of HHS grants is Enroll America, whose leadership has close relationships with President Obama and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius by Arthur Seaton | theseatonpost.com The enrollment date to sign up for the Affordable Care Act health insurance program is just over three months away. The money that will be needed to promote and implement President Obama’s signature legislation is starting to flow to community organizations and other grant recipients. On Monday June 23, The Department of Health and Human Services launched an updated HealthCare.gov to make it easy for consumers to learn about the new Health Insurance Marketplace. HHS has added new tools to the website, videos, and other resources so consumers and small businesses will be able to get clear and easy-to-understand information to compare plans when open enrollment begins on October 1. Over the last four years, Children’s Health Insurance Program Re-authorization Act has provided over $80 million in grants for outreach. This year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is making $32 million available in grant money for Connecting Kids To Coverage Outreach and Enrollment. The grant money is going to state and local governments and community organizations. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, which is the section of HHS that will administrate Obamacare, is spending $54 million to fund “Navigators” to assist communities in the enrollment process. One of the provisions of the ACA is that at least one navigator must be a community organization. Other beneficiaries of the ACA is General Dynamics and the PR firm Weber Standwick. General Dynamics is receiving $28 million for a call center and Weber Standwick is getting $8 million for public relations work. $20 million is going to states for consumer assistance programs. Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment – See more at: http://www.enrollamerica.org/blog/new-grant-opportunity#sthash.pE7E02Mj.dpuf Over the last four years, CHIPRA Outreach Grants have provided $80 million to state and local governments and to community based nonprofit organizations. The grants fund creative outreach and enrollment strategies for enrolling eligible uninsured children in Medicaid and CHIP. – See more at: http://www.enrollamerica.org/blog/new-grant-opportunity#sthash.pE7E02Mj.dpuf Over the last four years, CHIPRA Outreach Grants have provided $80 million to state and local governments and to community based nonprofit organizations. The grants fund creative outreach and enrollment strategies for enrolling eligible uninsured children in Medicaid and CHIP. – See more at: http://www.enrollamerica.org/blog/new-grant-opportunity#sthash.pE7E02Mj.dpuf On May 15, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a second $1 billion initiative that will fund awards and evaluation. When asked by a reporter where the first $1 billion initiative funds went, the department couldn’t give an answer. The money has yet to be accounted for. $150 million is going to non-profit groups and health centers for outreach and enrollment. Over the last four years, CHIPRA Outreach Grants have provided $80 million to state and local governments and to community based nonprofit organizations. The grants fund creative outreach and enrollment strategies for enrolling eligible uninsured children in Medicaid and CHIP. – See more at: http://www.enrollamerica.org/blog/new-grant-opportunity#sthash.pE7E02Mj.dpuf One of the organizations that is assisting in publicizing the enrollment is Enroll America. The organization has been involved with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, from the beginning. It has hosted webinars and forums as well as coordinate with HHS on strategy. Secretary Sebelius has come under fire recently for soliciting donations from the health care industry and pharmaceutical companies that her agency will regulate under Obamacare. After first denying that administration officials had engaged in fund-raising, the department confirmed that Ms. Sebelius had made calls soliciting support from the health care industry, including insurance and pharmaceutical executives.” Her department has been stonewalling Congress in the investigation into it’s relationship with Enroll America. The reason may be because Enroll America’s senior leadership and board of directors have a long history with President Obama and the administration. Among the members of Enroll America’s board are many acquaintances of President Obama. Anne Filipic, the president of Enroll America, is the former Deputy Director of Public Engagement( which is the same as “community organizer”) in the Obama White House. Prior to that, Filipic served as Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Department of Health and Human Services, where she worked with Sebelius to build support for health care reform. The organizations Managing Director, Chris Wyant, has been working for Obama since 2007. He directed Obama’s eastern Ohio field operation in 2008, and then went to Washington to serve as chief of staff at the U.S. Trade and Development agency. Ashley Allison, the Constituency Engagement Director Coordinated the outreach for all constituency groups that participated in the 57th Presidential Inauguration. Worked jointly with The White House and The Democrat National Committee to plan the National Prayer Service. Managed relationships with high level national surrogates.She also held posts with Obama’s Organizing for America, where she collaborated with the Political Department to host official campaign visits featuring Vice President Joe Biden, Arne Duncan, and Kathleen Sebelius. Other members of the Senior Leadership of Enroll America and it’s board of directors, such as Ron Pollack, have close ties to the administration and have been frequent visitors to the White House. Other community organizations that are participating in the implementation of Obamacare are: Organizing for Action, Families USA, American Hospital Association,and the National council of La Raza. There are many other community organizations that are supporting the presidents health care law. All of these [...]
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