For Immediate Release
August 27, 2021
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Patrick Lowry, Director of Communications and Governmental Relations, at plowry@communitycareks.org or (785) 806-3932.
TOPEKA – The 33 health centers and community-based clinics that comprise the Community Care Network of Kansas already reach approximately 300,000 Kansans annually by providing high-quality medical, dental and behavioral healthcare.
That number is about to get significantly larger. Earlier today, Community Care was notified it had been awarded a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Navigator grant to assist uninsured and other underserved populations access health insurance through the Federally Facilitated Marketplace. With this grant, Community Care will be able to assist the almost 138,000 Kansas residents who are under age 65 and do not have health insurance.
“We are pleased to expand the scope of services offered through our network,” said Community Care CEO Denise Cyzman, “and help remove a significant barrier to care for so many vulnerable individuals.”
Community Care is no stranger to the Navigator program, having provided this assistance from 2013 to 2019. The Cover Kansas Navigator Network will be re-established to serve all 105 Kansas counties. At least 30 federally certified Navigators will provide outreach, education and enrollment assistance. In addition to the uninsured population, there are almost 89,000 Kansans currently enrolled in a 2021 marketplace plan who might need information and assistance.
“Helping Kansans obtain affordable health insurance is critical,” Cyzman said. “There are residents in every county who are susceptible to vulnerabilities because of inequities in resources and other barriers such as income, racism, geography, health professional shortages and other economic and social determinants of health.”
The range of individuals who will be targeted through Cover Kansas Navigator Project include lowincome hourly workers, farmers, individuals who lost insurance due to COVID-19, pregnant women and new mothers, individuals with mental health and substance use disorders, individuals with HIV/AIDS, and Medicaid-eligible consumers who are not enrolled in coverage. The 36-month grant will run through August 2024.
About Community Care Clinic of Kansas: Community Care exists to achieve equitable access to highquality, whole person care for all Kansans, regardless of ability to pay. As the Primary Care Association (PCA) for Kansas, Community Care supports and strengthens its members through advocacy, education and communication. Community Care’s diverse membership includes Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Look-Alikes (LALs), as well as public and private nonprofit Community-Based Primary Care Clinics (CBPCCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs).