boulder county assistance site strategic outreach plan_1125
TRANSCRIPT
Outreach Plan 2014 – 2015
Boulder County Certified Connect for Health Colorado Assistance Site
Boulder County Assistance Site Vision: We intend to help consumers gain access to and knowledge of health coverage by creating public awareness of Affordable Care Act and healthcare reform. We aim to provide education and enrollment services to Boulder County residents regarding affordable health care, financial assistance, tax penalties, qualifying life change events, and special enrollment periods with the intention of enrolling all eligible children and adults in health insurance through the Marketplace. We pledge to provide a holistic approach to enrollment including access to care and education around the utilization of health insurance coverage.
Mission Statement: To increase access, affordability, and choice for all individuals and families seeking health insurance in Boulder County.
Current Enrollment Accomplishments: During the first open enrollment period, 10,254 individuals enrolled in health insurance coverage through Connect for Health Colorado in Boulder County which equates 8.4% of the statewide enrollments that occurred during that same time period.1 This is an impressive outcome that can be attributed to the tireless efforts of Boulder County’s Certified Health Coverage Guides, support staff, and community partners.
The outreach efforts of Boulder County Housing and Human Services were multifaceted and saturated many parts of the Boulder County region reaching from the mountainous communities of Nederland and Jamestown to the suburban sprawl of Lafayette and Louisville. The outreach tactics varied from social media, newsletters, direct mail, and email blasts to in-person mobile assistance provided through a RV that was vinyl wrapped in Connect for Health Colorado’s logo. Boulder County’s Assistance Site’s outreach efforts were implemented in three phases:
1. Community education (September through December of 2013)2. Data driven mass mailings (October 2013 through January 2014)3. Enrollment and tabling events (October 2013 through April 2014)
This report will provide a comprehensive review of the Assistance Site’s efforts during the last open enrollment period including the measurable results of our efforts as well as provide an overview of our outreach plan for the upcoming enrollment period which occurs from November 15th, 2014 through February 15th, 2015.
1 Connect for Health Colorado Enrollment Metrics by County (http://connectforhealthco.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/County-Data-as-of-4_11_14.pdf)
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Review of Last Open Enrollment Period (2013 -2014)
As previously mentioned, the Boulder County Assistance Site’s 2013-2014 open enrollment outreach plan was delivered in three phases: community education, data driven mass mailings, and enrollment/tabling events. This section of the outreach plan will take a deeper dive into each of these three phases starting with community education.
Phase I: Community Education
Boulder County’s Health Coverage Guides coordinated and delivered over 50 Connect for Health Colorado orientation sessions serving community partners and the general public. The Health Coverage Guides worked closely with existing contacts in the community to deliver information. Venues for these education sessions included schools, public libraries, senior centers, and community centers. The Health Coverage Guides also worked closely with internal HHS partners to deliver presentations and referral information to Boulder County Community Services, Boulder County Area Agency on Aging, Boulder County Healthy Kids Initiative, Housing and Human Services Phone Team as well as the Boulder County Latino Coalition and much more.
The public presentations provided a general overview of health care reform, Medicaid expansion, and Connect for Health Colorado. Each presentation also provided in depth information about how to apply for health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado explaining income eligibility, Advanced Premium Tax Credits, Cost Sharing Reductions, plans and carrier options. The presentations were geared towards individuals and families and did not cover details on options for small
business (group health insurance plans). After delivering the presentations, Health Coverage Guides provided the audience an opportunity to ask questions as well as to schedule appointments for in-person assistance with enrollment.
Presentation LocationNumber of
Presentations
Number Attended
Community Meeting/Public Library 28 315Faith-Based Setting 1 33
College Campus 1 4Primary/Secondary School 3 19
Government Agency 25 249CBO/Non-Profit Partner 30 353
Other 4 95
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Health Coverage Guide Saphia Elfituri and Jennifer Panicco presenting Connect for Health Colorado orientation session to the public.
Grand Total 92 1068Phase II: Data Driven Mass Mailings
The second phase in the Boulder County Assistance Site’s 2013-2014 outreach strategy was to reach potentially eligible community members through data driven mass mailings. Boulder County’s Assistance Site established a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with six community partners that provide direct medical services: Clinica Family Health Centers, Salud Family Health Centers, Longmont United Hospital, Boulder Community Hospital, Mental Health Partners of Boulder, and Boulder County Public Health.
Part of the shared agreement with each of these partners was to combine data regarding the uninsured populations served by their clinics and medical centers. This data was cleaned and merged with Boulder County’s data systems resulting in 16,923 unique records of individuals living in Boulder County potentially without health insurance.
The records were sorted into three categories of individuals: those who were likely to already have public benefits (such as Food Assistance or other public assistance programs), those who were known clients of any Boulder County program category (such as housing programs or public health), and those who were not known to the county database at all.
Below you can see the action that was taken for each data group depending on their previous relationship with Boulder County:
Data GroupingCategory 1 Category 2 Category 3
Housing and Human Services Clients (CBMS) Emails sent with links to
Change Report Form or PEAK Report My Changes
Postcards sent
Housing or Public Health Clients Pre-populated Medical
Assistance applications sent
All Other Clients Emails sent with links to
PEAK and Connect for Health Colorado
Postcards sent
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Of 16,923 potentially uninsured individuals identified by Boulder County community partners, 22% (n=3,723) had an email address attached to their record. These individuals were contacted both by mail and electronic communication in either English or Spanish depending on their language preference.
Numbers ReachedCategory 1 Category 2 Category 3
Housing and Human Services Clients (CBMS) 987 emails 2,199 postcards 517 applied for MA
(16%)
Housing or Public Health Clients 647 pre-populated
applications 89 applied for MA (14%)
All Other Clients 1,472 emails 5,278 postcards 974 applied for MA
(14%)
During the 2013-2014 open enrollment period, 6,050 Boulder County residents applied for Medical Assistance. Of the 6,050 applicants, 26% (n=1,573) reported receiving an e-mail, postcard, or mailed application. It is our goal that these efforts are replicated during the upcoming enrollment period in 2014 and 2015.
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Health Coverage Guide Saphia Elfituri completing an enrollment with a client at the grocery store in
Nederland
Phase III: Enrollment and Tabling Events
One of the most effective methods for conducting public outreach and enrollments is to attend community events and provide on-site enrollment services. This practice is especially true when working in remote mountainous communities. Boulder County Health Coverage Guides identified this as a best practice early on and reached out to many community partners to coordinate attendance at community health fairs, back-to-school nights, college and university functions, as well as tabling events at local grocery stores.
Meeting community members where they are living is a key tactic used by Boulder County Health Coverage Guides for reaching the uninsured. By hosting or partnering with community-based organizations for public events, Boulder County Health Coverage Guides made themselves available not only to answer questions about health care reform, but also to conduct mobile enrollments using laptops and wireless internet. Attending enrollment events in the community, especially while offering extended hours after work and during weekends, helped to accommodate the schedules of working individuals who may not have been able to make it in to the offices to complete enrollments. Not only does this accommodate the schedule of individiuals seeking enrollment, but it also allows them to meet a Health Coverage Guide at a familiar location where they are comfortable. Working with trusted community based partners allowed the Boulder County Health Coverage Guides to identify and make contact with hard-to-reach communities to offer enrollment assistance to the uninsured.
According to Enroll America’s State of Enrollment: Lessons Learned from Connecting America to Coverage report, consumers who received in-person assitance were twice as likely to succesfully enroll into a health coverage plan than consumers who attempted to enroll onine without assistance.2 This was an experince shared by Boulder County Health Coverage Guides as they reached many members of the community during their enrollment and tabling outreach who had unsuccessfully attempted the enrollment processes independently.
Event Type Number of Events Number AttendedHealth Fair 2 11
Enrollment Event (hosted by another organization) 2 20
Other Community Event 34 608Enrollment Event (hosted by Boulder County) 1 30
Grand Total 39 6693
2 Get Covered America. (2014). State of Enrollment: Lessons learned from connecting America to Coverage. Retrieved from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.getcoveredamerica.org/20140613_SOEReportPDFlr.pdf3 Boulder County CSTAT Report 2014
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The Health Coverage Guides partnered closely with Connect for Health Colorado’s Marketing and Outreach team to promote local events and drive attendance to the locations where in-person assistance was available. During the final months of open enrollment, Connect for Health Colorado sent emails to all account holders who had not yet completed a health insurance enrollment, providing information about and directions to local Boulder County Health Coverage Guide events. This was a huge success, as not many residents were fully aware that local assistance was available. Boulder County Health Coverage Guides also partnered closely with the Marketing and Outreach team to bring the Connect for Health Colorado RV to local grocery stores in Boudler County. This was a highly successful method to deliver information and enrollment services to community members.
Flyer created by Health Coverage Guide Sebastian Sifuentes promoting a tabling event at B&F Market in Nederland --an event that produced many successful enrollments for residents of the
mountain communities.
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Metrics
These numbers represent the Boulder County Assistance Site efforts from January 2014 through July 20144. Our efforts moving forward will be informed by the enrollment trends identified in the following metrics.
Number of Households Assisted by Encounter Type
Encounter Type January 2014
February 2014
March 2014
April 2014
May 2014
June 2014
July 2014 Total
Walk-In Appointment 46 31 111 30 34 18 11 281Scheduled Appointment 115 104 185 66 42 50 29 591Phone Call 219 182 399 118 61 100 61 1140Other 18 32 34 7 11 12 2 116Total 398 349 729 221 148 180 103 2128
Number of Households Assistance by Application TypeApplication Assistance
January 2014
February 2014
March 2014
April 2014
May 2014
June 2014
July 2014 Total
Medicaid 42 40 74 15 7 17 12 207Connect for Health Colorado 60 56 91 34 26 4 10 281Medicaid & Connect for Health Colorado 16 14 34 4 1 0 0 69Life Change, Exemption 1 2 3 10 12 66 91 185Total 119 112 202 63 46 87 113 742
Number of People Enrolled by Coverage Type
Enrolled January 2014
February 2014
March 2014
April 2014
May 2014
June 2014
July 2014 Total
Connect for Health Colorado 32 29 93 32 20 24 15 245Medicaid 27 27 38 9 16 10 10 137CHP+ 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 4Total 59 56 131 41 37 37 25 386
4 Boulder County. (2014). Boulder County CSTAT Report
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The following graphs represent the increase in business levels experienced by the Boulder County Assistance Site during the critical time period of open enrollment. Our efforts in the 2014-2015 enrollment period and upcoming grant cycle will be heavily informed by these enrollment trends and our outreach plan has been developed to accommodate the individual enrollment experience.5
Oct-13 Nov-13 Dec-13 Jan-14 Feb-14 Mar-14 Apr-14 May-14 Jun-140
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Number of Boulder County Residents Enrolled in Health Insurance through the Boulder County Assistance Site
C4HCOMAGICHP+
Oct-13 Nov-13 Dec-13 Jan-14 Feb-14 Mar-14 Apr-14 May-14 Jun-140
50
100
150
200
250
300
Number of Encounters by Type
Walk-In Appointment
Scheduled Appointment
Phone call – incoming from the people reached
Phone call – outgoing to the people reached
Other
Phone Call (June 2014 ongoing)
5 Boulder County. (2014). Boulder County CSTAT Report
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Areas for Growth in Community Outreach: Boulder County Assistance Site’s 2014–2015 Outreach Plan
1. Focused community outreach to Latino and Hispanic populations living in Boulder County Latinos are considerably more likely than non-Latinos to be uninsured.6 According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Latinos and Hispanics account for 32% of the total non-elderly uninsured in the United States.7 In Boulder County, over half of all children and seniors who are uninsured are Latino, along with approximately one-third of all uninsured adults.8 The Boulder County Latino Task Force completed a Boulder County Community Assessment in 2013. Leaders interviewed for the assessment indicate that poverty is one of the largest barriers to accessing health insurance coverage for Latino and Hispanic populations in Boulder County. The leaders also believe that families must make decisions regarding competing priorities---often choosing between feeding their families or using the same money to purchase health insurance coverage.
According to Enroll America’s State of Enrollment: Lessons Learned from Connecting America to Coverage report, Latinos have a higher uninsured rate than other ethnic groups and were generally less informed about the financial assistance and insurance options available under the Affordable Care Act. The report goes on to share that Latinos were more likely to want in person assistance when applying for health insurance than any other population over all.9
Of the 38,920 Latino and Hispanic residents of Boulder County, 32% (n=12,331) are estimated to be uninsured10. When broken down by age, 17% (n=2,426) of youth, 42% (n=9,770) of adults, and 9% (n=135) of elderly Latino and Hispanic residents do not have health insurance coverage11. Based on the findings from the American Community Survey, it is clear that there is great potential for focused outreach to the Latino and Hispanic community members living in Boulder County.
Plan for reaching Latino and Hispanic populations in Boulder County
6 Latino Task Force of Boulder County. (2013). 2013 Boulder County Latino Community Assessment. Retrieved from: http://www.latinotaskforce.org/uploads/3/2/0/1/3201031/ltf_2_english_f2.pdf7 The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2013) Health Coverage for the Hispanic Population Today and Under the Affordable Care Act. Retrieved from:http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/84321.pdf8 Latino Task Force of Boulder County. (2013). 2013 Boulder County Latino Community Assessment. Retrieved from: http://www.latinotaskforce.org/uploads/3/2/0/1/3201031/ltf_2_english_f2.pdf9 State of Enrollment: Lessons learned from connecting America to Coverage, Page 5910 Latino Task Force of Boulder County. (2013). 2013 Boulder County Latino Community Assessment. Retrieved from: http://www.latinotaskforce.org/uploads/3/2/0/1/3201031/ltf_2_english_f2.pdf11 Latino Task Force of Boulder County. (2013). 2013 Boulder County Latino Community Assessment. Retrieved from: http://www.latinotaskforce.org/uploads/3/2/0/1/3201031/ltf_2_english_f2.pdf
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Audience: Based on GIS data, our intended audience will be uninsured families that identify as Latino or Hispanic living in Boulder County zip codes: 80025, 80026, 80027, 80301, 80302, 80303, 80304, 80305, 80310, 80455, 80466, 80471, 80481, 80501, 80503, 80510, 80540, and 80544.
Outcome: To decrease the percentage/number of uninsured Latino and Hispanic individuals in Boulder County by 5% (n=1,044).
Evaluation:
Method MetricIndividualized Assistance Log (IAL)
Race/ethnicity indicator; self-identify as Latino or Hispanic
Connect for Health Colorado Enrollment
Pull numbers of enrolled by zip code and cross reference to Boulder County IAL data
Tactics:1. Culturally competent messaging for Latino and Hispanic outreach materials
a. Messaging focused on familyi. “Having health insurance helps keep your family healthy”
1. “Teniendo un seguro de salud los ayuda a mantenerse saludables.”ii. “We know how important they are to you, secure their well-being with a
comprehensive health plan.”1. “Sabemos lo importante que son para usted, asegure su bienestar con una
cobertura de salud integral.”iii. “Keep your family healthy; sign up for a health insurance now!”
1. “Mantenga a su familia saludable, ¡inscríbase en un seguro de salud hoy!”b. Messaging focused on the availability of bilingual staff members and Spanish
language availability across Boulder County Assistance Site locations.2. In-person assistance and extended hours available with bilingual Health Coverage Guides
staff
3. Partnering with trusted community messengers in the Latino communitya. Boulder County Latino Coalition
i. Monthly attendance and participation as a paid coalition memberb. Centro Amistad
i. Earned radio media to promote Connect for Health Colorado services to Latino community members
ii. Co-located bilingual Health Coverage Guides providing enrollment services to Centro Amistad clients
c. El Comite i. Attendance and participation in board meetings
ii. Co-located bilingual Health Coverage Guides providing enrollment services to El Comite clients
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4. Enrollment events/enrollment summits in Latino communities with high uninsured populations
a. Attendance and tabling at community events i. Sauludable y Saboroso Fair
ii. Dia de Ninos Saludablesiii. Binational Health Weeks Celebration
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2. Focused and strengthened outreach within school districts, colleges, and universities
Boulder County’s Health Coverage Unit, which includes the Boulder County Assistance Site Staff, has a long standing relationship with both school districts in the region: Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) and St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD). Both districts have a Memorandum of Understanding with the Healthy Kids Initiative where Medicaid caseworkers are out-stationed in each school district providing enrollment services for public health insurance. The school-based workers are also well trained in a referral process to the Health Coverage Guides in an instance where they encounter an individual or family that is not eligible for Medicaid or CHP+ but may qualify for financial assistance through Connect for Health Colorado.
The Boulder County Assistance Site intends to continue to strengthen the relationship and referral process with BVSD and SVVSD during the 2014-2015 open enrollment period. In addition to those continued efforts, Health Coverage Guides will also strengthen their outreach efforts to college and universities. Many community college and university students are required to obtain and maintain insurance coverage, sometimes at a very high out-of-pocket cost. Messaging the cost effective options that may be available to students through Connect for Health Colorado will be an important tactic for engaging the young invincible populations living in Boulder County. Below is a coverage example of the out-of-pocket expenses for a University of Colorado Gold Plan for students in 2014—2015.
Gold Plan Costs for 2014-201512
Individual Annual Deductible: $500Individual Annual Out-of-Pocket Maximum: $5,000Office Visit Copay: $40.00Co-Insurance: 80%/ 20%
Student Spouse/Domestic Partner Dependent Coverage
DatesFall 2014 Semester
$1,695 $4,197 $2,340 08/18/2014-12/31/2014
Spring 2015 Semester*
$1,695 $4,197 $2,340 01/01/2015- 08/17/2015
Summer 2015 Semester Only
$848 $2099 $1,170 06/01/2015-08/17/2015
Annual Total $3,390 $8,394 $4,680*The premium for the summer semester is in included in spring premium amount*Does not include Dental Coverage*Requires referral to physicians outside of Wardenburg Campus Clinic
Plan for reaching school districts, colleges, and universities12 University of Colorado Boulder. (2014). Gold Plan 2014-15. Retrieved from: http://www.colorado.edu/healthcenter/insurance/new-gold-plan-2014-15#summary
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Audiences: Our intended audience within Boulder Valley School District and St. Vrain Valley School
District will be the parents of CHP+ eligible children. Our intended audience within Front Range Community College, Naropa University, and
the University of Colorado will be non-traditional students such as mature students, graduate students, students living in family housing, international students, and those who are less likely to have school-sponsored health coverage.
Outcome: To strengthen networks between the Assistance Site and school-based community partners. To implement a formal referral process with SVVSD, BVSD, Front Range Community College, Naropa University, and the University of Colorado. To increase awareness of Boulder County’s Connect for Health Colorado Assistance Site within the school-based community.
Evaluation:
Audience Method Metric
K-12 Families(Parents of
CHP+ Eligible Children)
Co-Branded Referral Form; Individualized Assistance Log (IAL)
Number of referrals by school
Monthly Report Number of outreach materials requested by school
IAL Number of presentations to schools
Non-Traditional Students
Co-Branded Referral Form; IAL
Number of referrals by college/university
Monthly Report Number of outreach materials requested by college/university
IAL Number of presentations to college/university
IAL Number of events at college/university
Tactics:K-12 Families
1. In partnership with the Healthy Kids Initiative, continue to flyer all parents and students within Boulder Valley School District and St. Vrain Valley School District
a. Mass distribution of Healthy Kids Initiative/Health Coverage Guide referral sheet i. Fall distribution
ii. Winter distribution2. Strengthen referral processes between school-based Medicaid workers and Health
Coverage Guides a. Provide tools, clarifications, and ongoing updates to our school-based partners during
ongoing team meetings with the Health Coverage Unit3. In partnership with the Healthy Kids Initiate, conduct community partner education to
BVSD and SVVSD District Nurses and key district stakeholders
Non-Traditional Students
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1. Partner with trusted community messengers within colleges and universities(Naropa University. Front Range Community College, University of Colorado)
2. Co-locate Health Coverage Guides at the above institutions to provide enrollment services to students and faculty
3. Create formal referral processes with each organization4. Target outreach events to international student populations at the University of Colorado
a. Provide outreach materials at University of Colorado’s international student housingb. Tailor messaging in multiple languagesc. Tailor messaging and provide resources regarding Life Change Events and Special
Enrollment periods to international students and families who are new Colorado residents
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3. Focused outreach to faith-based communities in Boulder County
Faith-based organizations are important members of the community to involve in outreach and education efforts for many reasons. One of the most significant reasons is that faith-based organizations are often deeply rooted in the community, and are thus a trusted community resource for many individuals and families. Historically, faith-based organizations have served as integral communities for promoting health awareness and directly providing safety-net services through programs such as health ministries, food banks, and free clinics. Among the significant benefits of partnering with faith-based organizations includes strengthening community ties and identifying and showcasing Boulder County’s Assistance Site and Health Coverage Guides as important resources within the greater Boulder County community.
By partnering with faith leaders and health ministries in Boulder County, Health Coverage Guides hope to discover a variety of new opportunities to promote health coverage access, awareness of affordability, and deliver personal enrollment assistance.
Potential Faith-Based PartnersFirst Baptist Church 1237 Pine St, Boulder, CO 80302First United Methodist Church 1421 Spruce St, Boulder, CO 80302First Presbyterian Church 1820 15th St, Boulder, CO 80302Flatirons Church 355 W South Boulder Rd, Lafayette, CO
80026Interfaith Council of Boulder PO Box 19664, Boulder, CO 80308-2664LifeBridge Christian Church 340 Lashley St, Longmont, COPine Street Church 1237 Pine St, Boulder, COSecond Baptist Church 5300 W Baseline Rd, Boulder, CO 80303Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church 1317 Mapleton Ave, Boulder, CO 80304St. John the Baptist Catholic Church 323 Collyer St, Longmont, CO 80501Unitarian Universalists Church of Boulder 5001 Pennsylvania Ave, Boulder, CO 80303
The Boulder County Assistance Site has identified several faith-based organizations as potential partners. These faith communities represent a variety of denominations:
• Baptist • Catholic• Presbyterian• Unitarian Universalists• Non-denominational community churches
The goal of establishing relationships with faith communities is two-fold: Boulder County Health Coverage Guides will continue to reach individuals where they are, in their own communities. Additionally, the partnership with faith communities may also serve as a potential
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avenue for reaching the Boulder County African-American, Latino, and young invincible populations.
Plan for focused outreach to faith-based communities in Boulder County
Audience: Our intended audience will be the leaders of faith-based communities (priests, pastors, rabbis, imams, and organizers of health ministries).
Outcome: To strengthen networks between the Boulder County Assistance Site and our faith-based community partners. To deliver orientation sessions to faith leaders and health ministries to increase awareness of Boulder County’s Assistance Site. Implement a formal referral process with faith-based partners and deliver 10 orientation session presentations to faith leaders and health ministries to increase awareness of Boulder Counties Assistance Site.
Evaluation:
Method MetricCo-Branded Referral Form; Individualized Assistance Log (IAL)
Number of referrals by organization
Monthly Report Number of outreach materials requested by organizationIAL Number of presentations delivered to faith-based
organizationsSurvey Qualitative information on faith-leaders understanding
Tactics:
1. Send introductory letters and outreach materials to faith leaders in the community2. Deliver Connect for Health Colorado orientation session to faith leaders and health
ministries 3. Establish formal referral process with faith-based partners 4. Train lay health workers from within each faith-based partnership5. In partnership with Connect for Health Colorado and the Central Hub, coordinate a “Health
Coverage Sunday” enrollment event on January 11th, 2015
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4. Strengthened outreach to young invincible population in Boulder County
Young adults, individuals ages 18 to 34, who are also often referred to as “young invincibles” have the highest uninsured rate among any age group, both nationally and in Colorado.13 Of the 32,081 individuals estimated to be uninsured in Boulder county, 42.1% (n=13,509) are ages 18-34.14
American Community Survey 2013: Estimates of Boulder County, CO UninsuredAge Estimate Number of
UninsuredEstimate Percent
UninsuredUnder 6 783 2.44%Ages 6-17 3,737 11.65%Ages 18-24 5,989 18.67%Ages 25-34 7,520 23.44%Ages 35-44 6,093 18.99%Ages 45-54 4,683 14.60%Ages 55-64 3,046 9.49%Ages 65-74 217 0.68%Ages 75+ 13 0.04%Total Uninsured 32,081 100.00%
In terms of the young invincible population, research shows there are many factors impacting a young adult’s decision whether to enroll in a health plan or to remain uninsured. “The three reasons mentioned most often by young adults for lacking insurance were high cost, lack of access to their own or a family members employer sponsored insurance and becoming ineligible for Medicaid or Child Health Plans Plus (CHP+) insurance.15”
To increase young invincible enrollment, the Boulder County Assistant Site will utilize the various outreach strategies detailed in this document to reach and enroll individuals aged 18-34 in Boulder County.
Plan for strengthened outreach to young invincible population in Boulder County
Audience:Our intended audience is young adults, ages 18 to 34 living in Boulder County.
Outcome:
13 The Colorado Trust. (March, 2013). Young Invincibles? Why Young Adults Have Colorado’s Highest Uninsured Rate. Retrieved from: http://www.coloradotrust.org/attachments/0001/9634/CHAS_YoungInvinciblesBrief_vF.pdf14US Census Bureau. American Community Survey Data and Documentation.15 The Colorado Trust. (March, 2013). Young Invincibles? Why Young Adults Have Colorado’s Highest Uninsured Rate. Retrieved from: http://www.coloradotrust.org/attachments/0001/9634/CHAS_YoungInvinciblesBrief_vF.pdf
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Decrease the percentage of the estimated uninsured young invincibles living in Boulder County by 5% (n=675).
Evaluation:
Method MetricIndividualized Assistance Log (IAL)
Data on age of clients served
CBMS Data Pull numbers of enrolled by age and cross reference to Boulder County IAL data
Connect for Health Colorado Enrollment Data
Pull numbers of enrolled by age and cross reference to Boulder County IAL data
Tactics:
1. Partner with trusted community messengers within colleges and universities(Naropa University. Front Range Community College, University of Colorado)
2. Co-locate Health Coverage Guides at the above institutions to provide enrollment services to students and faculty
3. Create formal referral processes with each organization4. Target outreach events to international student populations at the University of Colorado
a. Provide outreach materials at University of Colorado’s international student housingb. Tailor messaging in multiple languagesc. Tailor messaging and provide resources regarding Life Change Events and Special
Enrollment periods to international students and families who are new Colorado residents
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5. Strengthened outreach to rural/mountain communities in Boulder County
Boulder County is a diverse environment of both rural/mountain and urban populations. The rural/mountain communities in Boulder County include Lyons, Nederland, Ward, and unincorporated areas of the county. The rural/mountain communities account for approximately 16% of the Boulder county total population (n=47,814).16
While rural/mountain Boulder County communities do not account for a significant population, disparities exist between rural/mountain and urban populations that impact enrollment. Barriers impacting the rural/mountain communities include limited access to both enrollment assistance and health care providers. In recent history, the mountain communities within Boulder County have been directly affected by natural disasters, including the 2012 Flagstaff Fire and 2013 flood. Boulder County Housing and Human Services currently offers many resources to communities impacted by the flood, including rental, food, and financial assistance.17
The Boulder County Assistance Site locations are in the City of Boulder and the City of Longmont. To increase awareness of in-person assistance and to expand opportunities for enrollment in these outlying communities, Boulder County’s Assistance Site plans to conduct in-person outreach and enrollment in the rural/mountain communities through tabling and enrollment events with a special emphasis in communities directed by these natural disasters.
Plan for strengthening outreach to rural/mountain communities in Boulder County
Audience:Our intended audience is uninsured individuals living in the rural/mountain communities of Boulder County.
Outcome:Increase awareness and enrollments in the mountain and rural communities of Boulder County.
Evaluation:
Method MetricIndividualized Assistance Log (IAL) Data on geographic location of clients served
CBMS Data Pull numbers of enrolled by zip code and cross reference to BOCO IAL data
Connect for Health Colorado Enrollment Data
Pull numbers of enrolled by zip code and cross reference to BOCO IAL data
16 The Community Foundation. (2014). Boulder County Trends: The Community Foundation’s Report on Key Indicators. Retrieved from: https://www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/TRENDS-2013-LoRes_0-1-201310080832.pdf17 Boulder County. (2014) Flood Recovery Resource Guide. Retrieved from: http://www.bouldercounty.org/doc/flood/floodrecoveryguide.pdf
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Tactics:
1. Host three outreach and enrollment events in mountain/rural communitiesa. Lyons outreach event at St. Vrain Market on Main Streetb. Nederland outreach and enrollment event
i. BF Marketii. Dr. Camarata’s practice (November event and January event)
2. Maintain relationship with new and existing community partners in mountain and rural communities
a. Nederland Community Centeri. Routine distribution of outreach materials and referral forms
b. Mountain and rural communities Public Library Districts i. Routine distribution of outreach materials and referral forms to each
libraryc. Dr. Camarata’s practice
i. Routine distribution of outreach materials and referral forms
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6. Continuing outreach using data-driven best practices from 2013-2014 open enrollment
As noted earlier, the data sharing between community partners and Boulder County HHS proved to be an effective and efficient way of communicating with potentially uninsured county residents. The chart below shows the results of the efforts from the 2013-2014 enrollment effort.
Outreach type
Total sent
Cost of total effort
Approvals Bounce rate
Cost per unit
Cost per approval
Postcard 13,848 $6,327 886 12% $0.46 $7.14
Application 1,603 $1,540 52 11% $0.96 $29.62Email 10,945 $80 435 16% $0.007 $0.18Text 18,006 $830 144 unknown $0.046 $5.76
The postcard mailings yielded the greatest percentage of enrollments (6.3%) followed by e-mail (3.9%), application (3.2%), and text (.8%). It is difficult to know how the combined efforts of data-driven direct contact in association with other touches (in-person presentations, tabling events, etc.) influence a person’s decision to apply for health insurance. However, we are confident that we can easily replicate this effort with some minor changes for the 2014-2015 open enrollment period.
Plan for continuing outreach using data-driven best practices from 2013-2014 open enrollment period
Audience: Our intended audience is uninsured Boulder County residents who have a pre-existing relationship with either the county or one of our safety net service providers. Outcome: To reach 1,500 uninsured Boulder County residents using direct and specific outreach strategies
Evaluation:
Method Metric
Boulder County CBMS Data Number of individuals enrolled in Medicaid/CHP+ cross-referenced with data set of direct contacts
Individualized Assistance Log Number of individuals indicating that they received a postcard, e-mail, or text from Boulder County
Connect for Health Colorado Enrollment Data
Number of individuals enrolled in private insurance cross-referenced with data set of direct contacts
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Tactics:
The proposal is to use four phases of direct contact to our intended audience using e-mail to encourage them to apply. The phases, with messages, are broken out below:
Phase Date Audience Message Means
1 11/14Clients who purchased health insurance on C4 with Boulder County Assistance Site help
Refer a friend E-mail
1 11/14Food Assistance clients who are not in a Medical Assistance program
Use PEAK Medical Assistance Application to apply
2 Week of 12/1
Residents from data scrub with existing 6 partners
Health insurance need; local assistance available
E-mail/Postcard
3 Week of 1/19
Residents from data scrub with new partners
Health insurance need; local assistance; impending deadline
E-mail/Postcard
4 2/2 Known uninsured from above who have yet to taken action
Impending deadlines; local assistance available
E-mail/Text
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7. Strategic referral networks built with community partners in Boulder County
In a partnership with the Healthy Kids Initiative and the greater Health Coverage Unit, Health Coverage Guides intend to coordinate a public awareness campaign to all community partners in Boulder County. As outlined earlier in this plan, the Boulder County Assistance Site already has formalized partnerships, and in many cases a Memorandum of Understanding with multiple community partners in Boulder County. Additionally, we hope to reinforce and extend our community networks by equipping additional partners with essential referral forms, outreach materials, contact information, and Connect for Health Colorado orientation sessions (for community partner staff as well as to the general public).
In order to formalize and enhance these partnerships, our community education campaign will directly focus on our community partners. The intention is to increase our capacity by making it easy for our partners to refer their clients and community members to the Boulder County Assistance Site.
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Housing and
Human Services
Mental Health
PartnersSalud Family
Health Centers
Longmont United
Hospital
Boulder Community
Hospital
Clinica Family Health
Services
Boulder and Longmont
Public Libraries
Centro Amistad
El Comite
Avista Hospital
Boulder Housing PartnersEFFA
Community Center
Sister Carmen
Exempla Hospital
Boulder County Area Agency on
Aging
Boulder County Latino
Coalition
Front Range Community
College
Naropa University
SVVSD and BVSD
Safehouse Progressive Alliance for
Nonviolence
Boulder Valley
Women's Health
Boulder County Public
Health
Plan for strengthening strategic referral networks with community partners in Boulder County
Audience: Our intended audience is current Boulder County community partner organizations and staff.
Outcome: To strengthen networks between the Boulder County Assistance Site and community-based partners by delivering 10 orientation sessions to community-based partner organizations to increase awareness of Boulder County’s Assistance Site. Implement a formal referral process between Boulder County Assistance Site and community-based partner organizations.
Evaluation:
Method MetricCo-Branded Referral Form; Individualized Assistance Log (IAL)
Number of referrals by organization
Monthly Report Number of outreach materials requested by organization
IAL Number of presentations delivered to community-based partner organizations
Tactics:
1. Conduct Connect for Health Colorado orientation session with each community partner before December 31st, 2014a. Deliver presentationb. Provide community partners with a copy of the Boulder County Assistance Site 2014-
2015 Outreach Planc. Equip community partner staff members with co-branded referral forms d. Add community partner staff members to email distribution list (Expansions Newsletters)
8. Strategic in-reach to current Connect for Health Colorado enrollees
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Informed by the data and customer contacts shared with the Boulder County Assistance Site from the Assistance Network, Health Coverage Guides will conduct strategic in-reach to customers who are likely to reenroll during the 2014-2015 open enrollment period.
The outreach and enrollment efforts during the 2013-2014 open enrollment period in addition to enrollments completed for life change events/special enrollment periods produced a contact list of over 200 Connect for Health Colorado customers who may be eligible for reenrollment during the 2014-2015 open enrollment period. It is the goal of the Boulder County Assistance Site to contact each of the 200 individuals provided by the Connect for Health Colorado Assistance Network, with the intent of retaining 100% rate of enrollment.
Plan for strategic in-reach to current Connect for Health Colorado enrollees
Audience: Our intended audience is the Connect for Health Colorado enrollees identified by the list provided by the Assistance Network to the Boulder County Assistance Site.
Outcome: To contact each of the 200 individuals provided by the Connect for Health Colorado Assistance Network, with the intent of retaining 100% rate of enrollment.
Evaluation:
Method Metric
Individualized Assistance Site Log
Number of contacts made from reenrollment contact list provided by Assistance Network
Number of reenrollments produced by reenrollment contact list provided by Assistance Network
Tactics:
1. Conduct outbound calls to individuals provided by the Connect for Health Colorado Assistance Network for the purpose of reenrollment.
2. Schedule enrollment appointment for client if needed
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