Since January 2021, the Biden Administration has made expanding access to health insurance coverage a major policy priority. From expanding Medicaid eligibility to increasing financial assistance for Qualified Health Plan (QHP) enrollments, more Americans than ever have access to health insurance coverage. This session will feature speakers from CMS’s Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), who will describe key federal priorities around the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) – Healthcare.gov – and the impacts on health centers and the patients you serve. Topics include increased investments in Navigator funding and related reporting requirements, changes to Advanced Premium Tax Credit eligibility, health center inclusion in Essential Community Provider lists, network adequacy, Certified Application Counselor Designated Organization (CDO) enrollment, and more. The session will also feature the perspective of a PCA and health center that receive CMS’s Navigator funding. Both organizations will describe the benefits and challenges of implementing the Navigator program and how federal investments in outreach and enrollment impact the patients and communities they serve.

Health center boards are responsible for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the health center and that the center meets the needs of the community it serves. Staying informed on changes in the health care landscape that impact the health center and incorporating key issues into the center’s strategic plan and board oversight are critical ways a board helps ensure sustainability. This session will surface some of these big issues – both connected to the pandemic and beyond – and how boards are addressing them in partnership with the center’s CEO. The session will also include tips for how board members and staff that work with boards can incorporate big issues, including key learnings from the Policy & Issues Forum, to inform ongoing board education, health center strategy, and board oversight.