Help Patrons Enroll in Health Insurance Coverage

Become a Certified Application Counselor Designated Organization (CDO) for the Affordable Care Act

Apply now to receive financial and staff support for your public library to become a Certified Application Counselor Designated Organization (CDO) for the 2021 open enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act. CDOs can certify library staff and volunteers as Certified Application Counselors (CACs) who will receive training and hands-on support to assist patrons and community members to successfully enroll in health insurance during open and special enrollment periods. CAC training will take an estimated ~25 hours to complete.

The Public Library Association, in partnership with Community Catalyst and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, are working together to inform communities about the open enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act for 2021. The open enrollment period runs November 1–December 15, 2020. Consumers that receive in-person assistance are nearly 60% more likely to enroll in the health insurance marketplace. Public libraries, as critical community anchors, are well positioned to share information about the open enrollment period, to support patrons' efforts to enroll successfully, and to advance population health with improved outcomes.

Apply here July 1–July 17, 2020, 11:59 p.m. Central.

Up to 30 public libraries in states that utilize the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM)* at healthcare.gov will receive $1,000 to support their organization in becoming a Certified Application Counselor Designated Organization (CDO) and certifying at least one staff member and/or volunteer as a Certified Application Counselor (CAC).

Up to 10 of the awarded public libraries will also receive an additional $1,000 in funding to support efforts to increase communication, awareness and education about the upcoming open enrollment period. All awardees will be required to do brief monthly reporting on communications metrics and related outreach activities.

*To see if your state utilizes the Federal Marketplace, please review the list here: Medicaid and Health Insurance Marketplace Coordination (Kaiser Family Foundation).

If you have questions about the application or process for becoming a CDO, please contact Symone Villasenor at ...@ala.org" style="color: #2199e8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">svil...@ala.org or 312-280-5018; or Leighann Wood at ...@ala.org" style="color: #2199e8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">lwo...@ala.org or 312-280-5867.

For more information and resources to prepare for open enrollment, please visit http://www.ala.org/pla/initiatives/connectingyoutocoverage.