On November 1, which marked the one-month anniversary of the launch of the new federal health insurance marketplace healthcare.gov—Seedco’s President and CEO Barbara Gunn and other staff joined U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius at an education and outreach session at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in Memphis, TN. The event brought Sebelius together with over 200 Memphis residents who came to learn more about Marketplace health insurance options on the new exchange.
At the event, Seedco Mid-South Senior Vice President Lisa Pote, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, Congressman Steve Cohen and Secretary Sebelius spoke to a crowd of about 200 interested citizens. In addition, 45 uninsured attendees received application assistance from Seedco and its partners. One Memphis resident completed an online application and learned that her new plan will save her $4,700 on her health insurance premiums over the next year.
In addition, counselors from EarnBenefits—Seedco’s signature benefits access program—were available to screen interested attendees for various public benefit programs aimed at helping low-income and unemployed workers stabilize their income so they can focus on obtaining jobs. Altogether, six households were able to submit completed SNAP (formerly food stamps) applications.
Seedco’s initiative Get Covered Tennessee is funded by the HHS and provides outreach and enrollment assistance to all population groups in all areas of Tennessee, through a network of 18 Navigators and a referral network of over 100 organizational linkages.
The Tennessean: Sebelius visits Memphis, touts health plan
Memphis Daily News: Sebelius Brings Health Care Talk to Town