TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary agreements, and any subsequent amendments, between the City of Long Beach and the State of California Health Benefits Exchange (also known as “Covered California”) in the amount of $125,000 for the period of August 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016, to facilitate outreach, enrollment, and retention into the insurance programs offered through Covered California. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
In 2010, the federal government enacted the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which aims to increase the number of Americans with insurance and cut the overall costs of health care. Covered California was created by the State of California to develop an organized marketplace where eligible consumers could purchase health coverage. As of 2014, over 2.6 million Californians have qualified for federal financial assistance, and an additional 2.7 million qualified for assistance from guaranteed coverage through Covered California or from an insurance company in the individual market.
Covered California offers subsidized health care coverage in the form of a Premium Tax Credit and cost-sharing reductions to individuals and families with incomes between 138 percent and 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) guidelines. The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department) is a Covered California Certified Enrollment Entity and, since October 2014, has conducted outreach and education to over 10,000 individuals and completed over 3,000 Covered California applications. The funding is to be used to expand outreach, enrollment, and retention activities to populations that continue to have high rates of uninsured. Those populations include, but are not limited to, Latino, African American, Asian American, young adults and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender populations. The Health Department will focus on the following groups: populations with limited English proficiency; culturally diverse communities; families with mixed immigration status; restaurant and food service workers; small businesses; school workers; independent contractors, and childcare providers.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda Vu on September 11, 2015 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on September 17, 2015.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is requested on October 6, 2015 in order to continue the program without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will receive grant funding in the amount of $125,000 to offset expenditures of the same amount for the grant period of August 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016. Sufficient funding is budgeted in the Health Fund (SR 130) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HE). No match or in-kind service mandate is required, and there is no local job impact associated with this action.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
KELLY COLOPY
DIRECTOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER