Fifty-seven public libraries awarded funding to encourage Affordable Care Act enrollment

CHICAGO – Through its health insurance enrollment and education initiative, Libraries Connecting You to Coverage, the Public Library Association (PLA) is encouraging enrollment in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance Marketplace for 2020. Today, PLA announced it will award $500 mini-grants to 57 public libraries across the U.S. to advance this work. Awardee libraries will disseminate information, provide education, partner with health insurance enrollment and provider groups, and encourage community members to enroll in the Marketplace during the ACA Open Enrollment Period. For consumers in states that utilize the federal marketplace platform, healthcare.gov, open enrollment begins Nov. 1, 2019, and ends Dec. 15, 2019. 

The following libraries have been awarded funding:

1. Bacbock Library (Ashford, Conn.)
2. Berkeley (Ill.) Public Library
3. Blair County (Penn.) Library System
4. Boulder City (Nev.) Library
5. Burnsville (W.V.) Public Library
6. Caldwell (Idaho) Public Library
7. Charlotte (Vt.) Library
8. Cobb County (Ga.) Public Library System
9. Cuyahoga Falls (Ohio) Library 
10. Denmark (Maine) Public Library
11. Dougherty County (Ga.) Public Library
12. Faulkner County (Ark.) Library
13. East Adams Library District (Ritzville, Wash.)
14. East Hartford (Conn.) Public Library
15. Effingham (Ill.) Public Library
16. Eisenhower Public Library (Harwood Heights, Ill.)
17. Elizabeth (N.J.) Public Library
18. Flint River Regional Library System (Griffin, Ga.)
19. Haverford Township (Penn.) Free Library
20. Idyllwild (Calif.) Library
21. Kansas City (Kan.) Public Library, West Wyandotte Branch
22. Kenton County (Ky.) Public Library
23. Lincoln Park (N.J.) Public Library
24. Lititz (Penn.) Public Library
25. Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library (Bristol, Penn.)
26. Marshall (Ill.) Public Library
27. Mead Valley Library (Perris, Calif.)
28. Miami-Dade (Fla.) Public Library, Allapattah Branch
29. Miami-Dade (Fla.) Public Library, Main Library
30. Moline (Ill.) Public Library
31. Monroe County (Ga.) Library
32. Mott (N.D.) Public Library
33. Natchitoches (La.) Parish Library
34. Natrona County (Wyo.) Library
35. Nederland (Colo.) Community Library
36. Newfield (N.Y.) Public Library
37. North Riverside (Ill.) Public Library
38. Norwich (Vt.) Public Library
39. Osceola (Iowa) Public Library
40. Ouachita Parish Public Library (Monroe, La.)
41. Petersburg (Va.) Public Library
42. Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Public Library District
43. Princeton (Ill.) Public Library
44. Public Library of Anniston-Calhoun County (Ala.)
45. Queens (N.Y.) Public Library
46. Richton Park (Ill.) Public Library District
47. Rio Grande City (Texas) Public Library
48. Rolla (Mo.) Public Library
49. Saint Peter (Minn.) Public Library
50. Salt Lake City (Utah) Public Library
51. South Brunswick Public Library (Monmouth Junction, N.J.)
52. St. Martin Parish Library (St. Martinville, La.)
53. Trails Regional Library (Warrensburg, Mo.)
54. Trenton (N.J.) Free Public Library
55. Union (N.J.) Public Library
56. University City (Mo.) Public Library
57. Warrenville (Ill.) Public Library District

Free tools and resources available

All public libraries -- especially those in states that utilize the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace -- are encouraged to take advantage of the free tools and resources PLA has compiled related to health insurance enrollment. Libraries can start or increase their efforts to educate and build awareness of coverage options, as well as the option of enrolling in Medicaid or a Special Enrollment Period year-round. These efforts will help reach the uninsured, and help improve health outcomes and reduce medical costs for patrons. 

As part of its ongoing work to support the public library’s role in creating healthy communities, PLA has partnered with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and Community Catalyst to counteract obstacles to ACA enrollment. Questions about the initiative and grants may be directed to Leighann Wood, PLA program manager, at lwood@ala.org or 312-280-5867.

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About PLA
The Public Library Association (PLA) is the largest association dedicated to supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. Founded in 1944, PLA serves nearly 10,000 members in public libraries large and small in communities across the United States and Canada, with a growing presence around the world. PLA strives to help its members shape the essential institution of public libraries by serving as an indispensable ally for public library leaders. For more information about PLA, contact the PLA office at 1 (800) 545-2433, ext.5PLA, or pla@ala.org.