HelpHub launched to assist low income patients through ACA enrollment

CHICAGO, Nov. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Case managers and health care providers participating in the Medical Home Network now have a wide variety of resources available on the newly created HelpHub to assist low-income populations enroll into the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Shriver Center on Poverty Law  and Medical Home Network (MHN) announced today.

Although ACA provides new opportunities for access to health care, many in the low income or immigrant populations who want to apply, require personal guidance with the enrollment process due to language or communications barriers. HelpHub delivers information and resources to help the 250 case workers affiliated with MHN to guide Medicaid patients through the process. HelpHub includes up-to-date facts, charts, checklists and other useful information and links that enable care managers to help individuals to understand and navigate changes in the Medicaid program.

The HelpHub site is managed by the Shriver Center and EverThrive Illinois and linked to MHN's secure portal, MHNConnect. MHN, working with HelpHub, has integrated resources in the MHNConnect portal to further support the needs of MHN care management teams.

"For many, enrolling into an ACA health care plan will seem overwhelming," said John Bouman, president of the Shriver Center.  "Safety net providers across Illinois will be able to guide each person through the process using HelpHub as a quick and easy resource for accessing needed information. We are doing everything possible to help them through the process, including training navigators to go out into communities and ensure they are aware that help is available to them."

Besides ACA enrollment assistance, HelpHub provides a wide range of resources and expertise to address other issues facing Medicaid patients. For example, if a homeless person is looking for a shelter or has financial questions, HelpHub can assist in finding that information. For challenging questions, HelpHub lists experts who can be accessed immediately by phone or email. For more general issues, questions can be posted on the HelpHub's online forum, where a community of care managers or experts can provide answers and guidance.  Enrollment and outreach specialists share best practices, successes, challenges and lessons learned. Assisters can also ask questions of policy experts, who provide real-time guidance on policy and practice questions.

"HelpHub is a tool for advocacy, consumer complaints, complicated income, and all the things patients will want to talk about," said Tracey Robison, associate director of clinical services at Friend Family Health Center, one of the members of MHN, serving the southeast and southwest sides of Chicago. "People worry about a number of things when it comes to their health care. HelpHub is a one-stop solution for help across a variety of issues, including those with multiple social issues, who need moral support."

About The Shriver Center
The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law provides national leadership in advancing laws and policies that secure justice to improve the lives and opportunities of people living in poverty. We specialize in practical solutions. We advocate for and serve clients directly, while also building the capacity of the nation's legal aid providers to advance justice and opportunity for their clients. www.povertylaw.org

EverThrive Illinois
Formerly the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition, works to improve the health of women, children, and families over the lifespan through community engagement, partnerships, policy analysis, education, and advocacy. More information is available at www.everthriveil.org.

About Medical Home Network
Medical Home Network is a Chicago-based health care collaborative devoted to transforming health care delivery for Chicago Medicaid patients by fostering collaboration and innovation among safety net providers.  The MHN collaborative consists of 12 health care organizations with an equal voice in the decision-making process. MHN has grown its connectivity to 20 hospitals and more than 170 primary care entities, each using the MHNConnect portal to enable information exchange and communication among providers. The MHN portal captures 60 percent of patient activity as it occurs, supporting improved care coordination for almost 200,000 Chicago-area Medicaid patients. More information is available at www.MHNChicago.org.

SOURCE The Shriver Center; Medical Home Network

Related Links

http://www.povertylaw.org