story of the month: Kansas navigator

January 2023

A navigator is an individual trained to help consumers as they look for health coverage options, including coverage options and completing the paperwork necessary to enroll in coverage. Health care navigators are unbiased and their services are free to consumers.

From a Navigator in southeast Kansas:

A husband and wife came in looking for health insurance coverage. The husband had recently lost his job; his wife has a condition that prevents her from being able to work. They had trouble getting unemployment, as the system was tied up with fraudulent claims. They had been living off savings, hoping it would stretch long enough until the husband found another job.

We tried to find them a plan they could afford, but since neither was working, their income was $0. This prevented them from getting any financial assistance on the Health Insurance Marketplace, and they weren’t able to afford the premiums without the financial assistance. They did not qualify for Medicaid coverage.