Lisse Regher first started working at Thrive Allen County in 2014 as a Navigator, someone trained to help people obtain health insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplace.
For many, it was their first time to get health insurance.
“Doing that job, you are hearing a life story, the good, the bad and the ugly. And when you are able to make something happen for someone, it’s the most amazing feeling,” she said.
“Our care coordinators are our front line. They literally can save people’s lives.”
Navigators like Regher and those who followed were instrumental in lowering Allen County’s uninsured rate from 21% in 2013 to under 9% in 2018.
Regher is now president and CEO at Thrive, leading the organization to a new $2.9 million grant to establish a network of Navigators in Kansas. The grant was announced Aug. 27.
Thrive will work with 10 organizations across the state. Each will hire someone to do the same kind of work Regher once did, by helping others apply for health insurance.
The grant will also allow Thrive to hire someone to oversee the network and coordinate needs of the partnering organizations.
The grant comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help underserved populations find affordable health insurance coverage. It is expected to cover a three-year period.
“Navigators serve an important role in connecting communities that historically have experienced lower access to health coverage and greater disparities in health outcomes to health coverage,” a press release from CMS read.
Most of the partner organizations will serve rural residents, but some will cover urban areas to help minorities and other groups that typically lack health insurance.
“We’re working with organizations similar to Thrive, in that they are community-based and trusted. We know they’ve been very successful,” Regher said.
“With the pandemic, it’s even more important for people to have health insurance.”
All told, the new network will cover 42 of the state’s 105 counties.
Representatives from The United Methodist Health Fund helped Thrive apply for the grant.
