WESTMINSTER — Southeastern Vermont Community Action was just awarded funds to continue its successful Health Care Navigator program in the face of extremely limited public funding for this service, which currently helps more than 400 southeastern Vermont households per year to access coverage.
It also includes expansion of services to elderly and disabled households that require assistance with Medicaid Supplemental, Medicare Savings, VPharm, and disability insurance (SSDI) programs.
SEVCA's experienced navigator, who has been helping residents with low incomes access health insurance for the past four years, will continue to work diligently to help them obtain and maintain coverage wherever possible.
And, if legislative changes begin to limit access to coverage, she also will collect and share information about what happens to some of these households in terms of cost increases, loss of coverage, and the resulting impacts of no longer receiving adequate health care, in order to raise awareness about the need for affordable universal health insurance.
The funds come from a three-year grant for $97,704 from the Fannie Holt Ames & Edna Louise Holt Fund to support health care access for low-income and other vulnerable households in Windham and Windsor counties. SEVCA also received a small grant award of $8,300 from Vermont Health Connect (a steep cut from the $45,000 grant awarded last year), which also will support the Navigator program.