Resources for Enrollment Assisters

ACE TA Center

Enrollment assisters have helped millions of Americans get health insurance, including people with HIV. Assisters — including Navigators, certified application counselors, and other in-person assisters -- play an essential role in helping people with HIV find a health plan that covers their health needs, including critical medications and care for HIV. This page includes resources for enrollment assisters that are new to supporting people with HIV, and information for HIV programs and staff who are interested in training, certification and/or funding through the federal certified application counselor or Navigator programs.

By building trusted enrollment partnerships and educating community partners and staff now, your organization can help ensure that all eligible clients get one-on-one assistance and find a health plan that best meets their needs.

Are you an enrollment assister that is new to supporting people with HIV?

Take these three steps to help your organization establish enrollment partnerships and prepare for Open Enrollment:

  1. Identify and establish partnerships. 
  2. Take the time to develop mutual understanding and accountability with potential partners and promote familiarity with the RWHAP community, its values, and priorities. 
  3. Educate community partners and staff.
  4. Once you’ve established trusting relationships with these partners, train your program staff to refer appropriate clients during Open Enrollment.

Use the following ACE TA Center to help identify and strengthen partnerships.

  • 8 Things to Know to Help Support People with HIV to Enroll in Health Coverage
    This resource provides enrollment assisters, especially those who may be new to helping enroll people with HIV, with tips to help people with HIV find health plans that cover their unique health care needs.
  • Video for Enrollment Assisters
    This short video provides essential tips to enrollment assisters, Navigators, and certified application counselors who may be new to supporting people with HIV. 
  • Best and Promising Practices for Engaging, Enrolling, and Retaining People with HIV in Health Coverage
    The ACE TA Center has identified best and promising practices for engaging, enrolling, and retaining people with HIV in health coverage. The best practices are most relevant to enrollment in Marketplace health insurance, however many can also apply to enrolling clients in Medicare and Medicaid.
  • Archived Webinar: Tips and Resources to Help Enroll People Living with HIV in Health Insurance (September 26, 2018)
    This webinar is intended for enrollment assisters (including Navigators, certified application counselors, agents and brokers) who are new to helping people with HIV enroll into health coverage. Learn from the ACE TA Center and our partner, Community Catalyst, about the unique health coverage needs of people with HIV, including financial help available to eligible clients through the RWHAP, to help these clients enroll into Marketplace health coverage. 

Learn how to become a Certified Application Counselor and find Navigator organizations in your state

Staff can become a Certified Application Counselor (CAC) or Non-Navigator Assister by taking a free training provided by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This training is a great way for staff to better understand the enrollment process for various types of health coverage, as well as answers to common questions clients may have about enrolling in and using their coverage.

The training is hosted by the Marketplace Learning Management System (MLMS): the online web-based training platform for assisters that provides application and enrollment assistance to consumers in states that use HealthCare.gov.

Organizations operating in states that use HealthCare.gov can apply to become a certified application counselor designated organization (CDO). CDOs oversee Certified Application Counselors and are responsible for the certification and recertification of individual CACs. In order for your organization to be designated as a CDO, the organization must submit an online application and enter into an agreement with CMS. 

For more information about how to become a Certified Application Counselor, CDO and/or Navigator, go to CMS.gov: In-Person Assistance in the Health Insurance Marketplaces

View the 2024 list of federally funded Navigator organizations. Even if your organization does not have a Navigator partnership, it’s a good idea to reach out to Navigators funded in your area and make sure that they are well-informed about RWHAP insurance assistance programs and the unique needs of RWHAP clients.

Learn more about the ACE TA Center and explore other ACE TA Center enrollment tools and resources for people with HIV.

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