Consumer Assistance NYS of Health Navigator Amendments

The New York State Department of Health, Office of Health Insurance Programs, Division of Eligibility and Marketplace Integration (the Department) is requesting to amend the 42 Navigator Program contracts. The Department is requesting to add an additional $1,884,074.28 in funding across the 42 grantees for year five of the program (August 1, 2023 through July 31, 2024).  This includes a small cost of living increase of 2.5% and a redistribution of funding from two navigator agencies who no longer participate in the program, Lenox Hill Community House (C34580GG) and the Long Island Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Health and Human Services Network (C34599GG) with annual contract amounts of $154,700.00 and $550,000.00, respectively.  Simultaneously, we are requesting approval to extend these 42 contracts for a sixth year at the same level of funding as year five, $28,354,349.00, for the period August 1, 2024 through July 31, 2025.  The Department plans to competitively reprocure the Navigator Program and is actively working on the Request for Applications (RFA).  New contracts are planned for the period August 1, 2025 through July 31, 2030. The Navigator Program provides in-person, culturally and linguistically appropriate application and enrollment assistance for individuals applying for health insurance through NY State of Health, New York’s Health Plan Marketplace.  NY State of Health determines eligibility and enrollment into Medicaid, Child Health Plus (CHPlus), Essential Plan (EP), Qualified Health Plans (QHPs), with and without tax credits and cost sharing reductions (CSRs).  The Navigator Program was designed to increase access to health insurance by providing in-person application assistance in communities across New York State, at times, locations and in languages that are convenient to potential enrollees, including both individuals and small businesses, and various target and hard-to-reach populations. NY State of Health became operational on October 1, 2013.  Today, over seven million individuals are enrolled in health insurance coverage through NY State of Health.  Approximately 77 percent of applications submitted to NY State of Health can be attributed to the work of enrollment assistors with Navigators accounting for approximately seven percent of applications/enrollments. The Department is requesting this extension to allow Navigator agencies to focus their attention on the Public Health Emergency (PHE) unwind activities, and consumer health insurance retention, rather than threaten their resources and services by releasing a procurement for their Navigator Program contract. Reason for advertising exemption: Single Source Award recipient: Multiple Any questions or comments regarding this notice of sole-source, single-source, or procurement otherwise exempt from advertising in the NYS Contract Reporter should be directed to the contact person listed for the contracting agency or public authority. Ad end date:07/09/2024 Contract term: 8/1/2019-7/31/2025 County(ies): All NYS counties Location: New York State (Statewide)