Convergence and Collaboration in the year of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

The UT Health Science Center Libraries Outreach to Communities in South Texas and the Story of Laredo

October 14, 2014Room 2: 10:30 -10:50 a.m.

Peg Seger, MA, MLISHead of Outreach Services

UT Health Science Center Libraries

Quint Essential – Convergence & Collaboration: Quint Chapter MLA - Denver, Colorado October 12-16, 2014

Outreach Services to South Texas

• 3 Library locations• Serving 33 counties• San Antonio – Bexar

County• Harlingen - Cameron

County• Laredo - Webb County

Planning for the Affordable Care Act•Good Intentions• All 3 Library locations – ACA Champions for Coverage!• Timeline – August to Oct 1st, 2013• NN/LM SCR Resources – Role of Libraries in the ACA• Webinars• Healthcare.gov – information pages print out• Public Libraries• School Districts• Community Colleges• Flyers/Brochures• Emails• Community Advisors Meetings

ACA & Community Advisors Meeting• Bi-annual meeting• Videoconference• Public & academic libraries• CHWs & Promotores• Health Clinics/interns• Charitable Organizations• Veterans Administration• Campus students• Faculty researchers• Area Health Ed. Centers

Briscoe Library in San Antonio

Ramirez Library in Harlingen

Laredo Regional Campus Library

Health Care Access in Texas•Stumbling blocks• Lack of Medicaid expansion• Lack of state-based ACA website• Limited grants for training Certified Assistants (CAs)• Poorly timed state training requirements for CAs•Difficulty identifying certified assistance centers (CACs) with qualified CAs

No Medicaid Expansion in TX

Coverage Gap in Texas

2012 Uninsured by County

2013 American Community Survey

2012 Uninsured Under 65

2012 Uninsured & <138% Poverty

2012 18-64 (138-400%Poverty) Uninsured

Texas Counties Uninsured

• Bexar County – San Antonio• Briscoe Library

• Webb County – Laredo• Laredo Regional Campus

Library

• Cameron County – Harlingen• Ramirez Library

Briscoe and Ramirez LibrariesBriscoe

• ACT Together for Health• Community Service

Learning student initiative• Brochure

• San Fernando Health Fair – October 2013

Ramirez• In general, plays a larger

“public library” role

Laredo Regional Campus Library•Convergence and Collaboration• MRG AHEC• Enroll Webb Coalition• Office of U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar• Laredo Health Coalition• Health Education Institutions• Health Care Providers• Nonprofits in the city and county• Mercy Ministries

• Laredo Community College

Office of Border Health

https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/borderhealth/border_health_map.shtm

Laredo/Webb County – Health Insurance

ACA Workshop – Saturday Nov 2nd, 2013

• Health Insurance Marketplace Community Workshop

• English and Spanish Sessions• Enroll Webb County Coalition

• Laredo Community College Office of U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar

• Laredo Health Coalition• MRGV AHEC• Laredo Health Dept.

• Webb County 36.8% uninsured (85,000 people)

• Library flyers distributed

Laredo Morning Times – 11/2/13

Library Flyers for Distribution

ACA Enrollment Event

Standing Room Only on March 8th

March 8th

• 101 people served• 45 minute average time• Account set-up/email

March 29th

• Last-minute enrollment during a campus health fair

Fall 2014: South Texas Development Council

• $300,000 from HHS to STDC announced by Rep. Henry Cuellar• $233,000 specifically for

Navigators• Several counties in Texas including

Laredo’s Webb county• Part of 4.6 mil to United Way of

Metropolitan Tarrant County• STDC mission

• Education on ACA insurance options• Focus on families with children, legal

immigrants, those with limited English, disabled, and young adults

Laredo ACA Open Enrollment Event

•November 15th, 2014• Laredo Regional Campus Library• Sponsors:• UT Health Science Center Libraries• 28th District Congressional Office of

Representative Henry Cuellar• MRGV AHEC• South Texas Development Council

Questions/Comments

Peg Seger, MA, MLISHead of Outreach

Services 210-567-6398

segerp@uthscsa.edu