News and Music Discovery
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Kentucky Health Exchange Will Use 'Kynectors' To Assist Uninsured

Medi-Share (http://blog.medi-share.org)

A call is going out for individuals to assist those uninsured Kentuckians looking at the federal health care law for coverage.  The state is seeking both for profit and nonprofit entities to serve as ‘kynectors’ for the health benefit exchange.  Carrie Banahan, Director of the state Health Benefit Exchange believes these individuals providing assistance will stay busy.

“We’re probably gonna have a great deal of interest in the exchange as well as the Medicaid expansion that the governor announced a couple of weeks ago.  So, these folks will be able to educate people.  They’ll be able to help them apply for assistance and answer questions and provide information,” said Banahan.

Kynectors will help individuals and small businesses across Kentucky determine their health coverage needs and assist them in choosing plans. 

“These Kynectors will be attending maybe community functions, you know, health fairs, county fairs.  They’ll also be available on a one on one basis to educate folks and help them apply for coverage,” added Banahan.

There are more than 600 thousand Kentuckians currently without health insurance.  Carrie Banahan says some people with insurance may want to investigate the program.

“Those folks that have insurance today, you know, we think there’s gonna be a lot interest in coverage on the exchange because even those that have insurance today could be eligible for premium assistance based on their income,” said Banahan.

Open enrollment for individuals seeking to purchase insurance through the exchange begins this October.  For some, health insurance coverage could begin in January.

Stu Johnson is a reporter/producer at WEKU in Lexington, Kentucky.