The Tri-Lakes Uninsured Task Force

Grantee Name

Adirondack Medical Center

Funding Area

Expanding Health Care Coverage

Publication Date

February 2011

Grant Amount

$61,933

Grant Date:

February 2008 – February 2009

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Under this grant, Adirondack Medical Center’s (AMC’s) goal was to continue to reduce the number of uninsured throughout its region.

In 2002, AMC formed the Uninsured Task Force (UTF) to address the challenges of providing access to care. UTF collected data to track coverage rates in the community, which—despite national trends at the time—increased since its inception. Although UTF was unable to track the number of individuals who were enrolled as a result of its work (i.e., facilitated enrollment agencies and other relevant organizations were unable to provide specific enrollments resulting from UTF events), it was able to look more broadly at local insurance enrollment by using the grant funding to conduct a survey of the region in December 2008; the results showed that despite the economic downturn, the region’s rate of uninsured showed little change from the last survey conducted in May 2005.

Outcomes and Lessons Learned

Hired a part-time project coordinator.
Collaborated with local facilitated enrollment agencies to create and staff a full-time Health Insurance Enrollment Office.
Conducted a survey of the uninsured in the Tri-Lakes area and found that the uninsured rate had remained steady since the 2005 survey, even during this period of economic downturn.
Developed a traveling display detailing available health insurance options and created business cards with the Enrollment Office’s phone number.
Coordinated activities during the “Cover the Uninsured Week” and “Covering Kids and Families” back-to-school campaigns, which included direct mailing efforts to encourage parents to call the Enrollment Office and hosting a luncheon for 35 businesses to educate them about Healthy NY and the Family Health Plus Premium Assistance programs.
Hosted a series of insurance eligibility screenings in six Tri-Lakes communities. A total of 42 people— double the number screened the previous year—were screened at one of those events.
Used radio and newspaper ads to direct calls to the Enrollment Office.
Developed an eligibility screening software tool for public health insurance programs that is free and available to the public via the Internet.

Read the report associated with this grant, “An Assessment of New York Health Foundation 2007 Health Insurance Coverage Grants.”

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