CMCA helps families obtain health insurance and gain access to health care.  Members of the general public work with our Health Care Advocates to enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicaid, and Medicare.  CMCA members receiving coaching through the Whole Family Approach may identify a health-care related need through the family assessment process.  Through one-on-one coaching, families set and meet their health-care related goals.  Data indicates the number of individuals who obtained health insurance or gained access to health care through CMCA.  Numbers reflect a 2-3 month delay in processing time between time of application and time of approval for Medicaid Expansion applicants.

Need insurance?  Learn more about the Health Care Advocate Program.  

In CMCA's service area, nearly 30,000 people (8%) are without health insurance.  Of those under age 65 and living in poverty, over 13,000 (20%) are uninsured.  Racial disparities are evident in access to health insurance coverage across CMCA's service area.  People who are uninsured are at higher risk of future health complications, are more likely to live with an unmanaged but treatable chronic condition, and are less likely to receive a diagnosis in earlier, more treatable stages of disease.  Those who are uninsured have higher mortality rates for treatable conditions such as heart infections, infections, and cancer than those who are insured.

* Data from other racial groups is surpressed due to the confidentiality risks inherent in reporting data from small numbers of people in other racial groups in several counties.

Nationally, 73.% of uninsured adults report that cost is the key barrier preventing them from obtaining health insurance coverage.  Similarly, one of the primary barriers to seeking needed medical or dental care is cost.  In CMCA's service area, 43.9% of people (with and without insurance) report delaying or not receiving needed medical care due to cost.  Likewise, 16.1% reported delaying or not receiving needed dental care for the same reason.  

Delayed treatment also increases the cost of health care services, as health conditions require more complex medical intervention - and therefore more expensive intervention - the longer they are left untreated.  When healthcare costs rise, so does the likelihood of falling into medical debt.  Medical debt is the top form of debt in collections.  Nationally, Americans face $140 billion in medical debt.  New annual medical debt has been reduced by nearly 50% for states that adopted Medicaid Expansion, compared to a 10% reduction for states that did not.

Access to health insurance has a greater economic impact, as well as an individual one.  Employees in poor health have less productivity than employees in good health.  Workers in poor health miss more days of work that those in good health due to their medical issues.  Nationally, health-related losses in productivity total $260 billion per year.  

CMCA coaches work with families to assist them in determining eligibility for and applying for public health coverage.  Coaches also help families receive training, education, and other supports they need to get and keep jobs with benefits such as health insurance.

Join CMCA in making an impact in mid-Missouri.

Sources:

1.  U.S. Census Bureau. (2021). 2019: ACS 5-Year Estimates Comparison Profiles, Tables CP03 and S2701.

2. U.S. Census Bureau. (2021). Model-Based SAHIE Estimates for Counties and States: 2018.

3.  Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. (2021). Missouri Resident County-Level Study Profile, 2016.

4. Tolbert, J. F., Orgera, K., & Damico, A. (2020, November 12). Key facts about the uninsured population. Uninsured. 

5. Increasing access benefits everyone: Health consequences of being uninsured. National Immigration Law Center. (2017, August 28). 

6. Increasing access benefits everyone: Economic consequences of being uninsured. National Immigration Law Center. (2017, August 28). 

7. Mitchell, R. J., & Bates, P. (2011). Measuring health-related productivity loss. Population Health Management, 14(2), 93–98. 

8. Kluender, R., Mahoney, N., Wong, F., & Yin, W. (2021). Medical debt in the US, 2009-2020. JAMA, 326(3), 250. 

CMCA's Healthcare Advocate Program provides assistance to low-income individuals interested in obtaining health insurance for themselves and their families.  This free service offers one-on-one enrollment assistance for the Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicaid, and Medicare.  It also offers post-enrollment assistance with using health care coverage.

Head Start provides comprehensive child development and family support services to young children and their families.  Through intensive family coaching, members can set and accomplish goals that lead to increased self-sufficiency.

BRIDGE is a unique program that brings families, schools, and communities together to strengthen outcomes for children.  The program supports social and emotional health in the family, engages teachers in activities that lead to classroom success for students, develops relationships between families and their schools, and connects a community of support to both families and their children.  Through family coaching, members receive supports to meet their family goals in order to positively impact their children's success in school.

Interested in helping CMCA make an impact on your community?  Click here to learn more.

Head Start provides comprehensive child development and family support services to prenatal women and children from birth through kindergarten entry.  Head Start is funded through grants from the Administration for Children and Families Office of Head Start.

BRIDGE extends family support services to children enrolled in kindergarten through second grade at Columbia Public Schools, Southern Boone School District, Hallsville School District, and the Centralia R-6 School District.  The BRIDGE program is funded by the Boone County Children's Services Fund.

Interested in partnering with CMCA?  Click here to find out how you can help.