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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
February 20, 2014 Camila Gallardo
(305) 215-4259
cgallardo@nclr.org
Ricky Garza
(202) 776-1732
rgarza@nclr.org
As March deadline nears, efforts to enroll Latinos ramp up
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) in collaboration with its affiliates―the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) and La Clínica del Pueblo― joined forces to host Latino community members at a forum aimed at promoting enrollment in the new health insurance plans available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Health experts from NCLR, the Centers for Medicare and Medical services (CMS), and Navigators from La Clínica del Pueblo helped walk participants through the enrollment process and provided an overview of benefits available under ACA, including the now-free health screenings for chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease that are more prevalent among Latinos in the U.S. During the event, certified Navigators answered questions to potential enrollees about options available and their specific cases.
The enrollment period ends March 31st; those who have not yet signed onto an insurance plan by the March deadline will have to wait until open enrollment begins again in September. There are 10.2 million Latinos who are eligible for coverage under the ACA.
“As we celebrate ACA Latino Week of Action, we want to encourage young Latinos in our community to serve as important conduits of information to their families and to actively provide assistance by helping to guide those who might be intimidated by the online enrollment process. As the most uninsured group in the nation, we want to encourage Latinos to take full advantage of the resources and assistance at their disposal to be able to make an informed and timely decision about their family’s future healthcare,” said Alejandra Gepp, Associate Director, Institute for Hispanic Health, NCLR.
The Latin American Youth Center which served as host to the event works to empower a diverse population of youth to achieve a successful transition to adulthood. “It is critical that our youth and their families in the DC Metropolitan region understand and enroll in the Affordable Care Act. I appreciate all that NCLR has done, and is doing, to bring the information to our Latino communities all over the country. Many of our youth are young parents, not living with a family member and aging out of foster care while others serve as interpreters for their immigrant parents. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to host NCLR at LAYC to help our young people get covered under the Affordable Care Act,” said Lori Kaplan, President and CEO of LAYC.
For 45 years, LAYC, a member of the NCLR Affiliate Network, has been committed to transforming the lives of low-income young people and their families. Its mission is to empower a diverse population of youth to achieve a successful transition to adulthood, through multi-cultural, comprehensive and innovative programs that address youths' social, academic and career needs. LAYC offers multi-service, comprehensive and bilingual enrichment, prevention and intervention programs and opportunities in education, workforce readiness, housing, community building, mental health services, arts and healthy recreation to over 4,000 individuals each year.
La Clínica del Pueblo, also a member of the NCLR Affiliate Network, is a non-profit, federally qualified health center that serves the Latino and immigrant populations of the Washington, DC metro area. Its goal is to provide culturally appropriate health services to persons in the Latino community regardless of their ability to pay. La Clínica del Pueblo offers patient services, mental health and substance abuse services, interpreter services and community health action.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
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