The Cover Arizona Coalition was formed when St. Luke’s Health Initiatives and highly experienced outreach partners convened a small group to think through the best way to achieve dramatic health coverage improvements during the first year of the Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicaid expansion. Today, the coalition includes more than 600 non-partisan, non-profit organizational members focused on helping each other and helping Arizonans find the health coverage they need to be access the right care in the right place at the right time.
The coalition’s work was extensive. In FY2014, the coalition and its members produced materials ranging from neighborhood door-hangers to 30-second television advertising, as well as hundreds of enrollment events. From press conferences to phone banks, from media appearances to neighborhood canvassing, the coalition came together to raise awareness and drive action. SLHI and the coalition also built coveraz.org, a website recognized nationally as a hub for navigator and assister resources.
The results speak for themselves. By July, more than four times the population of Flagstaff had been enrolled into coverage either through AHCCCS (Arizona’s Medicaid system) or the Health Insurance Marketplace. In spite of ranking 48th in terms of federal support dollars for enrollment, Arizona ranked 29th in the percentage of total population enrolled by April 2014.
Our infographic summary adds more insight.
Also, check out our video on the subject of the coalition’s first year.