The seventh Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment Period (OE7) wrapped up on December 15. Washtenaw Health Initiative outreach activities during this period included training 20 student volunteers from the University of Michigan on the Healthy Michigan Plan, the Health Insurance Marketplace, and the Affordable Care Act so they could distribute flyers and staff enrollment events across Washtenaw County. Enrollment events took place at Washtenaw Community College in Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Altogether, these events helped 87 students apply for and access needed health insurance. During this year’s enrollment period, students distributed 10,000 flyers around Washtenaw County to raise awareness. Read more.
The seventh Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment Period (OE7) took place from November 1, 2019 to December 15, 2019. WHI outreach activities during this period included training 20 student volunteers from the University of Michigan. Student volunteers were educated on the Healthy Michigan Plan, the Health Insurance Marketplace, and the Affordable Care Act to assist them in disseminating the appropriate information to individuals interested in learning more about the process of enrolling in a health insurance plan.
Volunteer activities included distributing flyers to local businesses to encourage individuals in the community to sign up for health insurance and holding enrollment events in targeted locations across Washtenaw County. In addition, the WHI distributed paid advertisements (including our AATA Bus advertisement pictured below) through Washtenaw County to help promote health insurance enrollment.
Student volunteers helped to staff enrollment events and distributed flyers to local organizations. During this year’s enrollment period, they distributed 10,000 flyers! Flyer distribution routes were organized by our Student Volunteer Coordinator, Fatu Kamara.
Strengths from this period include a robust interest among student volunteers in participating in this project, volunteer assistance with flyer distribution, and creating greater interest in health insurance enrollment. During this year’s open enrollment period, the student-focused enrollment events took place at Washtenaw Community College in Ypsilanti (10/10) and (11/7); Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti (11/20); and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor (11/20). Altogether, these enrollment events helped 87 students apply for and access health insurance.
A special thank you to the University of Michigan student volunteers that made this season a success!