Assessing the role of state and local public health in outreach and enrollment for expanded coverage: seven case studies from local and state health departments

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) laid the groundwork for a substantial increase in the number of people who have access to health insurance through Medicaid expansion or health insurance marketplaces. This report summarizes seven case studies — Eagle, Garfield, and Pitkin counties, Colorado; Tacoma-Pierce County, Washington; New Orleans, Louisiana; Boston, Massachusetts; West Virginia; Houston, Texas; and Illinois — that leverage local health department (LHD) efforts in ACA outreach and enrollment to facilitate knowledge transfer to other geographic regions. Potential LHD roles include serving as a coordinator for community activities, being a trusted source of health care information for consumers, and leveraging relationships with community partners to increase capacity for outreach and enrollment. Also, the case studies provide guidance and insight into the current role of LHDs, and help redefine that role in the future, as states continue to enroll residents in health insurance coverage