Eastern Michigan University professor Tsu-Yin Wu received a grant from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to improve health insurance disparities among racial and minority groups
The award will help underserved communities Michigan with health coverage
YPSILANTI, Mich., December 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Eastern Michigan University professor Tsu-Yin-Wu has received a Navigator Cooperative Agreement from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for almost $800,000. The funding will help Wu lead a broad effort to help uninsured and other underserved communities in Calhoun, Kent, Macomb, Oakland Y wayne counties in Michigan.
Eastern Michigan University professor Tsu-Yin-Wu received a grant from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Wu, a professor of nursing at Eastern College of Health and Human Services, will serve as a CMS navigator in a cooperative agreement with the Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM). Navigators help consumers prepare applications to establish eligibility, enroll in coverage, and qualify for insurance affordability programs.
Navigators are funded through federal grants and must complete full federal navigator training, criminal background checks, and state training and registration (where applicable) before assisting consumers. Wu will also be involved in connecting communities that have historically experienced lower access to health coverage and more significant disparities in health outcomes regarding health coverage.
The 2021-2024 Navigator Cooperative Agreement Awards were given to organizations for a 36-month performance period, extending until August 26, 2024. The prize totals $794,730 annually for three years and is the only grant of its kind to a university in Michigan this year.
As a navigation awardee, Wu’s bilingual navigation team has been and continues to assist any consumer who seeks assistance, even if that consumer is not a member of the community or group that the awardee indicated in their application to be targeted. Organizations under contract with the awardee to provide navigation features include:
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Community and religious organizations (churches, temples, mosques, etc.)
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Small companies
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Systems of health
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Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission
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Community centers (i.e., the Chinese Community Center in madison heightsFilipino American Community Center Michiganand the Korean American Cultural Center in Southfield)
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Michigan Asian Pacific American Legislative Caucus
Navigators are essential for connecting communities that have historically experienced lower access to health coverage and more significant disparities in health outcomes with respect to health coverage. Wu will assist underserved groups, including racial and minority American and Asian Pacific refugee groups, pregnant women, new mothers, women with children, and low-income and Medicaid-eligible consumers who are not enrolled in coverage despite being eligible for Medicaid.
“It has been a pleasure representing Eastern Michigan University and contribution to help underserved communities get the medical care and assistance they need,” Wu said. “The process of getting the funds was not easy, but helping many families in need will be much easier,” he added.
As part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Navigator national cooperative agreement, first established in 2021, more than $98 million it will be awarded this year to consumer-focused nonprofit and community organizations, faith-based organizations, hospitals, trade and professional associations, and tribes or tribal organizations. Eastern is one of 59 boaters’ organizations across the country.
For more information on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Navigator Cooperative Agreement, please email twu@emich.edu. For information on health insurance, visit Michigan.gov/health insurance or contact DIFS at 877-999-6442, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral, and certificate studies in arts, sciences, and professions. In all, more than 300 specializations, minors, and concentrations are taught through the University’s Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Deal; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and his graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity and commitment to applied education. Visit the University rankings Y points of pride websites for more information. For more information on Eastern Michigan Universityvisit the university website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit emu today.
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