Thousands of high school students in the Los Angeles Unified School
District (LAUSD), including those who scored below average on their
eighth grade reading and math tests, will soon be encouraged to learn
how to sell Obamacare to their families under a $43 million federal
grant.
California was the first state in the nation to create a health benefit
exchange to comply with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act. The health care exchange, known as Covered California, will
receive $43 million of federal funding.
Of that amount, $37 million will be given to 48 organizations for
outreach and education programs, including a $990,000 grant to LAUSD to
produce “teens trained to be messengers to family members” about
Obamacare.
Details of the LAUSD grant include “outreach calls” to families and
“adult-student class presentations.” (See Outreeach and Education Grant
Program.pdf)
“The goal of the grant program is to increase awareness about the new
benefits, to educate targeted audiences about the subsidy programs
available to them and to motivate consumers and small businesses to be
part of obtaining health insurance,” said a May 14 Covered California
press release. (See Covered California.pdf)
“2,500 juniors and seniors, all volunteers, will be trained to share
information about Covered California Health Plans with relatives and
neighbors that are part of the population eligible to enroll. These
student helpers also have expressed interest in health careers. Many
come from homes of limited English speakers, including Spanish,
Mandarin, Korean and Armenian. Teenage helpers speak approximately 30
different languages. Bilingual students help bridge the communications
gap,” Covered California officer Larry Hicks told CNSnews.com.
Hicks said the voluntary after-school program hopes to attract 2,500
students between 16 and 18 years of age over a three-semester time
period. The number will only reflect about 3.4 percent of all 11th and
12th grade students in the LAUSD, he added.
But LAUSD already has its hands full teaching basic reading and math
to students attending its 900 schools and 187 public charter schools
read more at cns news
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