Groups get $3.2 million to enroll minorities in Obamacare

Federal health officials award grants to 13 community organizations to sign up racial and ethnic minorities in health plans through online insurance marketplaces. Meanwhile, a group of South Florida hospitals raises money to help low-income patients pay their insurance premiums, and Massachusetts details plans to re-enroll 450,000 residents.

The Hill: HHS Pledges More Funds To Enroll Minorities In Obamacare
Federal health officials announced $3.2 million in new funding to help racial and ethnic minorities enroll in health coverage under ObamaCare. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of Minority Health awarded grants to 13 organizations that will help educate and encourage minority communities to sign up for health plans through the marketplaces. The grantees -; which include universities, community health centers, nonprofits and charities -; fall under the Partnership to Increase Coverage in Communities (PICC), an initiative devoted to increasing minority enrollment in health insurance (Hill, 9/11).

WBUR: How Mass. Plans To Re-Enroll 450,000 Residents In Health Insurance
All of the estimated 450,000 Massachusetts residents who get health insurance through the Health Connector or MassHealth -; some of whom have been in a confusing phase of temporary coverage this year -; will soon begin the process of applying for coverage for 2015. If the state's new health insurance website is up and running -; which the Patrick administration promises it will be -; then residents will be able to beginning applying online Nov. 15. If the website still isn't working, or using a computer isn't convenient, then you'll have to fill out a paper application (Bebinger, 9/11).

The Associated Press: Hospitals Mull Paying Patient Insurance Premiums
A group of South Florida hospitals is trying to raise $5 million to donate to a foundation that would pay one year's worth of health insurance premiums for thousands of low-income consumers who bought insurance under the Affordable Care Act. But insurance companies bristle at the idea, saying it poses a conflict of interest. It's an effort to keep consumers covered and ensure hospitals get paid for treating them, said Linda Quick, president of the South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association. It's unclear whether the program will be ready when open enrollment begins in November, but it should be ready before the enrollment period concludes in February (Kennedy, 9/11).

Related KHN coverage: Hospitals Seek To Help Consumers With Obamacare Premiums (Appleby, 8/14).