Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 5-13-22

Feature
Family Healthcare Foundation Helps Clients Navigate System
BY MONIQUE STAMPS Sentinel Staff Writer
The Family Healthcare Foundation was created to en- sure healthcare security for citizens of the Tampa Bay Area.
The foundation offers guides, called Healthcare Navigators, to assist clients in the healthcare enrollment process. The Navigators offer many services, including im- proving healthcare literacy, collaborating with community
partners to support collective knowledge. The navigators are the product of partnering with the University of South Florida College of Public Health.
The purpose is to increase equitable access to high-qual- ity healthcare and reduce health disparities in Hillsbor- ough, Pinellas, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Adult clients can receive assistance with the Healthcare Marketplace, Medicare/Med- icaid, and Hillsborough
County Health plan.
For children, the naviga-
tors will help parents/guardians with Florida KidCare, the program that covers children with Medicaid, MediKids, Florida Healthy Kids, and Children’s Medical Services (CMS.)
The Foundation’s Direc- tor, Katie Roders Turner, states that for over 25 years, the Family Healthcare Foun- dation has aided the commu- nity in finding medical coverage for everyone. “We do not just help during Open En- rollment. If you have a status change, change in income, had a baby, lost a job, our Healthcare Navigators are prepared to help clients find the right plan for them.”
She continued, “We know that the Black community
often has barriers to good healthcare. Our navigators will address those barriers, whether it is knowledge or practical knowledge. We are committed to better health care options for the Black community.”
There are no restrictions on income or status to get help from the foundation. Some programs may have re-
strictions, but the navigators have wide access to many dif- ferent plans.
Visit their website at: https://familyhealthcarefdn.o rg or call 813-995-7005. There are several locations where clients meet with navigators. The foundation has navigators who speak English, Spanish, Creole, and Portuguese.
PAGE 8-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022