As the Affordable Care Act’s coverage provisions have taken effect, 17.6 million Americans have gained coverage, and, since 2010, we’ve reduced the uninsured rate in this country by 45 percent. For African Americans, more than 500,000 young adults between the ages of 19 and 26 who would have been uninsured now have coverage under their parents’ plan adding to the total of 2.3 million African Americans (ages 18-64) who have gained health insurance coverage, lowering the uninsured rate among African Americans by 6.8 percentage points.
Even with these major strides, too many African-Americans remain uninsured. We must work together to spread the word about new coverage options. This includes working with the states that have yet to expand Medicaid to get as many people covered as possible. To accomplish this, the White House Office of Public Engagement (WHOPE), White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (WHIHBCU), U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Enroll America (EA) would like to invite the collegiate and graduate members chapters Nation Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) in collaboration with White House Initiative HBCU All-Stars to participate in the HBCU Phone-A-Thon Call to Action.
HBCU Phone-A-Thon Call to Action
The HBCU Phone-A-Thon Call to Action is to engage student leaders, partner Greek organizations, and university/ college officials to work with Enroll America to convene a 4-hour phone bank event between the weeks of January 16th-30th on their campuses (or appropriate venue) to compete for a chance to win a video or phone call from a White House VIP surrogate.
This challenge will work as a component of the White House’s “Healthy Communities Challenge” which seeks to engage key communities with high percentages of uninsured in states across the country.
HBCU Phone-A-Thon Call to Action is a national campaign that seeks to achieve the following goals:
- Raise awareness in targeted HBCU and surrounding communities about the ACA marketplace, preventive service benefits, enrollment deadlines and coverage options
- Mobilize local partners, students and volunteers to make chase calls to the uninsured in their communities to remind and encourage marketplace and Medicaid* enrollment.
- The campus that makes the greatest number of calls during the scheduled 4-hour event will be deemed the winner of the challenge.
To Participate:
Reach out to your local Enroll America Office to begin logistics process. Leaders from your local Enroll America Office will work with leaders to organize logistics, support in volunteer recruitment and training, and provide lists of known uninsured community residents.
Enroll America is the nation’s leading health care enrollment coalition. An independent nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, Enroll America works with more than 4,600 partners in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to create cutting-edge tools, analyze data, inform policy, and share best practices in service of its mission: maximizing the number of Americans who enroll in and retain health coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
Suggested Participants
- College Students
- Young Professionals
- Sororities
- Fraternities
- Local community partners
- Elected officials
- College/University administrators and leaders
Target HBCU All-Star Colleges and Universities (not limited to):
- Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL
- Florida Memorial University, Miami Gardens, FL
- Bethune Cookman University, Daytona Beach, FL
- Spelman College, Atlanta, GA
- Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA
- Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA
- Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA
- Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA
- Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC
- Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN
- Fisk University, Nashville, TN
