Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28) announced that South Texas Development Council has been awarded over $233,000 in federal Navigator grants from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to serve Webb, Zapata, La Salle counties and other areas. Navigators provide in-person assistance to Texans with the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplace, including as they shop for and enroll in plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace. 

The South Texas Development Council has been awarded $233,550 in federal funding in order to help residents in Webb, Zapata and La Salle counties enroll in affordable health insurance. The organization will target families with children, legal immigrants, individuals who lack English proficiency, the disabled and young adults.

The United Way of Metropolitan Tarrant County was awarded $4.6 million from HHS for the navigator program was the state and apportioned $233,550 to South Texas Development Council. 

“When families have access to healthcare, small health issues can be treated inexpensively before they turn into medical crises and local taxpayer dollars are saved.  In counties that have a large number of uninsured people health care, like the ones I represent, costs have been historically very high,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar. “Access to quality and affordable health care continues to be one of my top priorities and I am pleased that South Texas Development Council has received this award to help residents in Webb, Zapata, and La Salle counties get the health insurance they need.”

“This being our second year of administering the program, we certainly recognize the tremendous challenges which we face in providing this much needed service to a 13 county region. Our mission is to educate our citizens on the health care coverages available to them through the Affordable Care Act,” said Robert Mendiola, executive director for the South Texas Development Council.

During the open enrollment period in 2013 and 2014, the Office of Congressman Henry Cuellar hosted workshops across the 28^th District of Texas to help constituents learn more about their options under the new health insurance marketplace.  For more information on these workshops and the Congressman’s other work on behalf of access to healthcare, please visit here.