Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28) announced that MHP Salud, has been awarded over $626,180 in federal Navigator grants from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to serve Hidalgo and Starr Counties and the Rio Grande Valley. Navigators provide in-person assistance to Texans with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance Marketplace, including as they shop for and enroll in plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace. 

MHP Salud has been awarded $626,180 from HHS to help improve the health in farmworker and border communities in the Rio Grande Valley, including Starr and Hidalgo counties. MHP Salud will work to insure residents in the area, targeting families with children, legal immigrants, individuals who lack English proficiency, the disabled and young adults.

“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 MHP Salud has received this award to help residents in Starr and Hidalgo counties get the health insurance they need.”

"The Navigator team at MHP Salud was elated to hear that our organization was refunded to continue offering in-person enrollment assistance and education to our community in the Rio Grande Valley. The Navigator team did so much work last year helping people complete eligibility applications and enrolling them into Qualified Health Plans; many for the first time in their lives,” said MHP Salud Navigator Program Director Cliff Clark. “However, the need continues to be great, and we're honored to have been selected to continue providing this service to our community, which has a tremendous positive impact on our health."

"The Navigator team at MHP Salud will have six Navigators and two Program Coordinators, who are also certified Navigators to assist the people of our community on November 15th when open enrollment begins. The Navigator team at MHP Salud serves Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties," Clark added.

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.