Consumer Assistance Program (CAP Grants)
The Consumer Assistance Program Grants (CAP Grants) provide the resources necessary to help educate and provide accurate information to consumers who are making difficult health care decisions.
CAP Grants to States and Territories
The CAP Grants program has provided nearly $60 million in new resources to help states and territories establish or strengthen consumer assistance programs. These programs will empower consumers by providing direct services to answer health insurance questions.
All states were eligible to apply for these grants, which have helped expand consumer assistance efforts on the state level, including:
- Helping consumers enroll in health coverage
- Helping consumers file complaints and appeals against health plans
- Helping consumers obtain premium tax credits through Marketplaces
- Educating consumers about their rights and empowering them to take action
- Tracking consumer complaints to help identify problems and strengthen enforcement
Eligible applicants could include state insurance departments, state attorneys general offices, independent state consumer assistance agencies, or other state agencies. States were also permitted to partner with non-profit organizations that have a track record of working with consumers.
Additional Resources
Updates
- March 5, 2020 Information Related to COVID–19 Individual and Small Group Market Insurance Coverage
- March 12, 2020 FAQs on Essential Health Benefits Coverage and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- March 18, 2020 FAQs on Catastrophic Plan Coverage and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- March 24, 2020 FAQs on Availability and Usage of Telehealth Services through Private Health Insurance Coverage in Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- March 24, 2020 Payment and Grace Period Flexibilities Associated with the COVID-19 National Emergency
- March 24, 2020 FAQs on Prescription Drugs and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for Issuers Offering Health Insurance Coverage in the Individual and Small Group Markets
- April 11, 2020 FAQs about Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Implementation
*This document was updated on April 15, 2020, to correct an error in footnote 10 regarding the current end date of the public health emergency related to COVID 19. - April 13, 2020 Postponement of 2019 Benefit Year HHS-operated Risk Adjustment Data Validation (HHS-RADV)