In the United States, where the median income is $50,054, having no insurance or having incomplete insurance coverage (underinsurance) means that every illness is financially ruinous. In 2007, 62.1% of bankruptcies were due to illness or the burden of medical bills. This debt burden is also experienced by millions of individuals who have poor insurance coverage. In fact, 60% of people that have medical debt had health insurance at the time that the debt occurred.
With the roll out of the Health Insurance Marketplace on Oct 1, AMHP is partnering with the Center for Faith Based Partnerships at the Department of Health and Human Services (the Partnership Center), to take the lead on ensuring that Muslims across the United States are aware of and connected to health insurance coverage provided by the Affordable Care Act.
Health insurance coverage is a particularly critical issue in the Muslim community where according to the Pew Research Center, 20% are self-employed, 29% are under-employed and 17% are unemployed and as such would not have access to employer provided healthcare.
In order to address this issue, AMHP is looking for 6 Community Liaisons to coordinate local outreach in Muslim communities.
Location: Various: We are seeking people to conduct outreach activities in two specific geographic and demographic areas:
1. Cities that have large populations of self-employed Muslims (as these populations do not typically have access to employer provided health insurance and as such would most benefit from the Health Insurance Marketplace).
2. Programs within states that have the highest number of uninsured individuals, specifically: California, Florida and Texas.
Compensation: Stipend: $1,000; (Approximately 50 hours of work over 3 months, mostly on evenings and weekends).
Organization Description: American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP) is a national nonprofit organization which empowers Muslims in the health profession to improve the health of all Americans broadly and the health of Muslim Americans in particular. Since the organization’s founding almost a decade ago, AMHP has been at the forefront of public health and policy issues—mobilizing Muslims during the health reform debates at the start of the Obama Administration, championing community-based anti-obesity measures, and most recently, elevating the discussion
Position Description: Community Liaisons will be on the front lines of AMHP’s drive to Connect Muslims to Coverage by creating awareness in their communities of the mandates of the Affordable Care Act and on how individuals and business owners can find coverage through state and federal Health Insurance exchanges.
AMHP Community Liaisons will play a critical role in coordinating outreach efforts including, but not limited to, the following:
1. Participate in a Training Webinar (Early December).
2. Plan innovative community education and engagement activities.
3. Communicate with other grant funded program administrators.
4. Provide updates to any viral marketing and social networking efforts of the program.
Prepare a one page final report on grant activities.
Qualifications: Must have completed an undergraduate or graduate program in a health-related discipline.
Application: Submit cover letter and resume to contact@www.amhp.us
Deadline: Monday December 16, 2013.
Duration: 3 Months (Jan 6th to March 30th, 2014)
Website: For details on AMHP’s programs and partnerships, please visit the AMHP website (www.amhp.us) or access the 2012 annual report (https://www.amhp.us/AnnualReport2012.pdf)
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