Our national colleagues have been giving quite a bit of thought to this. There is a fact sheet those folks put together to help guide Extension leadership on thinking about Extension’s role in the Navigator program. Health Insurance Navigator Fact Sheet 4 30 13 It defines what a navigator is and lays out the different options for Extension systems.
Know that in Kansas there are currently several groups considering submitting a proposal to the feds to be funded as one of the navigators. Kansas will be awarded two grants, one has to go to a consortium type group. Total funding will be $600,000. That is likely not enough money to do the task so folks that extend the reach of those dollars, perhaps through train the trainer initiatives (yes, Extension) may be viable partners in these efforts.
Also useful is the J of Extension commentary published in the Oct issue by our Maryland colleague Bonnie Braun for thinking more broadly about Extension’s role in other aspects of the Affordable Care Act.
Further, you can link to this webinar, specifically the section done by my Wisconsin colleague Mary Meehan-Strub and myself on what role for Extension in all of our program, starting at hour 1:27. “Implications for UW Extension and county colleagues.”