Maine Consumer Action Project (MCAP)

A Project of Consumers for Affordable Health Care Foundation
Funded by the Center for Health Care Strategies

The goal of this project is to recruit and train 20 Consumer Health Advocates from five different localities*, to serve as community leaders and liaisons for MCAP. The intent is to formalize the role of consumers in improving access to and the quality of care they receive under managed care in both Medicaid and Cub Care.

Phase I

Recruit consumers to train as Consumer Health Advocates. These individuals would serve as community leaders and liaisons for MCAP.
Characteristics of Potential Advocates:
· They or their children are enrolled in Medicaid or Cub Care.
· They have the ability to get others interested in activities
· They are trusted by others in their community

Phase II

We will hold as series of trainings for the advocates on skills such as
· Understanding rights under managed care
· Community organizing
· Developing leadership abilities and skills
· Advocating for oneself and others
· How to use the media
· How policies are developed and changed
· Demystifying data

Phase III

Consumers for Affordable Health Care Foundation will work with this core group of advocates to:
· Create consumer-friendly materials (i.e. a guidebook on enrollee rights in Medicaid managed care)
· Conduct meetings to gather and disseminate information to other consumers
· Compile the information gathered and present it to policy makers
· Develop links to consumers/communities for MCAP initiatives in the future

Call Lisa Webber 622-7083 or 1-800-838-0388 or email lwebber@mainecahc.org

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