September 4, 2014 — The Massachusetts Health Connector has granted $110,040 to the Fishing Partnership Support Services to help fishermen navigate the health insurance system.
The Fishing Partnership, which provides services to fishermen and their families, has offices in New Bedford, Gloucester, Scituate and Chatham.
The grant will help pay for an additional health care "navigator" to rotate among the offices to advice fishermen in need of insurance.
Fishermen are not easy to enroll in health insurance plans because they are independent workers who depend on incomes that fluctuate depending on their catch, Fishing Partnership President J.J. Bartlett said in a statement. Because their incomes fluctuate, their eligibility for subsidized programs can change each year.
Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times