Introduction to Crenshaw Health Partners Inc. (CHPI)

by: Margo Thomas

Crenshaw Health Partners Inc (CHPI) became an established 501(c)3 community-based nonprofit corporation in 2019. While under the fiscal sponsorship of Los Angeles Third Church of Spirituality (LA3rd) from 2013-2019, we were known as Crenshaw Health Partners.  Our separation from LA3rd became effective 7/1/2019.

CHPI has been and continues to be known as a Certified Enrollment Entity within Covered California’s Navigator Program, which is a nationally mandated and funded program of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.  In California, Obamacare is called Covered California (CC), which has dozens of Navigators throughout the State.  

CHPI, like most organizations, businesses and individuals, found 2020 to be a year of extreme adjustments and losses.  And we’re still here!  We continue to advocate for the elimination of health disparities and inequities, mothers, babies, families, health literacy and more particularly within the underserved communities.  More about health literacy another time…

CHPI works to ensure that we’re in compliance with this state funded program while its required operations also works within our mission, which is to improve health literacy, promote health, provide information, education and access to quality health-related resources.  

Located in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza on the second floor near the former Sears location, CHPI has a storefront with the title, CRENSHAW HEALTH PARTNERS ENROLLMENT CENTER, above its double doors.  Our windows are covered with photos of happy, multi-racial families. 

With the assistance of the AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA), signed into law in March 2021, Covered California (CC) has negotiated for lower rates with major healthcare insurance providers who have agreed to participate in providing premium assistance for affordable healthcare to those 64 years of age and younger, individuals and families.

The advantage of the ARPA for consumers within the Southern California area is that the opportunity to receive a subsidy through CC healthcare coverage has greatly increased particularly if:

• You didn’t get healthcare coverage because you couldn’t afford it.  As of 2020, the penalty has been reinstalled.  The income levels have changed according to the recent changes within the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). To see if you qualify for a higher subsidy than previously offered, call us (CHPI) at 800-957-4551.
• You have insurance and you’re paying 8.5% or more of your income for employer-based insurance, which is considered to be off-exchange; if you enroll with CC healthcare providers, i.e., Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Health Net, Kaiser, LA Care, Molina, Oscar, your health coverage becomes on-exchange and you’ll receive a lower rate through the end of 2022. To see the lower rates you’d pay when your healthcare coverage is on-exchange, let CHPI navigate that process for you at no charge. Call us at 800-957-4551.

CHPI has courteous and professional Certified Enrollment Counselors (CECs) who are trained to provide free assistance to individuals who seek healthcare coverage for themselves and their families.  Explaining and assisting with the enrollment process, CECs gather personal information, aid in the shop and compare tool, direct you through the process of selecting a primary care physician and more.  English and Spanish-speaking CECs are available to assist.

The current hours of Crenshaw Health Partners Enrollment Center have been temporarily reduced to
Monday – Friday, 12:pm-4:pm;
Saturday, 1pm-5pm; closed Sundays.  
Walk-ins are welcome if they’re wearing a mask.  Call us at 800-957-4551 to:

• See if you qualify for premium assistance and the amount of that subsidy;
• Enroll by phone;
• Make an appointment

If there is no answer when you call, please leave a message that includes your name and phone number and we will return your call within 24 hours of our working hours.  

You can also visit our website, www.crenshawhealthpartners.org  and click on Contact Info button and leave your name, email, phone number.  We’d like to keep you informed of the launch of our Healthy Options Program (H.O.P.).  We hope and want you to enjoy garnering beneficial information that values your health with other community members…stay tuned!