RALEIGH · April 13, 2025 – NC Governor Josh Stein has declared April 12-18, 2026, as Enrollment Assister Appreciation Week, honoring the invaluable work of Navigators and Certified Application Counselors who help North Carolinians access quality, affordable health coverage through Medicaid and HealthCare.gov, and other public benefit programs.
Governor Stein’s official proclamation highlights the critical role Enrollment Assisters play in connecting North Carolina residents to care, particularly in the wake of recent Medicaid and HealthCare.gov policy changes, and Medicaid Expansion. Since North Carolina expanded Medicaid on December 1, 2023, more than 720,000 people have enrolled, far exceeding projections, and Enrollment Assisters have been on the front lines of this historic effort.
“Enrollment Assisters play a critical role in ensuring North Carolinians stay healthy,” said NC Governor Josh Stein. “Because of [Enrollment Assister’s] dedication and compassion, people are better equipped to access care. [They] help folks across our state manage their health proactively, before small concerns become serious medical issues.”
Enrollment Assisters conduct vital outreach and education, providing free, unbiased support to individuals and families navigating the Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicaid, and other public benefits like SNAP, WIC, and energy assistance programs. Their work has helped North Carolina consistently rank third in the nation among states using the Federally-Facilitated HealthCare.gov Marketplace.
Governor Stein’s proclamation commends these frontline champions, noting that their work directly contributes to the health and well-being of more than 3 million North Carolinians who now benefit from Medicaid, including children, older adults, people with disabilities, and working families.
The NC Navigator Consortium encourages all North Carolinians to recognize and thank the Enrollment Assisters in their communities during this week of appreciation.
Learn more about how to connect with an Enrollment Assister: NCNavigator.org.
ABOUT
Started in 2014, the NC Navigator Consortium is the only federally funded Navigator entity
in the state that serves all 100 counties across North Carolina. Learn more at ncnavigator.org, and
follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Members of the Consortium are Access East,
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Kintegra Health, NC Field and Pisgah Legal Services. The
Consortium is led by Legal Aid of North Carolina.