we're relaunching Connect. We want to make it simple. We want to make it accessible. Our programs are often complex on getting to them. Getting through them sometimes contain a while. So this is mobile enabled. It is intuitive. And we hope it will be simple for folks to be able to come toe one place and get services and find services. So we have a lot of people to think we had technology experts that helped us kind of navigate all of the various I T pieces that are always so difficult. Ah, sisters who helped us test this and make sure that it made sense in the field as well as then. Some of the community partners that we have here today, Um, Kentucky United Way. Kevin Milton. Thank you. And thank you for your partnership. I'm gonna go into that a little more as we go on. Uh, the Kentucky Primary Care Association. Carol Atkins is with us. The Kentucky Mental Health Coalition. Sheila Schuster. Thank you for your tremendous partnership with us. Kentucky Voices for Health. Emily Beauregard. Thank you. A z Well, as, um David. All good with the Centers for Accessible Living. I really appreciate you being here, David. Thank you. And and we have a couple of commissioners. We have commissioner leave from Medicaid. We have Commissioner Martin Miranda Straw from Department of Community based Services on a couple of other folks from the Cabinet who are here because this is really a great day. So connect is the gateway to three different types of resources. First, you heard the governor talk about health care coverage. So this is the way that you can get into Medicaid, apply for Medicaid, apply for the presumptive eligibility that we've been talking about K chip because Children do better when they have health care coverage and receive health care. There is no question about that on it also gets you to what is now the exchange on the federal, based on the federal based state exchange based on the federal hub. That's where we are today. Next year we hope to bring back the state based exchange, and this will be your way to connect through that, too. Second, there is the benefits hug, and this is something again. We talked about a little bit of a change on the health care side that will come up in the next year. There'll be some changes here, too, but right now it's your gateway into snap to get those benefits to get K tap, which is emergency financial assistance and see, Captain, we've talked a lot about the importance of child care and how important that is for people to be able to go back to work. This is the way to access those programs we hope in the next year to bring MAWR programs on with the Cabinet. Uh, wick is one in particular. So as we work through these programs, we will try to bring them into this portal so that you can have one access to the services of the Cabinet. Third is the resource engine. I'm really excited about this one. This as I said, United Way of Kentucky has been a tremendous partner. Kevin again, Thank you. We have been talking about expanding to 112 all 120 counties, I think, for 10 years. This is an opportunity that we are using to make that expansion. Within the next few months, we will have coverage of all 120 counties of 211 This is a great partnership This is where you can go to find local resources all across the commonwealth, no matter where you are in the Commonwealth. As this rolls out today, the central region and northern regions of the bluegrass have the 211 coverage that will be loaded into the resource engine. We will ADM. Or Southern Bluegrass Louisville will be added to this so that within the next again a few months, we hope to have all 120 counties coverage so that you will be able to find your local resources, those folks locally in your community that will make a difference in your life if you need that assistance. Because I want to say if there's one thing we've learned through this whole co vid experience is that whatever happens to one of us in our community happens to us all. And when we are living to our better natures, we are here to support each other, and this is a way that we could do that. So I'm very excited for this day. I like the connect label, those of you who remember the Ben Efi and roll out No, that that wasn't as good. So again this is this is marketing this in a different way and marketing this in a way that we believe is going to be successful, that we're gonna be able to build upon and make a difference now? Some of these changes were started in the previous administration. Some of these changes around the self service portal some of these changes around the resource is we are building on success and we plan to build on success. And we want to continue to be successful. Next up is the deputy secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Carry ban hand. Kerry has over 30 years of experience in state government and in the Cabinet for health and family services, just like I do. And she's back for the same reason I am. She's back because she wants to make a difference in the lives of Kentucky INS. She's back because she knows the programs that the Cabinet for Health and Family services can make us a better Kentucky. So, Carrie, thank you for joining me back again. And I welcome you up here to the podium. Thank you, Secretary Freelander. I'm very excited today about the expansion of connect So, uh, do we have the Okay? Okay, so the heart of connect is the web portal. We want people to get in line and not online to apply for benefits. The website has been redesigned and has a new look and feel for increased access and will be easier to use the website. It's mobile friendly. You can use a smartphone or tablet to apply for benefits. With the new website, you'll be able to apply for health care coverage, snap or child care benefits, access, help tools, track progress of an application and view next steps. Snap photos of documents and upload them to your application with a smartphone or tablet. And see other programs for which you may be eligible for by using our pre screening tool. And you can also find the closest department for community based services office in your county. So this is the Connect landing page, and it was designed to synergize with the original Connect application, and it's brand recognition. It provides a platform. Can we scroll down a little? The next is so this is the bottom of the landing page. It provides for a platform for connect benefits connect resource is and connect health coverage. Next slide. If you click on the Connects benefits screen, you'll actually land on our Connect Benefits landing page, where you can use the pre screening tool and the purple. Or you can apply for benefits or find out about other programs that are available. Next slot. The relaunch of Connect means reconnecting with a well received, unforgettable brand. Kentucky INS will be familiar with the distinctive look. It features Kentucky ins from all walks of life. The advertising campaign will begin on August 12th, and it will reach all 120 counties. Let's show the TV commercial. It's a new day in Kentucky again, because the name that came to mean better health for families all across the Commonwealth is back, and it's even better than you remember. That's right. Connect has returned to bring quality affordable health coverage to families and individuals all across the state. But now there's even more to connect. Our new and improved website is designed to be your one stop shop for a whole range of benefits and resource is all designed to keep your family safe, healthy and happy way. No times air challenging right now. And a lot of people need help who never thought they would. And that's exactly why connect is back toe Help ensure better health and a better quality of life for every Kentucky in because we're all in this together. So visit us online to get the help you need. Thanks to connect. Things are looking up. Connect together for a better Kentucky. Thank you. Don't you all love the balloons? I love the blues. Way resurrected them, I think, from our our first campaign. All right, so we have some additional slides here. Uh, you might see some of these on billboards or on social media, thes air. Some additional advertisements loved to connect us back, and we brought back up next slide, and it's time to reconnect. Connect together for a better Kentucky. All right, so thank you. So, governor, we're ready for some questions, All right? I think on questions we'll do this old school for whoever has them, and then we'll go back this afternoon to the way we do things at at four. Works. Yes. How does this work? So the question is What about what? What is this? Versus what we're launching? Uh, next year. And does this replace Ben Efi? That answer is yes. On the benefiting. What? What we're launching next year is a state based health care health insurance exchange pulling it back from the federal. But connect was more than just that exchange piece. And this is going thio set up one location where right now you can get on what we call the federal exchange that we have A you know, a state version of it. But you can also get assistance for so many other things, and I think it's taking some of the best parts have been a find on improving upon them. It's definitely, um uh, not what connect was when it was first launched. And it's more than what Ben ified was as well. I think that this is just the next step in getting people in easy tool to get health care to get food assistance. Uh, and and so many other things Substance abuse disorder. Assistance connect is kind of the way that we're gonna wrap our arms around Kentucky and and let him know that we're here to help a massive undertaking to get all this IittIe stuff to put this in order. But you have this ready to roll out. How come we can't do the same thing with unemployment? The question is with what we're rolling out here, Andi, how efficient it is. I'd also like to point out the pandemic. Medicaid has worked incredibly well during this, Um uh, Pandemic, E B T, food assistance and others. We have had challenges with unemployment. On the challenge is that Ben efi and as it was left to us had issues but was certainly in a better place. Uh, than especially the i t infrastructure in unemployment that we had a healthy cabinet. Um, that had the resource is to go about putting this together on. And the other thing is the When, when they approached me on this, I always wanted to make sure we got back to a state based exchange. I wanted to make sure that we were providing better help for people. I never imagined they will be called connect again. But they showed me the brand awareness that's out there that people already connect, uh, to connect and what it's for and how that had persistent. Over the 4.5 years when when way no longer had connect. So we're excited about this, Okay? Yeah, right. The questions on open enrollment. I wanna make sure we get it fully right. So Miss Van Han, right? Oh, right. Come on up. So from the health coverage blown on the landing page, individuals will be able to click on, uh, Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange offering qualified health plans. That takes you to the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange page. And there's a, I guess, the tile there where you can access the federal exchange and apply for qualified health plans. I'm not used to this. You all our profession? Yes, we're when we think about what Connect is today, it is an exciting improvement on a foundation that was laid by the last two governors in in different ways. But the future, I think, is even brighter with the structure that we set up. Now, as we have the new M C o contracts, once they go into effect, we've got a lot of opportunities with them. And with a state run exchange starting next year, toe also create a transition for people to go from Medicaid or expanded Medicaid into work. But to be able to stay with the same provider, see the same doctors? Um, it's a really opportunity to streamline, but it could be a really complicated health care system on not create or not address disincentive sometimes, uh, for taking that next step. Yes, ma'am. Okay, a lot seeing commercial. And it seems like this bear towards my nobody's about getting health coverage. E was wondering, how did that this? I think the question is, and judge any common parent is appointed cream court. Do you have any concern about the Affordable Care Act? Two questions. The first one is about our program to address, uh, disparities. Racial disparities in health care coverage. That is an active program that we are running right now. We're gonna have a report on it later this week. It is already exceeded expectations. Uh, but it's it's based on, um, the value that everybody everybody should have Health care coverage. It's a basic human right, And what we see in a time of cove it is, um, primarily are are black and African American Kentucky and have been deprived of equity when it comes to that basic human right of health care. And we're trying during Cove it, especially when we see the disparity and deaths to address it as quickly as we can. Um, it will work together in the way that you can sign up here, but but we are separately running that, um, you call it a campaign, that effort toe to sign people up, and it's it's been ongoing thus far. It's been really successful. We're looking forward to a nup date later this week. Uh, if second question is, if the new nominee becomes a Supreme Court justice, do I worry about the Affordable Care Act being overturned? Overturning the Affordable Care Act would be devastating to the people of America. You think about everybody out there with pre existing conditions. It would allow people to be kicked off their current coverage simply for having a pre existing condition. We all have a pre existing condition. We just don't know it yet with with some of us, uh, it would allow discrimination against women and and seniors again, which the Affordable Care Act banned. It would, um, reopen that doughnut hole for seniors where they would have to pay thousands of dollars more for prescription drugs. It would eliminate expanded Medicaid Oh, my goodness. Hundreds of thousands of Kentucky and just completely without coverage that has saved lives during this pandemic. And you see other states some people might call them red States that when it goes on the ballot, overwhelmingly approve of expanded Medicaid eso it would undo a system that I believe is supported by the vast majority of Kentucky. And, uh, even if even if you have to get into some of the specifics to see that, do I worry about what the Supreme Court made decide? I believe that if they look at it from a legal perspective, that the underlying decisions have multiple problems, including they decided MAWR than was actually in front of the court, and that should require the Supreme Court ultimately vacate, um, that problematic ruling and in the very least, send it back to the to the District Court. And I hope that they will look at it as legal scholars and not as conservative or or liberal jurists. Anybody else you see just to be clear hands happens to everything that you guys have going on here in Kentucky. But if the affordable care act is overturned, we and every other state will lose expanded Medicaid. And so those will be hundreds of thousands of Kentucky ins that suddenly have no health care coverage at all. I do not believe it will directly dismantle the exchanges, and so most of what is on connect will continue. But we will have to do a lot of things here in this state. We'll have to pass state laws, which I've been pushing, uh, banning insurance companies from kicking people off of coverage for preexisting condition. We'll have to outlaw discrimination in healthcare coverage, which it is amazing that we would actually have to do that and that it it's not upheld. We'd have to take a lot of other steps on coverage and affordability. They're gonna be incredibly hard without the federal support inside the Affordable Care Act. You know, now that the individual mandate, which was the most objected to part of it, um, by by some Americans has been removed. What's really leftist things that just about everybody agrees on, and so it's certainly my hope that they will uphold it. While what we're talking about today will remain primarily in place, it'll it will severely harm our people in terms of health care. Your administration? Yeah, Joining girls are challenging. So in the litigation on the Affordable Care Act, I filed that as attorney general on we transferred the party. That's an issue to To to the governor representing Kentucky. We saw that happen in the last administration where I would file certain things. Um, I'm not sure, though, that Attorney General Cameron has joined in one way or another, I'd have to look at that. But it was important for me to stand up for Kentucky. And, uh, when I was attorney general, I got involved in very few. You know, of these national level lawsuits where you see attorneys general from from both sides, But that's one that's so important for our people. I said, the two, the two things that hold us back the two primary challenges that we've got overcome in Kentucky are the health and the education of our people. And let's not, um, let's not set ourselves back. All right, thank you all very much. A bright, bright day for the people of Kentucky