FERNDALE – ACCESS' Affordable Care Act healthcare enrollment navigators will answer questions and schedule appointments for in-person assistance March 1, from noon to 4 p.m. at Just4Us in Ferndale. All services are open to the public.
ACCESS will also host a group enrollment session at ConnectMe March 6 from 5 to 9 p.m. where laptops and in-person assistance will be provided for enrollment in a health insurance plan.
"We want to get as many people enrolled as possible before the March 31 enrollment deadline," said David Posner, ACCESS' supervisor of infectious disease programs.
The events are tailored to individuals who are good with computers and understand how to use websites, but who may not be as fluent with healthcare policy or who may have questions regarding health insurance plans. The ACCESS Manager for Affordable Care Enrollment and Education, Mediha Tariq, said the event is especially useful for young people who are signing up for healthcare for the first time.
"If you're young and think you're invincible, then you should come to this event," said Tariq. "You may think that you're healthy and don't need help, but when you break a leg, that can cost as much as $30,000. It is much better to get insured."
Because of the politics surrounding the Affordable Healthcare Act, many people have received conflicting information about whether the website works, whether their health care costs will rise, or whether it is too expensive for young professionals. By coming into these sessions and working with a Navigator, individuals will receive accurate, current information from ACCESS staff and will be empowered to find the right health care plan for them.
"Despite a lot of the stuff people hear, all of the young people who are enrolling at these group enrollment centers are coming out happy with their plans," said Tariq. "Recently, one woman got a plan that covers most of her health care costs that, after subsidies, had a premium of eight cents per month. I can't guarantee those results for everybody, but I can say that the reality is much better than what some are saying."
The ACCESS Community Health and Research Center is one of four Navigator organizations in Michigan. Navigators can assist clients with all aspects of the account creation, application, health plan selection and enrollment. ACCESS has navigators available five days per week and offers multiple locations covering Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties.
ACCESS serves all communities regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity. Grounded in the Arab-American tradition of hospitality, ACCESS has a 43-year history of providing social, health, education and legal services in greater Detroit to empower people to lead healthy, informed and productive lives. For more information, visit http://www.accesshealthcaremichigan.org to request an appointment or to see locations and hours.
Just4Us is located at 211 West Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale
