Need for help enrolling in health care insurance increases

Counselors at centers help people navigate new law, insurance plans

MADISON, Wis. — With the deadline approaching to sign up for insurance under the Affordable Healthcare Act, the crowds at enrollment centers are increasing. The enrollment center at the Dane County Jobs Center has seen a spike in interest in the program in March.

“This month we have been twice as busy,” said Elissa Sprecher, an application counselor at the center. “I think a lot of people have kind of waited a little bit and now time is ticking away.”

The deadline to enroll in a health care plan is the end of the month. The counselors at the enrollment centers are able to help people navigate the new law and insurance plans.

“They don’t know much about the Affordable Care. They just know that they need to pick out insurance, they need to purchase insurance, and so we’re kind of giving them that educational piece, letting them know what the Affordable Care Act means,” Sprecher said.

Mark Hendricks is a Madison resident who went to the enrollment center and was able to get his questions answered.

“It certainly is great because there are just so many details that you get that you may miss, overlook or have questions about, and the staff here has been very helpful to us,” Hendricks said.

He has found the Affordable Healthcare Act to be just that — affordable.

“Prescriptions, medicines were way, way out of line. My prescriptions for out-of-pocket expenses for my son were $500 a month and now we can get it down to a more reasonable level,” Hendricks said.

The enrollment center at the Dane County Jobs Center will be open Monday through Friday through the end of the month. There are additional enrollment events planned throughout the community.

You can find a full list of those enrollment events online. The schedule can be found by clicking on the “calendar” tab.