ACA ‘navigators’ hard to come by [Florida Keys Keynoter, (Marathon, Fla.)]
By Kevin Wadlow, Florida Keys Keynoter, (Marathon, Fla.) | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Staff at the Womankind medical office in
"Our phone has been ringing off the hook because there are so few navigators anywhere right now," said Womankind Executive Director
Government agency workers have been referring callers to Womankind, although the person who will serve as an exchange "navigator" or "enrollment assister" has not yet arrived. Basically, navigators are designated to explain options under the new law.
Romano said Womankind is explaining the situation and taking contact information for callbacks.
"Our whole mission is help people access health care. For many people, this is the first opportunity they've had in their lives to get health insurance," Romano said.
"Everybody has been very gracious and appreciative," Romano said. "No one's been upset that they didn't get an answer today."
"It's a big learning curve for everybody, and I'm just happy that it's going to happen," she said. "The fact that the system crashed shows how great the need is, here in the Keys and across the country."
"Navigators" and "assisters" generally perform the same service but there are some differences in functions and the source of their salaries.
"They're in the background-check and training process now," said
"No one has to go crazy over this right now," Romano said. "We're telling people to give it a couple of weeks."
The enrollment period for health insurance offered through the online exchanges is open through
People who have health insurance through their employers or the government (
Others -- estimated to be about one in every 10 people -- who buy their personal or family insurance themselves can apply through the exchanges. Some credits and subsidies may lower premium costs.
"In the Keys, about one in three people do not have health insurance," Romano said. "We have a large population of uninsured or underinsured people."
The Womankind contact number for its assister program is (305) 320-0612. For information on the Affordable Care Act and the online exchanges, go to www.healthcare.gov.
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(c)2013 the Florida Keys Keynoter (Marathon, Fla.)
Visit the Florida Keys Keynoter (Marathon, Fla.) at www.keysnet.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
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