Medicaid signups Tuesday at Corbin Public Library

July 14--CORBIN -- For those who may not have signed up for Medicaid over the fall and winter, another chance is available in the Tri-County area Tuesday.

That's when a representative with Kynect (Kentucky Connect) will be at the Corbin Public Library to sign up people to enroll in Medicaid.

It takes place during two sessions at the library this Tuesday, July 15 -- at 11 a.m. and at 2 p.m.

The Corbin Public Library is located at 215 Roy Kidd Avenue, at the corner of Laurel Avenue.

Whitney Allen will be the person working with those who have questions about Medicaid. An outreach worker with Grace Community Health Center in Gray, Allen's the Kynect contact in the area, and has been pretty busy with enrollments since October.

While the open enrollment period ended in March, she added Tuesday's signups carries on what she worked on a few months ago.

"This is a continuation of what we did then. I had over 1,200 enrollments during that time. The majority of the people that I signed up, 80 percent, were eligible for Medicaid. Actually, Medicaid's been expanded in Kentucky, and for the people who are eligible, they can call on the phone or go online. But a lot of people don't have Internet service, or they're confused about what information they need to have to apply, or they don't like to apply over the phone. That's where Tuesday's signups come in. By being at the library, people have someone who's from the community who's there in person to answer their questions, provide assistance in completing their applications, and help them right there. They can relate to that," Allen pointed out Friday during a phone interview.

Kynect is the health insurance marketplace in Kentucky, created in accordance with the federal Affordable Care Act. It was formerly known as the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange.

Allen noted Grace Community's outreach program is a resource to answer questions people may have about Kynect and health insurance.

"A lot of people really don't understand the (Medicaid) program. They've heard a lotos misconceptions, such as the program's being forced on them, and can they afford it. If they have questions about enrollment or their current coverage, we can help them in person," she said.

Allen added that her role Tuesday is part of the outreach effort Grace Community is involved in, which uses partnerships with organizations to provide enrollment assistance throughout the continued Medicaid enrollment year.

Corbin'sPublic Library is one of those partnerships.

"Libraries are truly centers for the community. We're providing the space, the facilities, and the time for Kynect to help the people who are in need for Medicaid enrollment. People will have somewhere to turn to for assistance Tuesday. They'll be able to see someone in person to help them with their questions and concerns about Medicaid," the library's director, Brenda Huff, said Thursday.

She's expecting a lot of people -- both adults and children -- to be at the library Tuesday. The Medicaid signups will be held in conjunction with "Storytime" for the children, with "Animal Tales!" being the story to be read at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The children's program is part of the library's Summer Reading Program, which ends July 22.

More information on the Kynect signups is available by contacting Allen at (606) 515-8843.

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