STERLING HEIGHTS – State Representative Henry Yanez (D-Sterling Heights) and his expert panelists shared information with residents on the Oct. 1 launch date of the federal Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) health care marketplace at a town hall meeting in Sterling Heights on Monday night. Joining Yanez at the town hall to answer questions were representatives from the following agencies and community groups: the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS), the Michigan Department of Community Health (DCH), Michigan Consumers for Healthcare, AARP, the Area Agency on Aging 1-B and Enroll America.
“In just a few weeks, people without health insurance will be able to log on the health care marketplace and choose their coverage. I am glad my guests and I were able to share what we know and answer their questions,” said Yanez.
Yanez and his guests answered questions about how the implementation of the ACA will affect people with and without health insurance. They also let residents know where they can go for help once the marketplace opens for business. A number of community-based health care groups are hiring “navigators” who will be available to answer questions and walk people through the sign up process starting on Oct. 1.
“Soon hundreds of thousands of Michiganders who don’t have health insurance will finally be able to find an affordable policy and get the health care they need for themselves and their families,” said Yanez. “By helping people and answering questions, we can make the sign-up process go as smoothly as possible. The more we talk about it now, the easier it will be, so I encourage people to ask questions to make finding the best health insurance policy that much easier.”