Despite the controversies surround the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the bottom line is; it is the law, and those who do not have health insurance must sign up.
Many, however, are still unsure about when, where and how to do so. That is where the federal government’s local partners and their teams of ‘navigators’ come into play.
“Regardless of the politics, whether you’re for this or against it, we have been hired to educate and enroll people, and we are here to reach people and help them reach us,” said Larry Klinger, program supervisor with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit.
Klinger, AIU spokesperson Sarah McCluan and navigator Team Leader Shannon McGee met with Courier editorial board Dec. 20 to provide an update on its enrollment work and to quell some concerns that have been raised about the process, and to let people locally know what their options are.
Both McCluan and Laura Line, corporate assistant director for Healthcare Resources for Human Development who joined the meeting via conference call, first addressed security concerns about ACA navigators not being vetted.