Get The Facts On Enrollment
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz announced she will be hosting two informational seminars in early March that will help Queens residents learn more about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and address related concerns.
A multi-lingual group of health care “navigators” will also be present at the seminars to help attendees sign up for health coverage under the ACA-commonly known as Obamacare-before a looming Mar. 31 deadline.
The borough president will hold seminars at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and Elmhurst Hospital Center as part of an effort to sign up as many Queens residents as possible under the ACA prior to the end of the ACA’s current open enrollment period on Mar. 31. Anyone who does not sign up for ACA coverage by that date will most likely have to wait until November to get another opportunity to sign up for coverage.
“The Affordable Care Act has succeeded in putting quality and affordable health insurance within reach of the tens thousands of Queens residents and the millions of people nationwide who had previously been unable to obtain health care coverage,” Katz said. “But the only way to enjoy the Act’s benefits is to sign up for coverage. I am therefore holding these upcoming seminars to help our residents learn more about the Act and to help them secure coverage before the current open enrollment period ends on Mar. 31.”
A highlight of the seminars will be the assistance offered by multilingual health care navigators who will use their laptops to help attendees register for coverage online. Navigators fluent in Spanish, Chinese and several South Asian languages will be available during the seminars.
Light refreshments will also be served during the events.
The Jamaica Hospital seminar will take place this Monday, Mar 3, at 6:30 p.m. in the Garden Room of the hospital’s new Trump Pavilion, located at 89-40 135th St. in Richmond Hill.
The Elmhurst Hospital seminar is scheduled for Tuesday, Mar. 11, at 6 p.m. in the auditorium (Room A1-22) of the medical center located at 79- 01 Broadway.
“All Queens residents deserve quality and affordable health care coverage and I want to help as many of our residents as possible obtain such coverage before the March 31 deadline,” Katz said. “I don’t want to let any confusion or concerns about the Affordable Care Act deter people from taking advantage of its many benefits.”
New York State residents who have not already done so may sign up for coverage under the ACA by visiting the state’s health care exchange at nystateofhealth.ny.gov.
