Queens Borough President Melinda Katz will team up with hospitals in Jamaica and Elmhurst to offer two informational seminars in early March in an attempt to help residents learn more about the health care options available to them and address concerns or questions individuals have regarding the Affordable Care Act – often referred to as Obamacare.
The seminars at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and Elmhurst Hospital Center will include a multilingual group of health care officials, and the forums are an attempt to address residents’ questions and concerns before the March 31 deadline to sign up for insurance under the ACA.
“The Affordable Care Act has succeeded in putting quality and affordable health insurance within reach of the tens of thousands of Queens residents and the millions of people nationwide who had previously been unable to obtain health care coverage,” Katz said in a statement. “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 March 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 borough president’s ACA seminars will be held Monday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the Garden Room of the new Trump Pavilion at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center at 89-40 135th St., and at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of Elmhurst Hospital Center, located at 79-01 Broadway in Elmhurst.
“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,” Katz said. “I don’t want to let any confusion or concerns about the Affordable Care Act deter people from taking advantage of its benefits.
New York state residents may find out more about the health insurance at nystateofhealth.ny.gov.
