PA to offer health care outreach program

A new nonprofit group, Enroll America, has partnered with the Obama administration to assist citizens in becoming more informed and educated on new Affordable Care Act healthcare provisions, according to The Inquirer. 

On Nov. 26 the program launch was announced in Philadelphia, the city where the largest partnership with the organization will take place, by Mayor Michael Nutter. 

"It is an amazing way to extend the reach that we have in coming into contact with consumers who have no insurance and may be eligible for insurance in the marketplace," said Bill England, Pennsylvania director for Enroll America. "We know that we are going to come in contact with thousands of people."

Amid growing complaints of technical difficulties navigating and purchasing healthcare policies through the Healthcare.gov website, England said the program was designed to act as a layer of support for those who needed extra help. 

Enroll America does not receive any financial government backing in Pennsylvania and is currently operating in 11 states across the country, according to the Inquirer. 

"I think outreach about the Affordable Care Act is really important, because my sense is that there are a lot of people out there who could potentially benefit from it who don't know much about it," said Mark Duggan, a health economist at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Part of the plan allows citizens to walk into any one of seven different public offices where they will be greeted by being asked if they had insurance, or if they had any questions about new healthcare policies.