Hospital staff assists public with Affordable Care Act.

LUDINGTON — Spectrum Health staff worked with nearly 50 families this past Saturday from Mason, Oceana, Lake and Manistee counties to explain options to help them choose between the various plans available to them for health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. They also made appointments for additional enrollment help, and assisted people with how to sign up for coverage.

A representative of District 10 Health Department was also on hand to assist people with the Healthy Michigan Medicaid expansion program. Their participation brought the total assisted to approximately 75.

Monday was the deadline for obtaining coverage beginning January 1, but there’s still time to start coverage later in the new year. The final 2015 deadline is February 15.

Certified Application Counselors continue to be available at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital (SHLH) and other Spectrum Health locations to help others before the final 2015 deadline. SHLH has three people certified to assist, along with Rhonda Hedlund, senior financial resource advisor, who works with the certified counselors at four Spectrum Health locations, including Ludington.

Hedlund, who worked with the Ludington staff to organize and carry out the event last Saturday, noted, “We emphasized in our discussions that we are here to assist at Spectrum Health, you do not have to be a patient to come in and work with a Financial Resource Advisor.  We encouraged that people check out the facts and not just listen to what others are saying.

“I believe the advisors at Ludington are going to have a very busy and successful season with the Affordable Care Act marketplace.”

Hedlund added that the counselors demonstrated to their community their willingness to help navigate the details that and make it easier for people to complete enrollment in one of the new health care plans.

More information is available from the hospital by calling 231-845-2310.