Enroll El Paso helping last minute Obamacare sign-ups
If you don’t have health insurance and still haven’t signed up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act, there’s people who are ready to help. Enrollment fairs are being hosted by Enroll El Paso on Monday.
Hundreds of people showed up at an Obamacare enrollment fair at University Medical Center on Sunday. ABC-7 asked a few why they waited till the last minute to sign up, since the deadline is 9:59 p.m. local time March 31.
El Paso navigators say they’re seeing a mad rush of people signing up last minute.
“I don’t have no internet, I don’t know much about computers so I’m down here today seeing if I can get some help. It is the law and I don’t like breaking the law if I can help it,” Vernon Dean said about why he was at the enrollment fair on March 30.
Others have been trying for months to successfully sign up.
“I did not leave this till the last minute. I’ve been trying since October,” Laura Montelongo said while waiting in line Sunday.
Those who aren’t enrolled face a penalty on their 2014 taxes. Latest numbers from healthcare.gov say more than 6 million Americans have signed up for the healthcare marketplace.
“There will be some extensions for people who have started the process, tried to get in, but haven’t been able to enroll yet,” Enroll El Paso’s Jennifer Buschick said.
President Obama’s administration has been under much criticism since the open enrollment website launched in October last year due to functionality issues.
“We do have many people coming to us last minute and we’re trying to get through as many people as possible,” Buschick said.
For those who missed the Enroll El Paso sign up fair on Sunday, three others will be hosted on Monday. They are:
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 3612 Pera Avenue
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 3200 Copper Avenue
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 9321 Alameda Avenue
For those who can’t attend the fair or sign up online, you can always call 1-800-318-2596 24/7. It’s also possible to sign up online in Spanish, at https://www.cuidadodesalud.gov/.
