SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, WI (WHBL) - The final deadline to sign up for health plans through federal exchanges under the Affordable Health Care is February 15th. There are several pushes underway in Sheboygan to help the uninsured navigate this process.
Jennifer Schmidt, a Certified Application Counselor at Lakeshore Community Health Center, says counselors have been hosting weekly enrollment sessions at the Mead Public Library every Wedensday from 1 to 6 p.m. through the open enrollment period. Schmidt says the event is a chance for people to get questions answered about the Affordable Care Act and sign up for plans with assistance from Lakeshore and Partners.
Lakeshore will also be hosting a bigger event January 31st that will include healthcare providers, insurance companies, and tax help through H & R Block. Schmidt says H & R Block will be there to help people understand what impact having health insurance will have on your taxes for 2014 and what to do to prevent tax problems in 2015.
Those who do not have health insurance by February 15th will face a penalty. Once sign up ends next month for federal health exchanges, it will not open up again until November for 2016.