My Lien Nguyen, a certified trainer and apprise counselor, presented an informative session Jan. 18 at the Northampton Area Public Library on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Pennsylvania.

Nguyen began doing volunteer counseling for many organizations when Medicare Part D was first implemented back in 2006. She is also a medical interpreter at the Lehigh Valley Hospital and has over 25 years experience in health care management.

"By volunteering and offering information about the Affordable Care Act, I can become a part of history," said Nguyen.

Nguyen presented a slide show explaining ACA, the benefit options available, and the impact it has on Pennsylvanians. Enrollment deadlines and Medicaid expansion was also covered and attendees had an opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session to discuss concerns about how the ACA applies to them.

Anita Wagner, of Northampton, attended the presentation, hoping to receive help with the website after multiple attempts she made on her own.

"I tried to use it when it first went live and it was experiencing known issues at the time," she said. "And then they said the system was fixed in November, but I still had issues, so I was hoping to get some help today. I came seeking answers to my questions. My concern is that Pennsylvania only has so many plans, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to find one that works best for me."

The ACA called for an expansion of eligibility requirements which would benefit many Americans who otherwise would not qualify for Medicaid. The United States Supreme Court decided to uphold the expansion, however, the court limited the federal government's ability to penalize states that do not adhere to the law, allowing it to be optional.

Pennsylvania is one of only a few states that do not offer this expansion. Pennsylvanians can write their state legislators in Harrisburg and express their wishes for Medicaid expansions.

One slide in the presentation clearly drafted deadline requirements for enrollment. If an eligible participant enrolls during the first half of a month (the 1st to the 15th), coverage would begin the first day of the next month. If an eligible participant enrolls during the second portion of the month (the 16th to the end of the month), coverage begins the first day of the second month following enrollment.

March 31 is the deadline for enrollment. Those not enrolled by March 31 will not receive coverage this year. If they are not covered at all, they will pay a penalty. Some situations qualify for special enrollment periods and considerations are offered for certain life events.

The Northampton Area Public Library will be offering an opportunity for interested individuals to make an appointment to sit down with Nguyen one-on-one and help identify insurance options that work best for them. Nguyen will offer enrollment assistance to those who take advantage of this opportunity.

"Today's session has been very helpful and having an appointment with her will make a big difference. It was really kind of her to come," said Pam Cantabene, a bus driver with the Northampton Area School District.

"My concern with this new care act is that people are going to fall through the cracks, as with any new system, there might be missed deadlines or other ways where you just fall right through the cracks, and I'm afraid of being one of them."

If you are interested in learning more about signing up to meet with Nguyen, contact the Northampton Area Public Library at 610-262-7537 to schedule an appointment.