Clinics waiting for state approval for insurance exchange enrollment

This health clinic in West Sacramento serves uninsured people who may qualify for new coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

Genevieve Hansen works as a manager here and at other Communicare clinics.

She says nine clinic workers have been trained and ready to go for over a month, but only four have received the required certification.   

“Our goal was to have all of our staff not only fully trained but available to assist patients starting on October 1^st.”

Covered California enrollment counselors and insurance agents must first be trained and then undergo a background check before they are authorized to enroll the uninsured.

Thousands of people are still in some stage of the qualification process.

Larry Hicks of the exchange says it’s taken longer than planners would have liked, but in the end, enrollment assisters will be well trained and vetted.

Covered California's Facebook page urges people to enroll soon.

“We had to take the steps to just building the infrastructure to support the enrollment assistance program we’re working very hard and very diligently over here to try to pull all of that together.”

Hicks said right now, some counselors and brokers are available to help people enroll, but most won’t be certified until the end of the month.

In the meantime, people who want health insurance can get enrollment help on the phone, or online.