Thomas Branigan Memorial Library joins libraries across the country to help the general public navigate new health insurance options under the Affordable Health Care Act, also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Branigan Library will host two free workshops for the community.
- Thursday, Sept. 12, from 2 - 4 p.m. – AARP volunteer, Jerry Gunderson, will cover who needs to enroll in the ACA, instructions on the enrollment process and when open enrollment starts. Stephanie Lazarin, from NM Aging & Long-Term Services, will focus on Medicare 2014. She also will discuss how to qualify for the Medicaid Expansion, and how changes could affect participants.
- A repeat workshop will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 2 - 4 p.m.
Other topics include how estimated insurance premiums are calculated and the new online Healthcare Insurance Marketplace. Pre-registration is not required. For more information, contact Carmella Lee, Reference Librarian, at 575-528-4024 or email calee@las-cruces.org.
Reference staff will supplement the workshops, by providing handouts about the program’s basics and enrollment process. Links are posted on the Library’s website (http://library.las-cruces.org
Additionally, Branigan Library will reserve public computers with Internet access so that when open enrollment starts on October 1, people can start shopping for insurance at specialized websites. During October, personalized assistance will be available Monday through Thursday from 2 - 5 p.m., on a first-come, first-serve basis. Reference librarians will provide direction to resources about the ACA but are not authorized to offer advice on which specific health plans to select. Open enrollment ends on March 31, 2014.
Branigan Library is located at 200 E. Picacho Ave., Las Cruces, New Mexico. Library hours are Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and September through May, Sundays from 1 – 5 p.m.