Category: Announcements || By Submitted Report

Allegheny County and the University of Pittsburgh will host a town-hall-style forum Oct. 2 where the public can hear experts discuss the implementation of federal health care reform.

"The Impact of the Affordable Health Care Act" will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at Pitt's University Club, 123 University Place, in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood.

Seating is limited. Those wishing to attend should RSVP by Sept. 30 via email to William McKendree, or call (412) 661-1438.

A slate of experts will help untangle the complicated subject of online health insurance marketplaces, which will begin taking registrations Oct. 1. The marketplaces --- originally called "health insurance exchanges" --- will allow eligible uninsured individuals to select from among health insurance packages to meet the requirements of the Affordable Health Care Act.

"We are sponsoring the town hall forum because many people and employers have questions about the Affordable Care Act," said Joe Elliott, community programs manager for Allegheny Link to Aging and Disability Resources.

"It's a complex piece of legislation and the experts at the forum can answer many initial questions, including 'What do we do if our employer does not provide health insurance? Are we eligible for the marketplace? Will there be subsidies to make health insurance more affordable?'"

The panel discussion by experts and a question-and-answer session will offer the public one of its best opportunities locally to get answers to questions about the legislation, a county spokeswoman said.

John Lovelace, president of UPMC for You, a managed care organization that serves Medical Assistance and Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan recipients in 40 counties in Pennsylvania, is among the featured speakers. Other experts are expected from the Pennsylvania Health Access Network, Excela and the Consumer Health Coalition.

The forum will also address some of the broader implications and impact of the Affordable Care Act on the American health care system, particularly the law's provisions concerning the Medicare and Medicaid systems. The first hour of the forum will be devoted to a panel discussion, with two hours allotted to taking questions from the audience.

The free, informational forum is sponsored by the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work and School of Law, and the Allegheny County APPRISE Program, which administers the state Health Insurance Assistance Program.