Volunteers are being sought by Moraine Township to work as in-person counselors helping residents navigate the new Illinois Health Insurance Exchange. Moraine Township is partnering with the Lake County Health Department/Community Health Center to assist southeast Lake County residents to enroll for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Training sessions will take place during August and September in Waukegan and Chicago. The training to become an “in-person counselor / navigator” consists of an online training portion, a two-day in-person training course, and a criminal background check. “The process to determine what a person or family may be eligible for could be daunting for the average person or family,” commented Moraine Township Clerk Gail Feiger Brown, who has completed the training. “That’s why the Township has stepped up to assist. This program is important to our residents and will impact our community.” notes Moraine Township Supervisor Anne Flanigan Bassi, Enrollment in the Insurance Exchange begins October 1, 2013 and extends through March 31, 2014, for coverage beginning January 1, 2014. The Health Department estimates that well over 100,000 Lake County residents are uninsured, which impacts the broader community in multiple ways. Under the Affordable Care Act, residents whose income is 138% or less of the federal poverty guideline (about $27,000 for a family of three in 2013) will be eligible for the expanded Medicaid program; those with higher incomes may be eligible for subsidies to help offset the cost of health insurance based on a sliding scale. The Township is planning to assist residents in its office at 777 Central Avenue in Highland Park during weekdays with existing staff and trained elected officials. Volunteers will be deployed into the community during weekend and evening hours so that opportunities are convenient regardless of residents’ work schedules. For more information call Supervisor Bassi at 847-432-3240 or email by clicking here. Moraine Township’s website is morainetownship.org.