MASON CITY | North Iowans are signing up for health insurance coverage as required under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, and help is available for those still needing to do so.

"The number of patients wanting to sign up has increased tremendously since Jan. 1," said Katie Roderick, financial counselor at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa.

She assists patients with starting the initial enrollment process for health insurance coverage within the Health Insurance Marketplace, answers questions and provides follow-up assistance as needed.

Patients who have enrolled for insurance include all ages and circumstances, from single parents to young single adults with no children, Roderick said.

CoOpportunity Health, a new nonprofit insurance cooperative that offers insurance coverage in Iowa and Nebraska, is the insurance company affiliated with Mercy-North Iowa. It reported enrollment of more than 35,000 members as of Jan. 1, 2014, far surpassing its first-year goal of 12,000 members.

MEMBERSHIP WAS SPLIT nearly evenly among people under 30, 30- to 49-year-olds and people between the ages of 50 and 64.

Another insurance option for some people is the new Iowa Health and Wellness Plan. Part of the Medicaid Extension Program, it is for people who meet income guidelines but are not eligible for Medicaid.

The Health and Wellness Plan replaces IowaCare, which was discontinued at the end of 2013.

Alice Ciavarelli, Community Care coordinator with Mercy's Population Health Department, said patients who qualified for IowaCare should automatically have been enrolled in the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan.

"The Iowa Health and Wellness Plan is going to be a very good program for patients that qualify," she said. "We encourage people to sign up for it."

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Health care questions? Help is avalable