10/17/2013 - West Side Leader

AKRON As of Oct. 15, the city of Akron has opened two computer-assisted Affordable Care Act (ACA) health care sign-up sites for citizens who do not have computer access or who need help electronically signing up for health care.

The Lawton Street Community Center, 1225 Lawton St. in West Akron, and Firestone Park Community Center, 1480 Girard St. in South Akron, will be open each Tuesday and Thursday (until further notice) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3:30 to 6 p.m. Certified application counselors from Summit County Public Health will be at each site to assist residents and to answer any questions.

The Affordable Care Act can help many of our residents, but only if they sign up, said Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic. It is important that our residents get all the assistance they need to sign up for health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. I am thankful to County Executive Russ Pry and the Summit County Public Health Department for partnering with us to help our citizens.

The city also has information on the new ACA and the Health Insurance Marketplace on its website, http://www.akronohio.gov. From the citys homepage, residents can access the national website, http://www.HealthCare.gov, or Summit County Public Health to obtain online applications. Residents also can call 800-318-2596 to reach the 24-hour, seven-days-a-week national call center where trained customer service representatives will answer all questions about the Health Insurance Marketplace in 150 languages, according to city officials.

The city also is providing a short-form paper application to residents. Those are available at all city of Akron recreation centers and in the lobby of the Municipal Building, 166 S. High St. in Downtown Akron.

CLEVELAND Residents who had been paying fees to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) will not be paying them now that a judge has ruled against the district.

In the case Northeast Ohio Regional Storm District v. Bath Township, et al, the Ohio 8th District Court of Appeals ruled against NEORSD. In the Sept. 26 ruling, judges said the district does not have the authority to collect fees from residents to fund its storm water projects.

Sewer district officials said they plan to appeal the decision to the Ohio Supreme Court, but in the meantime the fees will be suspended.

View post:

City of Akron opening two computer-assisted health care sign-up sites