Thursday, November 7, 2013 10:33 PM EST

By SCOTT WHIPPLE STAFF WRITER

NEW BRITAIN The nations first health care enrollment center officially opened Thursday.

Modeled after Apple stores, Access Health CTs enrollment center at 200 Main St. offers in-person assistance to guide consumers through health care coverage enrollment. On Thursday, assisters and brokers at individual computer stations helped visitors shop for various options and enroll in plans.

Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, co-chairwoman of the AHCT board and longtime advocate for health reform, said the Access Health CT team has answered more than 26,200 phone calls in the first month of open enrollment, and is now offering the first of its kind retail storefront to connect with consumers.

AHCT CEO Kevin Counihan said Access Health had enrolled 9,514 consumers to date, a record for the nation. He added that New Britain was targeted as an enrollment center because the city currently has a high rate of uninsured residents. Also, the Main Street location is easily accessible.

Counihan said Access Health, according to surveys, currently enjoys a 96.5 percent satisfaction rate with the enrollment process and 82 percent of enrollees have said they would recommend Access Health to a friend or colleague.

Gov. Dannel Malloy called the numbers fantastic. Its remarkable whats being accomplished in Connecticut when you think of all the bad news being told by TV, radio stations and newspapers. This is an amazing success story, exceeding my expectations. Now I hope the federal folks will get their act together. Im tired of their bad news interrupting our good news.

The governor said his office has received numerous calls from potential enrollees wondering when the problem is going to be straightened out so they can sign up when there was actually no reason to wait.

Malloy said he wished the federal government had done a rollout state by state. Every state that opened up its own efforts is way beyond where the federal government is, he said. Were doing what we have to do for our residents. And, I have a smile on my face because I know we got it right.

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Nation's first health care enrollment center officially opens