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Source: Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.新蒲崗迷你倉Sept. 07--Editors note: The Appeal-Democrat is running a series of stories looking at the local effects of the Affordable Care Act leading up to Oct. 1, when open enrollment begins. Today's story takes a look at how local counties are preparing.All of California -- including Yuba and Sutter counties -- are being watched from afar on how smoothly the transition to the landmark Affordable Care Act goes."They (federal government) are counting on California to succeed because they have been getting so much pushback," said Suzanne Nobles, Yuba County director of Health and Human Services.Even if it doesn't go as smoothly as officials hope, in Yuba and Sutter counties it has at least provided new jobs -- 28 in Sutter County and 21 in Yuba County. "This will be a huge change in culture for our department," Nobles told the Board of Supervisors last spring.Since then both counties have hired new employees, set up new call centers and embarked on public campaigns informing what the Affordable Care Act means. Now, it's just a matter of final preparations, training and counting the days to when open enrollment begins.During open enrollment, county and state workers will be taking calls from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays.Residents who aren't covered by health insurance will be required to enroll in an Affordable Care Act insurance plan during the open enrollment period from Oct. 1 to March. If they don't qualify for Medi-Cal, they will be enrolled in one of the four Affordable Care Act coverage levels -- ranging from the Platinum Plan that provides 90 percent coverage to the Bronze Plan that provides 60 percent coverage.Once open enrollment begins, those enrolling or with questions on whether they qualify can contact the statewide Covered California phone number before being referred to appropriate county call centers.But residents can also call Yuba or Sutter counties' health and human services departments or visit the departments in person, officials said."We would like to make the public feel very comfortable in contacting us," Nobles said.Yuba County town hallsYuba County's Health and Human Services Department is hosting three town hall meetings in which a panel of experts will be outlining the Affordable Care Act and its options.Monday: 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Yuba County Government Center, Board of Supervisors chambers, 915 Eighth St., Marysville.Tuesday: 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Alcouffe Center, 9185 Marysville Road, Oregon House.Thursday: 10 a.m.-noon, Yuba County Government Center, Board of Supervisors chambers, 915 Eighth St., Marysville.------Yuba County looking to help ease the processLess than a month away from Affordable Care Act open enrollment, Yuba County officials are most interested it making the process as simple as possible."We are trying to make it easy so people don't have to battle the system," said Russ Brown, communications and legislative affairs coordinator for the county. "Our goal is to make it as simple as possible."To that end, new employees hired to staff the county's Covered California call center have been going through training exercises in which various call scenarios are played out.The motto for Yuba County health and human services is "no wrong numbers or no closed doors," meaning potential Affordable Care Act clients will always be directed to getting help."This is not the welfare department anymore," said Suzanne Noblesmini storage director of Yuba County Health and Human Services. "We are a service organization."In preparing for open enrollment, Yuba County spent about $125,000 to remodel space in the Health and Human Services Department to accommodate two new call centers. One is for Covered California referrals from the statewide exchange and the other is for ongoing clients.Nobles said the county will receive about $3.1 million -- 90 percent from the federal government and 10 percent from the state -- to run the Affordable Care Act during the first three years. No county general fund dollars are being spent, officials said.The county hired 19 new eligibility technicians, two workforce coordinators and two supervisors to handle the expected increase in calls generated by health care reform.To help get the word out, Yuba County is hosting three town hall meetings next week -- two in Marysville and one in the foothills -- featuring a panel of experts. The forums are designed to provide information to potential clients.In addition, the county has established an email address -- FocusedOnYou@co.yuba.ca.us -- through which residents can ask questions about enrollment.Brown also noted that the statewide Covered California exchange is now operating with technicians answering questions.------Sutter County setting up service center in preparationSutter County officials are preparing for the Affordable Care Act by setting up a customer service center at 190 Garden Highway in Yuba City, where residents can consider their coverage options in person or by telephone.Tom Sherry, director of human services for Sutter County, said the county will do its best to help residents during the legislation's implementation."If someone shows up at our door and asks about Covered California," he said, "we'll do our best to help them."County officials agreed to hire 28 public assistance specialists to helm the service center for about $2.8 million in state and federal funds. The total amount allocated to the county for all expenses related specifically to the Affordable Care Act and Medi-Cal program -- technology, office supplies, etc. -- is about $8 million.Additionally, Sutter County will use another 70 employees or so under the CalFresh and CalWORKs programs to assist in the local implementation of the Affordable Care Act.The extra employees will be needed if the county's prediction of 15,000 calls per month is correct. Each call is expected to last an average of one hour.The state is also requiring employees to respond to referrals from Covered California, the statewide exchange, within 30 seconds, 80 percent of the time.Because of the surge in customers, the county is switching from a case-by-case business model to a task-base model, meaning the employees will have specific functions and work in somewhat of an assembly line.Sherry said carrying out the Affordable Care Act has been a challenge for the state, as it hustles to set everything up in a short amount of time."For us (the county), it's trying to implement what they're telling us and sometimes we don't have all the information," he said. "Sometimes we are just waiting."InformationFor questions prior to the start of open enrollment on Oct. 1, call Covered California at 1-888-975-1142 or visit the website CoveredCA.com.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, Calif.) 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