Pike County residents who have questions about the newly implemented Affordable Care Act can find answers at a forum on Dec. 23.

The forum will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Organized Community Action Program at 507 N. Three Notch St.. The event is free to the public.

Wanda Moultry, day director of the Organized Community Action Agency, said a representative of the United States Department of Health and Human Services from Atlanta will be in town to answer any questions that the community might have about the law. “We asked the assistant secretary of the HHS to come down and answer the community’s questions,” Moultry said. “We are setting up a marketplace where people in the community can learn about the law. We’ll also have trained navigators who can help people enroll in to the insurance exchange.”

The navigators have been trained by the government specifically to help people through the process of signing up for health insurance. “The navigators will have computers to help people sign up,” Moultry said. “They will show people what options they have available to them. After you see your options, they’ll help you find the most affordable options for your family.”

Moultry said it is important for people to become informed about the law because people in Pike County still lack health insurance. “I’m under the assumption that there are still some people here who don’t have insurance,” Moultry said. “Since insurance is being made through the federal government, and the government is providing subsidies for people who can’t afford insurance, if there is a company that can provide affordable insurance for someone, we need to help them find it.”

Invitations to attend the workshop have been sent out to key members of the community. “We have sent out invitations to important members in the community,” Moultry said. “We thought it was important that people who represent our communities be fully informed on how the new law will affect their communities. We are giving them the opportunity to show they are equally concerned about providing healthcare to everyone.”

And, for people skeptical about the new law, the forum provides citizens with the opportunity to voice their concerns. “If you have questions or misconceptions about the law, we want to clear those up for you,” Moultry said. “This will be the opportune time to ask those questions. We’re not trying to make anyone sign up, but we think, once there is an understanding, people will be able to make the best decision. We want to make sure people can make an informed decision with information from the source.”