BAKERSFIELD - President Obama's Affordable Care Act is one step closer for the more than 50,000 uninsured people in our community.
A town hall meeting to educate people about it took place at the East Bakersfield Veterans Memorial Building on Friday.
Dana Howard from Covered California answered the big question: Is California ready for the government's new health care system?
"We have already determined that we will be able to offer on October 1st, shop and compare,” said Howard. “We will be also be able to set up an account for consumers, also be able to do paper enrollment. Those tests have been done. We passed. We know that we are going to be able to do that."
Covered California is the state's health insurance marketplace where consumers can pick their type of coverage.
What still needs to be tested are the call centers and support staff that need to be in place by October 1st when open enrollment begins. The public assistance hotline 211, is gearing up for a flood of calls.
"What we are doing is educating ourselves,” said Deborah Steagall, Program Manager for 211 Kern. “Going everywhere we can go to get this information and so we can have it in our database."
Gabriel Pina is glad there will be someone to help him in person.
“I don't trust on the computers,” Pina said. “I like to go on the conventional telephone."
Others are just happy they're going to have a choice.
"More people who can get insured and preventative care and maintaining their own health,” said Jeff Rockholt, a registered nurse. “Encouraging to buy their own insurance, see their own doctor with their own freedom of choice, the better that is."
To learn about how you can pick a health insurance plan go to www.coveredca.com.