After just a few enrollment sessions, the county's new health access program for the uninsured attracted so many applicants that sign-up sessions were suspended so staff members could catch up.
During the nine sessions, about 1,100 residents representing 716 households filed applications, said the county health officer, Dr. Peter L. Beilenson, and many of the applicants were found eligible for state and federal health insurance programs.
The long lines and twice-weekly afternoon sessions at the east Columbia library were so well attended that the sign-ups were suspended, and Beilenson said the enrollment efforts will be redirected.
Now, the program will turn to community-based enrollment, meaning residents can apply at locations throughout the county, including the Chase-Brexton Columbia clinic, Howard Community College, the North Laurel Multi-Service Center and through county public schools.
In addition, starting next month, advertising will be targeted at small-business owners who can't afford to provide health insurance for their workers, Beilenson said.
Called Healthy Howard, the private nonprofit effort is designed to offer access to affordable, comprehensive health care to the roughly 20,000 limited-income county residents who are uninsured. Participants will pay from $50 to $115 a month, based on income and family size. For that, they will get up to six doctor visits per year (seven for women), access to specialists, dental discounts, and a health coach intended to create an individual health improvement plan designed to boost each person's general health and reduce emergency room visits.
For the first year, the goal was to enroll about 2,200 people.
So far, fewer than half the applications received have been fully processed.
"We were literally deluged," Beilenson said. "It got to the point very quickly that we couldn't do all of it at the same time."
The frantic activity was wearing down the workers, too, he said.
"They've been burning out, working really hard," Beilenson said, adding that he helped enroll people during one session to see how things were going.
What had been planned as three-hour sessions routinely stretched to five, Beilenson said.
"It's been pretty amazing," said Glenn E. Schneider, director of health policy and planning under Beilenson, as he prepared to begin the last enrollment session Oct. 30.
