“While some of the things are going to be really familiar to those of us who have had insurance before – copays, deductibles, premiums … there are some people who have never had insurance and a lot of this will be totally new concepts,” Austin said.

Austin said choosing the right coverage means different things to different individuals and families. One person might want the absolute lowest monthly premium, while another wants to be sure they can have their pick of doctors.

Austin said while counselors cannot make a recommendation on which plan a person chooses, they can help a person clearly understand what plans cover their individual and family needs.

“We are just working to make sure Polk County has assistance available to them at least through the open enrollment, which runs through March 2013,” Austin said.

Blue Ridge Community Health is also training volunteers as certified application counselors, so more assistance will be available, and has staff bilingual in Spanish.

“As the enrollment period goes on we will learn more and more about how to best reach people and help them through the process,” said Austin.

Parton explained many DSS clients qualify for Medicaid or have children that qualify for North Carolina Health Choice, a low-income health coverage program. Those individuals and families will remain on those plans, she said. Others are not sure where in the marketplace they fall.

Children are eligible for Medicaid if their family’s income is below $58,172 and there are five people in their family; $49,690 if there are four members in the household; $41,208 for families of three; and $32,766 for families of two.

Adults are eligible for Medicaid if their income is below $5,208 for a single individual and upward of $9,888 for a family of five. Individuals can apply for Medicaid in North Carolina and find out more information at epass.nc.gov.

According to www.healthcare.gov, individuals will be penalized if they do not have coverage in 2014. Adults must pay $95 and $47.50 per child or 1 percent of his or her income, whichever is higher, if they do not have insurance. Fees will increase every year, though some people may qualify for an exemption.

Here are items you may need when you go to speak to a counselor or navigator for help with an application:

• Social security number (document numbers for legal immigrants)

• Employer and income information for every member of household who needs coverage (pay stub or W-2 forms)

• Policy numbers for any current health insurance plans covering members of your household

• A completed Employer Coverage Tool – for every job-based plan you or someone in your household is eligible for. (Needed for any coverage your are eligible for, even if you are not currently enrolled under that coverage)

For more information, visit healthcare.gov or call 828-692-4289.