As the country grapples with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, some islanders are seeking professional and volunteer help to sign up for health insurance.

In-person assisters, as the volunteers are called, have signed up 95 island households for insurance, according to Hilary Emmer, who is coordinating the volunteer effort on Vashon.

Lee-Ann Brown, Vashon’s only health insurance broker, said she has been busy all day everyday helping people sign up for insurance both inside and outside the state’s health insurance exchange.

Between her work and the work of the asissters, Brown said she feels Vashon is making good progress.

“It seems we are getting a lot of people signed up,” she said.

Both women note the process can be extremely confusing but that the website is working fairly well.Emmer noted there are still some glitches, including not approving subsidies for people who qualify for them and the inability to serve same-sex couples.

They also note that not all plans will cover all hospitals and providers, and people need to be aware of that and select a plan accordingly. Brown recommends confirming the providers a plan covers through the insurance company’s website.

Brown noted that for some people whose income is too high to be eligible for a federal subsidy, their plan options may now be worse than what they had before — and more expensive. On the flip side, many people are benefitting.

“A lot of people are getting better coverage for the first time,” she said.

Also, some children whose  families qualify for subsidies are able to get health care coverage immediately, Emmer said.

Most people must sign up by March 31 to avoid a penalty,  but to have coverage by Jan. 1, people must be in the system by Dec. 15 and pay, if necessary, by Dec. 23.

Upcoming volunteer-led sign-up dates include Nov. 23 and Thursdays at the senior center. Watch The Beachcomber for details.