Hundreds enroll as health care deadline looms

Affordable Care Act deadline is midnight on Monday night

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The clock is ticking for those of you who have not got health care coverage. The deadline is midnight on March 31.

Several organizations in Jacksonville have been holding events to help people get signed up. One event was held at the Gateway Mall.

"When we showed up at 8, we found six people who spent the night here. We believe right now, we've got 200 people here," said Tony Penna of Enroll America.

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Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown attended the event held to help people who do not have health care coverage.

The process didn't go well for everyone.

"Well I found out by speaking to the representative, it's not that I won't be able to enroll, it's that I have to wait until I retire and then I can be able to enroll in health care coverage for myself and my wife," Michael Shanks told Channel 4.

Shanks says he could not sign up for coverage because he is currently covered under his current employer. He says he wanted to sign up on Sunday because he plans to retire in August, and he is worried about his wife.

"It's kinda scary for me. I do have two heart valves and they are major heart valves. I have an aorta replacement and a micro valve replacement," said Adrienne Shanks.

At Sunday's event, the Shanks were given paperwork with the phone numbers of those who can help.

There were other reasons people could not sign up for health care coverage on Sunday. Those reasons included people not bringing the proper documentation and people making below the federal poverty level of $11,600 for a single-person. People in those situations would likely have to go to Medicaid.

Despite a few problems on Sunday, organizers say the health care sign-up events have been an overall success.