Lynn health center workers filling out paperwork

LYNN – Lynn Community Health Center workers are using written applications to sign up clients for health coverage and faxing the paperwork to state offices because computer problems are bogging down Massachusetts? health care website.Center Director Lori Abrams Berry said the paperwork process is frustrating and time-consuming but necessary because computer systems set up when the federal Affordable Care Act, dubbed “Obamacare,” became law last October and “superseded” the state?s health coverage enrollment system.?It used to work under Romneycare; it doesn?t work under Obamacare,” Berry said, referring to the 2006 Massachusetts health coverage law passed when former Gov. Mitt Romney was in office.Computer problems surrounding the enrollment process are no surprise to local state legislators, who said a legislative hearing on the computer problems is scheduled for Wednesday.The Associated Press last Thursday reported Gov. Deval Patrick may ask federal officials to extend a March 31 deadline to help state residents transfer from the state?s health coverage system to the one created under the Affordable Care Act.?Technology infrastructure and data stability problems” contributed to the state coverage system?s website, the Associated Press reported, quoting a report on the website released last Thursday.About 100,000 people were filing applications through the state website, including people with insurance under the state system who need to re-enroll under the Affordable Care Act, the Associated Press reported.Center patients are being seen by doctors and nurses and receiving care, stressed Berry, even as center workers painstakingly fill out applications.