ORANGE PARK – Last year, a major stint of bronchitis landed Marisol Kashmiri in the hospital but she did not have health insurance. While she was recovering, a woman approached her about signing up for health coverage, but Kashmiri did not think it would be affordable.

Kashmiri, 52, lost year job as a real estate broker last year but lived without health insurance for six years even though she suffers from asthma.

“I’m asthmatic and with the weather in Florida, it’s hard,” Kashmiri said, who recently relocated to Duval County from the Doctors Inlet area. “And look at all the bills from the ambulance and the hospital because I didn’t have health insurance.”

Before she left the hospital, a representative from Bernard Health, a nationwide licensed, non-commission based insurance broker, asked Kashmiri a series of questions about her income and medical needs and matched her up with a health plan including vision for less than $30 a month.

“When I was in the hospital, she asked me how much I made and she was sure she could set me up with a good plan,” Kashmiri said. “I was offered one with a zero dollar payment a month and another that was more for specialty care, but I chose the one for $28.34 and I cannot wait to go to the doctor to get everything checked out.”

Kashmiri’s plan includes a $550 deductible beginning Feb. 1. She has dental insurance through a separate health provider.

“One of the most blessings I have in my life,” Kashmiri said. “It’s more than affordable.”

The third party broker that helped Kashmiri is Nashville, Tenn.-based Bernard Health, which has teamed up with Orange Park Medical Center to help maneuver people through the maze known as the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as Obamacare.

“Bernard can truly give good guidance without being driven by other factors,” said Fred Ashworth, OPMC’s chief financial officer.

Through December, anyone who needs or wants assistance can walk into Orange Park Medical Center at 2001 Kingsley Ave. and sign up for health insurance at no cost.

“One of the things we saw as the Affordable Care Act and exchange came out was how difficult it was for the community to navigate,” Ashworth said. “It takes about two-and-a-half hours to go through the process individually. There’s a multitude of plans available that are hard to sort through unless you are knowledgeable. What takes two- to 2.5 hours, Bernard can get done in 20 minutes.”

More than 150 Clay County residents have located the right plan and signed up through Bernard Health, he said. Because 52 different plans are available for Clay County residents, after locating an appropriate plan, a team member then walks each person through the sign-up process.

“They don’t leave until all the details have been entered and that person is enrolled,” said Bernard team member Ryan McCostlin. “Sometimes people tell us they’re in a position where it’s critical to make a decision, to make the right decision, and because we’ve helped thousands of families do this, we can help them be confident.”

Annual deductibles run as low as $500. Monthly premiums for a single person often cost less than $40.

“One patient got coverage for himself, his wife and son and they got a zero deductible for zero dollars a month,” McCostlin said.

In Florida, more than 1 million people have enrolled in health coverage since 2013, but 4 million remain uninsured.

“We’ve helped people enroll in health insurance who have been uninsured for over a decade and had no idea they can afford it,” McCostlin said. “It’s not uncommon for us to get hugs from patients and family members. For some patients, they are able to get a surgery they’ve been postponing or treatment they need but couldn’t afford.”