President Obama Touts Affordable Care Act in Maryland Thursday

President Obama will cross the District line into Maryland Thursday to urge young people to sign up for the Affordable Care Act just days before parts of it go into effect, according to the White House.

Obama will appear at Prince George's Community College in Largo to talk about the program known as Obamacare as conservative members of Congress take steps on Capitol Hill to try to defund the plan.

As the program now stands in Maryland, beginning Oct. 1, individuals who do not have access to health insurance through their employer will be able to shop for coverage through the Maryland Health Connection, an online marketplace that matches applicants with options that fit their budget and the needs of their families.

Maryland is one of 16 states and the District of Columbia that has established local marketplaces with competitive rates. The rest of the country will enroll in new insurance plans through the federal government’s health insurance marketplace. 

The Obama administration has begun tracking the parts of the country with the highest numbers of uninsured, and Prince George's County fits that category among areas closest to Washington, according to The Washington Post.

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