Statewide public hearings on health reform kick off in four Wisconsin cities on Tuesday. The insurance commissioner’s office is holding forums on the Affordable Care Act all week.

There will be 11 meetings starting today and going through Friday. They’re designed to answer questions people may have about the new federal health law. Among other things, the law requires people to have insurance and creates a new online marketplace to purchase it.

J.P. Weiske is spokeman for the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. “Obviously there’s still a lot we’re in the dark about, since the Feds are running the exchange in Wisconsin,” he said, “but we want to give consumers as much information as we have currently.”

Wisconsin is not taking the option to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, so many low income people previously covered under Badgercare are being urged to buy private insurance on the new exchange. State Senator Nikiya Harris (D-Milwaukee) says the forums can help clear up confusion about the law and insurance basics for those who haven’t had it before: “Many of the individuals who will be recipients of the Affordable Care (provisions) will never have had to pay a premium before, and have absolutely no relationship with a bank, so it will be difficult for them to figure out how to make a monthly payment.”

The 11 public meetings each last an hour and half. All occur during the day. Harris says this makes it difficult for working people to attend. Wieske says additional hearings are planned. Enrollment for the health exchanges begins October 1.

Up to date information on the meetings can be found at the website for the Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance.