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Source: Star-News, Wilmington, N.儲存C.Oct. 01--Despite expectations for an influx of customers at their doorsteps, area social services agencies did not see a huge uptick in business Tuesday, the start of the open-enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.Reta Shiver, director of the Pender County Department of Social Services, said she did see some increased foot traffic Tuesday, though it was marginal."By lunchtime we had five new people come in to apply for Medicaid," Shiver said, noting that is a little more than usual."It's going smoothly," she said.The state opted not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to some half-million people. Still, state estimates project that roughly 70,000 new people may enroll in Medicaid because of the new law's mandate that most people have health insurance coverage by Jan. 1.The state estimates some 1.5 million North Carolinians may be shopping for health insurance in advance of requirements that most people have health insurance by the beginning of 2014 or face penalties.Lew Borman, spokesman for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of North Carolina, which is offering 26 plans on the exchange, said the company has seen a great deal of traffic Tuesday on the phone, online and at its retail sites.The company is the only one offering plans through the exchange in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties; it doesn't have a local retail site."The mini storageuote volume has been a record day," Borman said. "As of noon, we were four times our normal volume. We've been cranking out a lot of quotes for people and helping them estimate subsidies."Christine McNamee, assistant director of the New Hanover County Department of Social Services, said a handful of people visited the agency Tuesday to find out if they were eligible for a tax credit or subsidy under the Affordable Care Act. A few people called as well, she said."It's been a little quieter than we thought it might be today," she said.Officials in Brunswick County did not return phone calls.To help people navigate the federal law, beginning Oct. 8, New Hanover Department of Social Services will have an outreach and enrollment specialist onsite every Tuesday. Two specialists, hired by Med North, formerly New Hanover Community Health Center, will rotate between DSS, the health department and the library downtown, said Med North CEO Anganette Young.On Tuesday, Gov. Pat McCrory released a video discussing implementation of the new law. He noted that he is opposed to Obamacare but sees it as the state's duty to be "as helpful as we can.""Navigating Obamacare is not expected to be easy," the governor said.Metro desk: 343-2389On Twitter: @StarNewsMollyCopyright: ___ (c)2013 the Star-News (Wilmington, N.C.) Visit the Star-News (Wilmington, N.C.) at .starnewsonline.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesself storage