Conn. Marketplace CEO Acknowledges Problems Could Lie Ahead; Fla. Health Advocates Looking For More Consumer Help
Concerns about the roll-out of the marketplaces are examined in several states.
The CT Mirror: Computer Snags, Other Problems May Dog Health Exchanges
Less than a week before the opening of state insurance exchanges nationwide, no one is sure how this key element of the Affordable Care Act is going to roll out. The Obama administration is hoping for a seamless debut. But even Obamacare's biggest boosters predict there will be problems, though there's debate as to how serious those problems will be. "I am confident there will be glitches," said Kevin Counihan, CEO of Access Health CT, Connecticut’s health exchange (Radelat, 9/26).
Health News Florida: FL Navigator Law Has Gap
There will be only about 150 licensed "navigators" in the state to act as health plan enrollment advisors for millions of uninsured Floridians over the next six months -- not nearly enough, everyone agrees. So hospitals and other health-care businesses and non-profits are busy getting employees trained for the role of "Certified Application Counselors," or CAC's (Gentry, 9/27).
Georgia Health News: A Geographic Sore Spot For Exchange Premiums
About 95 percent of American consumers will have a choice of two or more health insurance issuers, and often many more, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday in announcing premiums for federally run insurance exchanges in 36 states, including Georgia. But in two regions of southwest Georgia, there's only one insurer offering coverage -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia. And the premiums in that corner of the state are much higher than in the rest of Georgia (Miller, 9/26).
Minnesota Public Radio: MNsure Roll-Out A Ripe Opportunity For Scammers
The roll-out of the Affordable Care Act, a confusing process for many people, is a dream come true for rip-off artists. The Federal Trade Commission has already investigated nearly 300 consumer complaints nationwide related to insurance scams, including one from Minnesota. Other people in the state also say they have received false information in the mail, questionable phone pitches and email spam (Volpe, 9/26).