Health Insurance Exchanges
Despite the media naysayers it looks as though the federal government will have the online health insurance exchanges up and running by the October 1st deadline. I spent some time playing on the Web site this morning and even chatting with someone about what will be available here in Ohio. The site is www.healthcare.gov. It will take you through a series of questions in order to provide information about your insurance options. If you like you can engage in real-time chat with a live person who can answer questions about your state. There's also a Web site that will provide information about the federal navigators who will help sort out questions about the insurance exchanges. Here it is: www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/Health-InsuranceMarketplaces/Downloads/navigator-list-8-15-2013.pdf.
As everyone knows by now Ohio notified the federal government in November that it would opt out of setting up an exchange. The health insurance exchange or marketplace is a set of government-regulated health insurance plans that people may purchase. Those whose incomes are less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for subsidies to help pay for their plans. States could set up their own exchanges or opt out and let the federal government set up the exchange. Enrollment is to begin on October 1 and the exchanges are supposed to be fully operational -- that is everyone is supposed to be buying insurance under the exchange -- by January 1, 2014.
Here's another useful Web site for information on Obamacare: http://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-health-insurance-exchange.php.