Obamacare State Exchanges Face October 1 Deadline
Jack Edward Urquhart August 9, 2013
Obamacare state exchanges face the October 1, 2013 deadline for opening enrollment. Obamacare state exchanges are poorly understood. And the publicity blasts from supporters and opponents of Obamacare state exchanges simply add to the misunderstanding. Reliable sources of information on Obamacare state exchanges are few. I will make an effort to provide reliable information as the Obamacare state exchange enrollment deadline approaches.
Obamacare state exchanges are intended to provide individuals with the ability to shop for health insurance online. Obamacare state exchanges are intended to allow individuals to compare the prices and coverage of competing private health insurance policies. Obamacare state exchanges are intended to allow individuals to purchase health insurance from private insurance companies that is best suited to their needs.
Obamacare state exchanges are aimed at the uninisured and the poorly insured. Obamacare state exchanges are not intended to affect those who currently are well covered by their employers.
Obamacare state exchanges will offer subsidies to lower income individuals, and this will reduce the cost of insurance for qualifying individuals. Obamacare state exchanges are intended to allow individuals to determine for themselves whether they qualify for subsidies by providing information about their income status.
Obamacare state exchanges will not sell any government health insurance policies. All Obamacare state exchange policies will be sold by private insurance insurance companies.
Sixteen states will set up and operate their own Obamacare state exchanges. A number of these states are already in a position to identify participating private insurance companies and have recieved premium rate quotes from these companies. In these 16 states, the actual rate quotes are at or below the rates assumed by the Congressional Budget Office.
The remaining states fall into two categories. Some state will partner with the federal government in creating and operating the exchanges. Obamacare state exchanges in other states have no state support. In those states, Obamacare state exchanges will be run by the federal government.
So, this is the starting point for an understanding of Obamacare state exchanges. Obamacare state exchanges are intended as online marketplaces where the uninsured or badly insured can comparative shop and purchase health insurance coverage from private insurers. Sixteen states will set up and operate their exchanges. These states in general are well ahead of the remaining states in facing the Obamacare state exchange October 1, 2013 deadline.
Subsequent posts will expand on this baseline information about Obamacare state exchanges Your questions and comments are very much welcome.