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Obamacare starts in 100 days
Obamacare starts in 100 days
By Sarah Kliff
For years now, Obamacare has been a bit of an abstraction, a law that would take effect in a few years–if the Supreme Court or a Republican president didn’t intervene.
That ends now: Today marks 100 days until Oct. 1, millions can begin enrolling in the health care law’s insurance expansion. That also means it’s 100 days until the federal government must stand up health insurance marketplaces in dozens of states.
This is the final sprint for the Obama administration and its allies. The White House has made a conscious decision to hold off on public outreach and education until right before open enrollment — there’s no point in pitching a product, the thinking has gone, until it’s almost on the shelves.
There are, arguably, two big things that need to happen between now and October. The first is technical: The federal government needs to finish building the infrastructure that allows multiple government agencies to transmit information, determining whether an individual should qualify for tax subsidies. This is a really big lift that means connecting Health and Human Services, Treasury, Homeland Security and other agencies in a way that has never really happened before.
- more -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/06/23/obamacare-starts-in-100-days/
By Sarah Kliff
For years now, Obamacare has been a bit of an abstraction, a law that would take effect in a few years–if the Supreme Court or a Republican president didn’t intervene.
That ends now: Today marks 100 days until Oct. 1, millions can begin enrolling in the health care law’s insurance expansion. That also means it’s 100 days until the federal government must stand up health insurance marketplaces in dozens of states.
This is the final sprint for the Obama administration and its allies. The White House has made a conscious decision to hold off on public outreach and education until right before open enrollment — there’s no point in pitching a product, the thinking has gone, until it’s almost on the shelves.
There are, arguably, two big things that need to happen between now and October. The first is technical: The federal government needs to finish building the infrastructure that allows multiple government agencies to transmit information, determining whether an individual should qualify for tax subsidies. This is a really big lift that means connecting Health and Human Services, Treasury, Homeland Security and other agencies in a way that has never really happened before.
- more -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/06/23/obamacare-starts-in-100-days/
HHS launches Health Insurance Marketplace educational tools
The Obama administration today kicked off the Health Insurance Marketplace education effort with a new, consumer-focused HealthCare.gov website and the 24-hours-a-day consumer call center to help Americans prepare for open enrollment and ultimately sign up for private health insurance. The new tools will help Americans understand their choices and select the coverage that best suits their needs when open enrollment in the new Health Insurance Marketplace begins October 1.
“The new website and toll-free number have a simple mission: to make sure every American who needs health coverage has the information they need to make choices that are right for themselves and their families—or their businesses,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
“The re-launched Healthcare.gov and new call center will help consumers prepare for the new coverage opportunities coming later this year,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. "In October, HealthCare.gov will be the online destination for consumers to compare and enroll in affordable, qualified health plans."
HealthCare.gov is the destination for the Health Insurance Marketplace. Americans may now access new educational information and learn what they can do to begin to get ready for open enrollment this fall. The website will add functionality over the summer so that, by October, consumers will be able to create accounts, complete an online application, and shop for qualified health plans. For Spanish speaking consumers, CuidadoDeSalud.gov will also be updated to match HealthCare.gov’s new consumer focus.
Key features of the website, based on consumer research and online commercial best practices include integration of social media, sharable content, and engagement destinations for consumers to get more information. The site will also launch with web chat functionality to support additional consumer inquiries.
The website is built with a responsive design so that consumers may access it from their desktops, smart-phones, and other mobile devices. In addition, the website is available via an application interface at www.healthcare.gov/developers.
Between now and the start of open enrollment, the Marketplace call center will provide educational information and, beginning Oct. 1, 2013, will assist consumers with application completion and plan selection. In addition to English and Spanish, the call center provides assistance in more than 150 languages through an interpretation and translation service. Customer service representatives are available for assistance via a toll-free number at 1-800-318-2596 and hearing impaired callers using TTY/TDD technology can dial 1-855-889-4325 for assistance.
To view the new look and new focus of the website, visit www.HealthCare.gov.
HHS is on target for open enrollment in the Marketplace, which begins Oct. 1, 2013, and other key milestones approaching in the months ahead. Coverage will begin Jan. 1, 2014.
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2013pres/06/20130624a.html
The Obama administration today kicked off the Health Insurance Marketplace education effort with a new, consumer-focused HealthCare.gov website and the 24-hours-a-day consumer call center to help Americans prepare for open enrollment and ultimately sign up for private health insurance. The new tools will help Americans understand their choices and select the coverage that best suits their needs when open enrollment in the new Health Insurance Marketplace begins October 1.
“The new website and toll-free number have a simple mission: to make sure every American who needs health coverage has the information they need to make choices that are right for themselves and their families—or their businesses,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
“The re-launched Healthcare.gov and new call center will help consumers prepare for the new coverage opportunities coming later this year,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. "In October, HealthCare.gov will be the online destination for consumers to compare and enroll in affordable, qualified health plans."
HealthCare.gov is the destination for the Health Insurance Marketplace. Americans may now access new educational information and learn what they can do to begin to get ready for open enrollment this fall. The website will add functionality over the summer so that, by October, consumers will be able to create accounts, complete an online application, and shop for qualified health plans. For Spanish speaking consumers, CuidadoDeSalud.gov will also be updated to match HealthCare.gov’s new consumer focus.
Key features of the website, based on consumer research and online commercial best practices include integration of social media, sharable content, and engagement destinations for consumers to get more information. The site will also launch with web chat functionality to support additional consumer inquiries.
The website is built with a responsive design so that consumers may access it from their desktops, smart-phones, and other mobile devices. In addition, the website is available via an application interface at www.healthcare.gov/developers.
Between now and the start of open enrollment, the Marketplace call center will provide educational information and, beginning Oct. 1, 2013, will assist consumers with application completion and plan selection. In addition to English and Spanish, the call center provides assistance in more than 150 languages through an interpretation and translation service. Customer service representatives are available for assistance via a toll-free number at 1-800-318-2596 and hearing impaired callers using TTY/TDD technology can dial 1-855-889-4325 for assistance.
To view the new look and new focus of the website, visit www.HealthCare.gov.
HHS is on target for open enrollment in the Marketplace, which begins Oct. 1, 2013, and other key milestones approaching in the months ahead. Coverage will begin Jan. 1, 2014.
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2013pres/06/20130624a.html
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