Commissioner Donelon criticized state’s health insurance exchange
Health insurance exchanges throughout the U.S. will begin open enrollment next week, but that does not mean that the controversy surrounding these exchanges will be put to rest, at least not in Louisiana. The state’s Insurance Commissioner, Jim Donelon, claims that consumers will not be able to access enough information to make adequate decisions concerning their health insurance coverage. The Commissioner suggests that the exchanges are designed to be too complex, which could create extreme confusion among those looking to purchase coverage from the exchange system.
Exchange may create confusion among consumers
Louisiana’s health insurance exchange is to be operated by the federal government as the state has opted not to develop its own exchange program. While the federal government will be holding the reins of the exchange, Insurance Commissioner Donelon will have some authority concerning the policies sold through the program and its regulations. Donelon’s position with the exchange has afforded him insight into the system’s operations, which he considers to be “mind-boggling.” The Commissioner is not simply criticizing the exchange, of course, as he has launched a campaign to help consumers understand what they may be in for.
Commissioner aims to provide people with information concerning the exchange
The state’s Department of Insurance has launched various outreach efforts in order to provide consumers with information concerning the state’s health insurance exchange. This information is meant to be more easily understood than the outreach efforts being conducted by the federal government. The state agency will continue its outreach efforts through the exchange’s open enrollment period, which will come to a close on March 31, 2014.
Louisiana has also accepted $1.8 million in federal grants to assist in the hiring of health insurance navigators. This money is being split by four non-profit organizations that will be responsible for hiring these navigators. Navigators are meant to help consumers find the best health insurance coverage available for their needs and the navigators themselves have no affiliation with insurance companies in any way.
