After all of the controversy and planning for the central element of the Affordable Care Act, the day has arrived.
Following considerable controversy and attempts to put a stop to the healthcare reforms, the most public-facing portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, President Obama’s crown jewel, has now arrived for Americans in the form of health insurance exchanges that are opening their doors for enrollment in every state across the country.
Regardless of the government shutdown, Obama has announced that millions of Americans can begin shopping for coverage.
These comparison shopping health insurance exchanges are designed to provide consumers seeking plans in order to comply with the individual mandate of the healthcare reforms with the ability to look at the different types of options available to them, choose the best coverage for their needs and budgets.
While the rest of the federal government has ground to a halt, the health insurance exchanges are opening their doors as planned.
The health insurance exchanges are also providing assistance through “navigators”, which are customer support experts who will help consumers to be able to make the right choices and to properly inform themselves regarding the requirements of the healthcare reforms and making sure that they comply through the proper use of the site.
Despite many challenges and roadblocks of varying nature along the way – from Supreme Court decisions to Presidential elections and, of course, the federal government shutdown, last night – the state health insurance exchanges (more than half of which have been created and are operated by the federal government) have arrived at their opening day. What will come of this open enrollment has yet to be seen.
Massive marketing campaigns have already been launched to educate the public about the existence and use of these online health insurance marketplaces. Many more are beginning today and will continue to spread the word about the way in which Americans can use these resources to purchase their coverage. Among the primary demographics to be targeted are young and healthy individuals, who will be needed in order to make sure that the premiums can be kept as low as possible for everyone as a whole, including those with pre-existing conditions who can no longer be denied coverage.
