Infosys Limited, a global technology services company, will be launching a new platform that is designed to help states establish their own health insurance exchanges. The platform, called Health Benefit Exchange, is one of the few such programs that are tailored specifically to the needs of states making the move toward an exchange program. Infosys claims the system will be a boon for shoppers as it will allow for detailed searches of insurance plans offered in the state.
The platform can be used to streamline the complex operations that will be a byproduct of the exchanges. The state will be able to automate regulations and how they are incorporated into the exchange program through a sophisticated, customizable rule engine. Infosys is including an education feature into their system to help shoppers learn the differences between policies and obtain a better understanding of terminologies common in the insurance industry.
Health care administrators will be able to use the system to store patient data in a database reminiscent to the emerging cloud computing phenomena.
Eric Paternoster, CEO of Infosys, says that the system will be able to adapt to suit the needs of individual states and accommodate their particular regulations. Shoppers, however, are considered to be the priority, as far as the platform is concerned. The Health Benefit Exchange will be able to assist consumers in finding not only the most affordable coverage, but also the most effective.
Using the system, states will be able to meet the 2014 deadline for establishing health insurance exchancges, as mandated by the federal government, says Paternoster.