Federal Health Exchanges Are Behind Schedule, GAO Finds

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

By Alex Nussbaum - Jun 19, 2013
Computer systems to help Americans gain coverage on the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges may not be ready on time, and training for the people who will assist consumers is behind schedule, a government report found.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is still developing and testing computer systems meant to determine consumers’ eligibility for government subsidies, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said today. Plans to train “navigators” to assist people in finding new insurance plans have been delayed by about two months past a June deadline, the GAO found. The exchanges are set to open Oct. 1.

“Factors such as the still-evolving scope of CMS’s required activities in each state and the many activities yet to be performed -- some close to the start of enrollment -- suggest a potential for challenges going forward,” the GAO said in its report. “Much progress has been made, but much remains to be accomplished within a relatively short amount of time.”

The exchanges are the centerpiece of the 2010 law’s efforts to expand coverage for the uninsured, with some 7 million Americans expected to buy subsidized private plans on the markets next year. The Obama administration’s workload for creating the federal marketplace has swelled beyond what the law’s authors predicted as many Republican-led states have refused to operate their own exchanges.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-19/federal-health-exchanges-are-behind-schedule-gao-finds.html

[cbayer]

1. I was just perusing the California site and it's looking very good.

They have some really easy to access and understand information pages and a calculator that will tell you what it is going to cost.

Having gone without insurance for the last 9 years, I am pretty excited about being covered in 2014.

I hope the other states will get up to speed.

[Purveyor]

2. Our repuke gov't in Michigan are going to do everything in their power to make sure it is a

clusterfunk for us.

They are striving for the 'see we told you so' moment.

[cbayer]

3. Really sorry to hear that and (once again) glad to live in CA.

Looks like I can get some really affordable coverage.

I wonder how many people will relocate as a result of this.

[SkyDaddy7]

5. I was stationed in California...

For 3yrs back in 1989-1992...Once I was done with my enlistment I decided to return home to the deep south, Atlanta, Georgia, because I wanted to see my friends & get back together with a high school sweetheart...I was clearly young, dumb & in love...I chose that path & the only thing I would not change if I do it over was meeting the woman I have been married to since 1996 & NO it was not the girl I came home for...We dated for a few months & called it off as friends.

Anyway, in 2003 I suffered a spinal cord injury that has left me in incredible pain. After two spinal cord surgeries, 8 months in house rehab at spinal & brain care facility in Atlanta & countless other procedures my insurance carrier, Principal Insurance, DROPPED ME with no warning at all! Now, I am on Medicare & had to get divorced (only legally) from my wife so that I could afford to pay the rates...Being dropped was just as scary as the initial spinal cord injury!

I currently being used as a guinea pig as they continue to try & find a medicine that will help with the neuropathic pain from my spinal cord injury. I just got done weaning myself off the Oxycontin I had been on for 10yrs that did nothing but drug me up. I wish I were in California because it was not until here recently that I figured out how much smoking cannabis helps my pain! However, in Georgia we have locked up 88yr old terminally ill cancer patients for cannabis possession...I can't under any circumstances go to jail...Not in my condition!

My whole point is I wish I were back in California for a number of reasons...POLITICS POLITICS POLITICS is a main reason! I live in Georgia where we elected Congressman Nathan Deal as our new Governor back during the Tea Party craze! The IRONIC thing is the Tea Party said they were done with the corrupt old Washington politicians so they poured MILLIONS into electing Congressman Nathan Deal who was determined to be one of the most corrupt Congressman in Congress at the time!! Anyway, him & the massively corrupt Republican held Georgia General Assembly are doing everything possible to ensure "Obamacare" is a failure in Georgia!

I am stuck here due to a promise I made my wife before we got married that we would not move far from her family...However, my wife is just as sick of the Republicans as i am & she knows how much cannabis helps me so she has decided we are out of here by the time she retires...If she can. If, so, California here we come!!

[cbayer]

6. So sad to hear what you have been through.

Congratulations for getting yourself off oxycontin. I know that is not easy.

The MMJ laws in CA are good, but the abuse of the system has put it all in jeopardy. However, I remain optimistic that we will reach full legalization relatively soon.

Politics in CA are interesting, to say the least. Overall, I am happy with the way things are going and see some light at the end of our very dark economic tunnel. People here seem to social democrats and fiscal libertarians.

At any rate, I felt close to tears today when looking at the website about the upcoming exchanges. Not only will I have lots of choices, but it appears that I will be able to get something I truly can afford. I have been putting off things for too many years, and am anxiously looking forward to some medical care.

I know about Georgia. My daughter lives there right now and I happen to know one of your congress critters who has turned into a despicable republican tool I am ashamed to know him.

Come on to California! The biggest problem is going to be that the medical system is going to be completely overwhelmed when Obamacare kicks in. So many people have gone without for so long.

[SkyDaddy7]

7. Thank-you for those kind words!

I will be perfectly honest the US healthcare system has made what I & so many others with catastrophic injuries or illness have had to go through MUCH MUCH worse!!

Yes, getting off the Oxycontin was uncomfortable but I was lucky because when I was on it my wife kept it locked up in safe because early on I could see the potential for abuse...Sitting at home unable to drive anywhere due to the nature of my injury boredom creeps in & along with being it pain it is very easy to just take more pain medicine & check out. So, I did not abuse the medicine so I think that helped in being able to wean off as fast as I did. (within 3 months).

Yes, I know what you mean about California's cannabis growing pains...I too, hope you guys smooth things out & it is just outright legalized by then. I have been following some of the troubles you guys have been having with folks abusing the system & could see it turning bad. But hopefully that won't happen. I hope Washington & Colorado's legalization is pulled off without too much trouble...Then hopefully the tax revenue & cost savings for law enforcement/legal system/criminal system is such that other states quickly follow suit!! FINGERS CROSSED!!

If we do get to come to Cali it would not be for another 10yrs or so...Hopefully Obamacare will be a raging success & we Democrats control the entire government & Hillary is serving her second term! LOL!

Talk to you later!

[Puzzledtraveller]

4. I'll be doing this on the state end

In addition to the medicaid I already do and from what I can tell we are way behind here also. I'm speaking unofficially of course. I am already receiving calls about the HBE and subsidies and eligibility from the public and I have nothing to tell them because I don't know. It's frustrating.

[YOHABLO]

8. I too live in this ridiculous Republican controlled State of Georgia ..>>

I am on Medicare disability .. but as anyone may know, Medicare does not cover everything .. I get too much on my disability for Medicaid. I just went in for Cardio testing ..$8,500, that is what Medicare covered and I still owe $250. I have to wonder, why did it cost almost $9,000 dollars? The ACA is only handing over health care to Big Insurance .. there will still be out of pocket expenses, like Medicare, that we will have to fork over. The problem is Greed. How much of that $8,750 actually went to testing, and how much to the cardiologist, the nurses, the CEO of the hospital??
Bet you can answer that question.