Health Insurance Exchange Update: Tuesday, June 26, 2012

We have two days until the decision will be heard and our politicians will figure out the next steps in health care reform. Still, with two days left to worrying whether or not Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, states and state officials preparing for the possibility of the act being upheld and a democratic Governor disagrees with the individual mandate.

In Missouri, Democratic Governor Jay Nixon has expressed his displeasure with the requiring of individuals to buy health coverage, according to St. Louis Public Radio. He wanted to make it clear his feelings regarding the ACA to what he calls “Washington Healthcare Law”.

Also expressing disinterest with the health care reform, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin said that no matter what happens on Thursday, he will not act on any of the provisions in the act until November, according to Milwaukee Public Radio. And what's going on in November? The general election. And, what does Walker believe? Yes, he wants to, rather he believes that Mitt Romney will be in office in November. 

In Florida, changes are being made to help improve their already standing health exchange program, according to Market Watch. Xerox has decided to work with Florida’s health exchange program entitled Florida Health Choices to build health insurance marketplace in Florida Health Choices. The contract is reportedly going to last 9 years and it will be valued at $68 million. The insurance marketplace Xerox is going to design will give Xerox is going to provide a cloud-based web portal, an online plan tool to give consumers and employers more information when making health insurance sections. Xerox will also provide eligibility determination and an enrollment management services for the program and it will operate as a customer contact center to share information on marketplace offerings. 

In Mississippi, there is someone who feels that part of the ACA is actually a good thing for his state, according to the Desoto Times. The State Insurance commissioner Mike Chaney feels health insurance exchange as crucial tool to broaden health care of Mississippians. He feels that this is not a Republican idea, a Democrat idea, but a universal idea. Stating the obvious, Chaney also believes that Mississippi will be in better shape than neighboring Louisiana, who has not taken any steps towards making exchanges. And in buying into that reasoning, Chaney has taken steps to see it implemented gathering proposals of companies would enter the exchange. When he was in office until 2009, he brought up legislature for the exchanges, but of course, it was not passed. But Chaney realized with his new position, he was going to use that pull in order to get the exchanges ready. And with his pull, he decided to take the government’s $22 million in startup funds. 

This November, the Health Insurance Exchange Congress will be held November 13-14, 2012 in Chicago, IL.  Here, state officials and health plans with the only opportunity to come together to discuss PPACA and strategize on how to make this a successful opportunity for all.  For more information on this year's agenda, download the program here.  As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us and mention code XP1710BLOG, you'll receive 15% off the standard rate!