Health Insurance Exchange Update: Monday, August 13, 2012

Minnesota State Flag

With the Supreme Court passing the legislation to keep the Affordable Care Act for the most part in tact, many states are still questioning what they should do. However, others are taking steps to make their exchanges a reality while others are looking at the impact of Medicaid expansion on their state and budget.

Minnesota is one of the first states to award a contract to a technology company in order to create their exchange. They have contracted Maximus for two years to help them set up their digital exchange. According to the Star Tribune,  It is expected to launch in Fall 2013.

In Arizona,Chuck Coughlin and Peter Burns were hired to create a campaign in order to encourage the state government to approve Medicaid expansion. They unite the voices of hospitals, insurance plans, providers and other players.  Should the Medicaid Expansion be approved, up to 300,000 Arizona citizens will eligible for healthcare from the program.  According to the Tuscon Citizen, they argue that without the expansion, hospitals and doctors will continue losing patients who are uninsured and money from those who are not.

Maryland is a democratic state while neighboring state Virginia is republican, and the vast differences between their approaches to creating the health insurance exchange.  Virginia's governor Bob McDonnell has yet to authorize an exchange.  The District of Columbia began assessing it's options in Fall 2011, and plans thus far have not made decisions as to whether it will be an open or closed to all providers and will be mostly internet exchanged.  For more on the comparison of the three states and where they stand in the Exchange process, read the article at the Washington Post.

In Vermont, they're looking at their exchange as a bridge to what the state really wants to set up - a government run single payor healthcare system.  By taking the federal money to fund their current healthcare exchange, they're able to create that system - Green Mountain Care - which will open for business in 2017.  Read more about the plans for this exchange at the Heartlander.

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!

Health Care Insurance Exchange Update; Monday, July 23, 2012

State Senators and Governors are waiting November 6 to see who will be our president. Those who are beginning or have already set up exchanges for their states are in the minority. But most states are waiting and crossing their fingers to see whether or not President Obama or Mitt Romney will win the election.

Virginia State Flag

According to the Washington Post, Virginia state attorney general Ken Cuccinelli II came up with a strategy that is not new but has decided to join the bandwagon in doing his: do nothing. But, Cuccinelli believes that he has found a mistake in the wording of the law. He mentions that the law states that the penalty for those who do not have health care are not imposed if the exchanges are set up by the federal government. Cuccinelli believes that he has found the silver lining to striking down the health care law. This gaffe in wording has been identified by supporters of the bill and said that the state attorney general’s attack on the bill is nothing but wishful thinking. While others who are staunch opponents of the bill are saying this very thing could bring down the bill. 

But there is a rather surprising voice that is urging states to set up their own state-run exchanges.

Michael O. Leavitt, a top aide for Mitt Romney runs a consulting firm in his spare time when called Leavitt Partners who actually advise and help states set up their own exchanges. According to The New York Times, H\he has advised states like Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Mississippi among others despite the fact that the majority of that he is a top aide for a Republican nominee who has said on multiple occasions that the first thing he will do is to repeal the health care law. But he wants states to set up their own exchanges so that that they will not have to rely upon the federal government to use their template. And with this news, there are some questions surrounding the Romney campaign about his stance. However, in a blog post Director of Leavitt Partners Daniel J. Schuyler said that regardless of your opinion of the health care law, exchanges just make sense.

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! 

Health Insurance Exchange Update: Thursday, July 5

Virginia State Flag

In today's update, we see many states putting off the exchange. We also see how other professionals such as accountants are directly affected by the law. To see the progress of each state exchange, visit Kaiser's Health Reform Source.

In Maine, there is no strategy to create an exchange before 2014.  The Bangor Daily News believes that the state will ultimately have to rely on the federal exchange.  This opinion piece urges the state law makers to begin looking into an exchange, as they believe a federal exchange would not take into account many of the state-specific healthcare demographics such as small businesses.

Virginia has created a committee Sen. Richard Stuart, R-Stafford, was appointed to Virginia Health Reform Initiative’s advisory council, along with Joe Wilson, a Fredericksburg businessman. According to Fredrickburg.com, they've been working with everyone affected (including insurance companies, businesses, advocacy groups, patients’ rights groups, doctors, hospitals) in the state to develop an action plan for the exchange. They believe they have the bare skeleton to the future exchange.

There will be a new face of the law according to Accounting Web.  CPAs will be put in the center of healthcare reform.  Every income tax the prepare will now have to include the question "Do you have health insurance?"  They will be the ones adding the line item of the tax and will ultimately be put at the center of political discussions, which CPAs have never had to deal with before.

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!