Will Exchanges Be Delayed Too?

[houcoogster]

Predictions Wanted:

What do you think the Dems and Repubs will agree on to Open the Govt back up?
How long do you think the shutdown will last?

Mine are: I think the Dems will allow higher deductible plans for all ages and repeal the Medical device tax.
Shutdown lasts a week or less.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

This isn't ready. Consumer awareness alone per the last Kaiser poll is 12% (that enrollments begin tomorrow.)

Month ago Obama should have sat down with the Pubs and worked out a 1 year delay. And I'd say that 12% knowledge of exchanges opening tomorrow is generous. Among people I know? Zero know about it.

When awareness is that low most of the enrollments will be the sick and poor - and we see how well that worked out with the national risk pool.

 

[Ann H]

This isn't ready. Consumer awareness alone per the last Kaiser poll is 12% (that enrollments begin tomorrow.)

Month ago Obama should have sat down with the Pubs and worked out a 1 year delay. And I'd say that 12% knowledge of exchanges opening tomorrow is generous. Among people I know? Zero know about it.

When awareness is that low most of the enrollments will be the sick and poor - and we see how well that worked out with the national risk pool.

Agreed. The Democrats do such a good job of communicating to the public on political hot buttons, but a bad job of installing their programs. The PCIP is an example of a failure in mass communication.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Agreed. The Democrats do such a good job of communicating to the public on political hot buttons, but a bad job of installing their programs. The PCIP is an example of a failure in mass communication.

I guess we have to define exactly how anything would get communicated to the masses. Certainly no single form of media would do the trick.

Let's face it. Most Americans work all day, get home and watch prime time TV. So unless PSAs are going to appear during Modern Family, people aren't going to know squat.

 

[AllenChicago]

The silence from the Federally Facilitated Exchanges is disturbing. None of them are saying that they're ready to go. I got a big chuckle out of this cartoon. It speaks volumes. No matter what, the Exchanges launch tomorrow! ac

 

[dgoldenz]

One day away and not a single company in VA has announced rates or plan designs publicly....and none have announced rates even to agents.

 

[somarco]

Only 1 navigator in GA, 0 in Ohio.

But then, if no one knows the exchange opens tomorrow looks like we might be celebrating groundhog day for the next month or so.

 

[STIBROKER]

This message is intended for agents and brokers who are registering for the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces (FFM)--including State Partnership Marketplaces (SPM).

9-30-2013

We have a number of very important announcements today:

1. We are pleased to advise that the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces (FFM) and State Partnership Marketplaces (SPM) will open for business on Tuesday, October 1! On Tuesday, the side-by-side model, or “Marketplace pathway” will be available for FFM-registered agents and brokers to assist consumers. Using this pathway, an agent/broker will be able to assist a consumer as the consumer completes the application process on the FFM or SPM website.

The agent/broker should work with the consumer to make sure that the consumer enters the agent’s/broker’s identifying information, including National Producer Number (NPN), so that the FFM can associate the transaction with the agent/broker so that an issuer may facilitate compensation. When the consumer is logged in to the healthcare.gov page, the consumer will be shown a screen labeled, “Help applying for coverage.” On this screen, it is vital that the consumer enters the agent’s/broker’s name, NPN, and FFM User ID (if the agent/broker has an FFM User ID). Accurate entry of the agent’s/broker’s information on that screen will enable an issuer to facilitate compensation.

Please refer to our May 2013 guidance that describes the two pathways which agents/brokers may use. (See page 3: http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Regulations-and-Guidance/Downloads/agent-broker-5-1-2013.pdf) We will continue to keep you apprised via this listserve about the status of the Issuer-based pathway (or “direct enrollment” model).


2. If you would like to see which Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) are available in the FFM in your state, you will be able to view them on 10/1 via the following links. (Please note that these links will not be active until Tuesday, 10/1/13.)

https://www.healthcare.gov/health-plan-information/ (Individual Health Plans)
https://www.healthcare.gov/dental-plan-information/ (Individual Dental Plans)
https://www.healthcare.gov/shop-health-plan-information/ (SHOP Health Plans)
https://www.healthcare.gov/shop-dental-plan-information/ (SHOP Dental Plans)


3. Agents/brokers are reminded that in order to complete registration for the individual market, they must complete identity proofing process occurs on the CMS Enterprise Portal. To set up an FFM account and complete identity proofing, visit the CMS Enterprise Portal: https://portal.cms.gov/
For agents/brokers who are mid-registration, please be reminded of these useful links that should be useful to you during that process:
http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/Health-Insurance-Marketplaces/Downloads/agent-broker-reg-faq-9-23-2013.pdf

http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/Health-Insurance-Marketplaces/Downloads/agent-broker-registration-webinar.pdf

4. Lastly, for questions related to the FFM registration process, agents/brokers may submit email inquiries to: [email protected]

 

[AllenChicago]

Some insurers haven't requested our FFM User ID be sent to them yet. Here in IL, Blue Cross and Aetna are two exchange carriers who say they're not ready for us to accept our FFM User ID, but they will be on the exchange when it opens tomorrow. Humana on the other hand, says that I'm good to go.

We help a person. He/she decides to take a plan from a company we're not yet Exchange-Registered with yet. What to do? Trying to get connected to an existing application in the system in a week or two will be problematic.
-ac


P.S. Am just now seeing this on the healthcare.gov website. Go to https://localhelp.healthcare.gov/ , and enter your zip code. Even though the page says that Insurance Agents and Brokers are available to help, I don't see any come up in the search results. Maybe we have to register someplace to be listed. One more thing to investigate...sigh.

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Monday, September 30, 2013

“Shutdown or no shutdown (of the Federal Government), we’re ready to go,” Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told reporters Monday. The new marketplaces, also known as exchanges, officially open at 8 a.m. in most states.

Source: Sebelius: Health exchanges to launch, despite shutdown - The Hill's Healthwatch

ac

 

[Agent045]

Some insurers haven't requested our FFM User ID be sent to them yet. Here in IL, Blue Cross and Aetna are two exchange carriers who say they're not ready for us to accept our FFM User ID, but they will be on the exchange when it opens tomorrow. Humana on the other hand, says that I'm good to go.

We help a person. He/she decides to take a plan from a company we're not yet Exchange-Registered with yet. What to do? Trying to get connected to an existing application in the system in a week or two will be problematic.
-ac


P.S. Am just now seeing this on the healthcare.gov website. Go to https://localhelp.healthcare.gov/ , and enter your zip code. Even though the page says that Insurance Agents and Brokers are available to help, I don't see any come up in the search results. Maybe we have to register someplace to be listed. One more thing to investigate...sigh.

----------

Monday, September 30, 2013

“Shutdown or no shutdown (of the Federal Government), we’re ready to go,” Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told reporters Monday. The new marketplaces, also known as exchanges, officially open at 8 a.m. in most states.

Source: Sebelius: Health exchanges to launch, despite shutdown - The Hill's Healthwatch

ac

Agents and Brokers will not be listed per the young lady from CMS that came to our office a couple of weeks ago.