With Memories Of Troubled Enrollment Process Last Year, Officials Promise Improvements

The Associated Press: Nevada Launching Health Insurance Exchange Do-Over
The rollout of Nevada's health insurance exchange last year was a certifiable flop: Website glitches left people without coverage they paid for, enrollments were less than one-third of what state officials predicted, and complications led to a lawsuit against the state and its contractor, Xerox. But officials with Nevada Health Link, the state exchange, are optimistic things will improve now that they have scrapped a $75 million deal with Xerox and are using the infrastructure of the federal HealthCare.gov website. (Rindels, 11/13)

Minnesota Public Radio: MNsure Officials, Consumers Hope For Smooth Open Enrollment
Minnesotans who are in the market for private health insurance can start shopping Saturday on MNsure, the state's online insurance website. The state exchange had a disastrous debut a year ago, but agency officials expect the process to go much more smoothly during the second open enrollment period. (Sepic, 11/13)

The Des Moines Register: Will More Iowans Give Improved Obamacare Website A New Look?
Tens of thousands of Iowans shrugged last winter when the federal government offered to help pay for their health insurance. Many gave up after spending fruitless hours trying to see their new insurance options on the government's colossally flawed website, healthcare.gov. Other folks never bothered to look. Now that the Obamacare website has been vastly improved, will more Iowans give it a spin? Starting Saturday, consumers who buy their own coverage will have three months to purchase 2015 health-insurance policies. The website, a key part of the Affordable Care Act, is the only place where moderate-income consumers can find subsidized plans. (Leys, 11/13)

The Associated Press: Kynect Opens Retail Store In Lexington Mall
Holiday shoppers at Fayette Mall [in Lexington, Ky.] can now buy some health insurance to go with their Jamba Juice. Kynect, the state's health insurance exchange, opened its first retail store on Thursday just across from the popular smoothie restaurant. Kynect has been lauded for signing up more than 521,000 people for health insurance, with most of those people added to the state's Medicaid program. Now state officials are turning their attention to the hard-to-reach groups as the second open enrollment period begins on Saturday, including the so-called "young invincibles," people in their 20s and 30s who don't think they need health insurance because they are young and healthy. (11/13)

The Associated Press: Federal Health Chief Touts Enrollment Ease In Ohio
President Barack Obama's health chief emphasized the ease of signing up for health coverage under the federal overhaul, while acknowledging Thursday that no website is perfect. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell stopped in Ohio to spread the word about subsidized private coverage through HealthCare.gov and state insurance markets. Open enrollment begins Saturday. Officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's online meltdown. (Sanner, 11/13)

The Denver Post: Colorado's Health Insurance Exchange Ready For Round 2
Connect for Health Colorado, the state health insurance marketplace, is touting its new and improved enrollment website for customers shopping for private health insurance. Open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act begins Nov. 15 and runs through Feb. 15, 2015. More than 148,000 individuals are covered through plans purchased on the Marketplace in 2014. All this week, customers could compare policies offered in their area, research eligibility for tax credits, choose coverage and begin the enrollment process. (Draper, 11/13)

Richmond Times Dispatch: McAuliffe Kicks Off Open Enrollment For Affordable Care Act Marketplace
Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Virginia’s government is “all in” this year as open enrollment for the second year of the Affordable Care Act marketplace begins Saturday. ... Last year more than 200,000 Virginians enrolled in Affordable Care Act marketplace health plans. McAuliffe said projections are that an additional 160,000 Virginians will sign up this year. (Smith, 11/13)

The Associated Press: Health Advocates Target Rural Missouri, Minorities
Advocates for expanded health insurance coverage are trying to sign up more minorities and rural Missouri residents during an annual enrollment period that begins Saturday for a federally run insurance marketplace. Health care organizations are spending several million dollars in Missouri to promote the insurance website and guide people through the sign-up process. Grant funding has been increased this year to groups serving urban minority populations and rural areas such as the Bootheel, where enrollment has trailed other places. In Sikeston, the Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium plans to give away hotdogs, popcorn, cookies and soft drinks Saturday as part of its promotional kickoff for the health insurance enrollment period. The group also plans to offer blood pressure checks and free flu shots to the uninsured. (Lieb, 11/14)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Health Insurance Rates Vary Across Missouri, SLU Study Says
Changes in health insurance premiums vary widely across Missouri but the average consumer may end up paying less for coverage, according to a report released Thursday by the St. Louis University School of Law. The study found that monthly premiums for the second-lowest cost "silver" plan sold on HealthCare.gov decreased on average by about 2 percent in Missouri for a 40-year-old nonsmoker with an annual income of $30,000. All prices in the study are based on that life scenario. (Shapiro, 11/13)

Minneapolis Star Tribune: UnitedHealth Says It Will Compete For Health Exchange Business In 23 States
UnitedHealth Group Inc. will make a much bigger play on the nation’s health insurance exchanges this fall, but the Minnetonka-based insurer still won’t be competing close to its corporate home. On Friday, UnitedHealth is announcing the 23 states where it plans to compete for health exchange business starting Saturday — a roster that’s up significantly from the four states where the insurer was competing this year. Even with the expansion, Minnesota isn’t on the list because of a noncompete agreement with Minnetonka-based Medica, which hires United for claims processing and certain back-office functions. (Snowbeck, 11/14)