Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
With Sign-Up Season Underway, State Exchanges Offer Positive Reviews
The Associated Press: Kynect's First Weekend Nets More Than 1,100 Plans
The governor's office says more than 1,100 people purchased a health insurance plan or renewed their current plan during the first weekend of kynect's open enrollment. Kynect is the health insurance exchange Kentucky officials set up after the passage of the federal Affordable Care Act. People who qualify can use the website http://kynect.ky.gov to purchase health insurance plans with the help of a federal discount. People can also use the website to sign up for Medicaid. (11/18)
Boston Globe: About 12,000 Checked Insurance Eligibility Via Website
Yes, it worked. The Massachusetts Health Connector’s website really did work. That was the message from state officials Monday at a press briefing held to release statistics from the overhauled website’s first weekend of operation. (Freyer, 11/18)
Minnesota Public Radio: MNsure Aims To Erase Memories Of Disastrous Start In Second Year
Minnesota's online health insurance marketplace began its second open enrollment without interruption, a marked contrast to its debut a year ago. When the MNsure website launched in 2013, website delays and long waits for consumers who called seeking assistance frustrated and angered many people seeking a health plan. But when the MNsure site reopened for enrollment in private health plans over the weekend, it worked largely without interruption. (Zdechlik, 11/17)
In related news, Oregon's move to healthcare.gov also went relatively smoothly, though the federal website did present users with some challenges -
The Oregonian: Oregon's Early Use Of Healthcare.gov Largely Successful, But Faces Some Glitches
Days into Oregonians' first use of Healthcare.gov, reviews are generally good, though the federal health insurance exchange is not without glitches and challenges, according to agents, insurers and consumers. (Budnick, 11/17)
Meanwhile, Maryland officials released information about the costs associated with last year's botched system -
The Baltimore Sun: State Details Payments To Former Contractor On Botched Health Exchange
With the staggered rollout of the Maryland health exchange's new website going as planned — and about 500 applications for health insurance completed in the first two days — officials paused to offer a window into the costs associated with the old system deemed so dysfunctional that it had to be scrapped. The exchange released details Monday of what it paid to Noridian Healthcare Solutions, the North Dakota company that served as the prime contractor until April, when the board voted to switch to technology used in Connecticut. (Cohn, 11/17)
