Insurance Exchanges

Conducted October 9–27, 2013, the Commonwealth Fund Affordable Care Act Tracking Survey interviewed a nationally representative sample of adults who are potentially eligible for the health reform law’s new insurance coverage options, whether private plans or expanded Medicaid. Among the survey’s key findings: 60 percent of potentially eligible adults are aware of the new marketplaces as a place where they might shop for coverage; 17 percent reported visiting the marketplaces in October to shop for a health plan; about one of five visitors were ages 19 to 29; and one of five visitors enrolled in a plan.

This most federal guidance clarifies that individuals have until March 31, 2013 to enroll in coverage through the health insurance marketplaces to avoid being subject to the penalty for not maintaining minimal essential coverage.

This final rule outlines financial integrity and oversight standards with respect to Affordable Insurance Exchanges, qualified health plan (QHP) issuers in Federally-facilitated Marketplaces (FFMs), and States with regard to the operation of risk adjustment and reinsurance programs. It also establishes additional standards for special enrollment periods, survey vendors that may conduct enrollee satisfaction surveys on behalf of QHP issuers, and issuer participation in an FFM, and makes certain amendments to definitions and standards related to the market reform rules.

While states differ in their approaches to the education and outreach campaigns for their Marketplaces, they have a common mission of educating consumers about their coverage options. Many of the campaigns utilize creative and innovative strategies that move beyond typical government outreach efforts and target populations that are hard-to-reach and/or have high rates of uninsurance. While not exhaustive, this analysis reflects examples of state marketing efforts based on publicly available information as of September 2013. 

This report summarizes the health plan choices and premiums that will be available in the Health Insurance Marketplace. It contains new information on qualified health plans in the 36 states in which the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will support or fully run the Health Insurance Marketplace in 2014. Plan data is in final stages but is still under review as of September 18 and may be revised in HHS systems before being displayed for consumers, so this information is subject to change. This analysis also includes similar information that is publicly available from 11 states and the District of Columbia that are implementing their own Marketplace.