HealthCare.gov
Twice within the past year I helped our daughter find health insurance in a new state. While I don't hope to get another chance to go through this process soon, a new government web site should make the experience more palatable.
HealthCare.gov went online at the beginning of July. The main information categories are Find Insurance Options, Learn about Prevention, Compare Care Quality, and Understanding the New Law. A final section is arranged by target audience: Families with Children, Individuals, People with Disability, Seniors, and Young Adults.
I was drawn to the insurance options section. On page one I selected a state and the user category that best described the applicant. On page two I gave the age range, insurance status, listed any special populations that have significance for insurance (veteran, pregnant, have a medical condition, etc.). The results are grouped by type of health insurance. It seemed lots easier than the multiple searches I had tried on my own.
The prevention page is currently a lead-in to healthfinder (an HHS web site with health information resources). The quality page is a lead-in to the Hospital Compare web site. There is more content regarding the new law, including an interactive timeline and pre-existing conditions insurance plans.
Although HealthCare.gov just went online, this news release outlines some of the planned enhancements. I would like to see the prevention section add resources like MedlinePlus and some of the other health information resources that many of us already use.
While I would find value in having a single place to search for health insurance plans, there is content here for small employers, veterans, seniors, persons with pre-existing conditions, and anyone just wanting to understand the jargon of health insurance plans.
0 comments - Posted by Steve Rauch at 1:51 PM - Categories: