The Affordable Care Act – health care reform – says every state must offer a health care insurance exchange by January 2014. It’s intended as a marketplace where the uninsured can compare and buy insurance coverage from private companies. Plans must meet minimum standards and cover a range of services, including prescription drugs and mental health treatment.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates up to 25 million people will eventually use them. But states don’t have to run their own exchange; they can step aside and let the federal government do it.
Are you ready to shop for health insurance this way if you have to? Check out our infographic for more on health care exchanges. See “What Do Others Say?” for more perspective, then add to the discussion below. Do you think the system will be ready on schedule as promised?
