Joel Ario Speaks to Associated Press on Exchange Design
"States' Choices Set Up National Health Experiment"
Associated Press
February 15, 2013 - Manatt's Joel Ario, a managing director with Manatt Health Solutions, spoke to The Associated Press about what health insurance exchanges should look like.
The Associated Press reports that with only months away from the official launch, health insurance exchanges are supposed to make buying health insurance much like shopping on sites such as Amazon or Travelocity. Consumers will be able to start signing up October 1 for coverage that takes effect January 1.
States that have chosen to set up their own exchanges have taken different paths on how each will operate. Some will function as "active purchasers" offering a limited choice of insurance carriers to drive better bargains, while others will open their markets to all insurers that meet basic standards. Administration officials haven't said yet what the federal exchange will look like.
Ario said "there's a rich dialogue going on" as to what the online shopping experience should look like. "To create a website like Amazon is a very complicated exercise," said Ario.
Ario thinks that consumers should be able to get one dollar figure for each plan that totals up all their expected costs for the year, including premiums, deductibles and copayments. Otherwise, scrolling through pages of insurance jargon online will be a sure turnoff.