While congressional debate over implementation of the Affordable Care Act forced a
government shutdown at midnight, one of its key provisions rolled out across the nation today.
The health insurance marketplace is now open for enrollment. However, as Americans scrambled to enroll in online exchanges this morning,
reports of website issues and slowdowns sprung up.
Missouri is among states to use the federal exchange, meaning its 800,000 uninsured residents can sign up for the health insurance marketplace at HealthCare.gov. Missouri lawmakers and voters rejected a state-run system last year. The exchanges are required to be in place in all 50 states by 2014 – but because of disagreements among state lawmakers about operating a state-run system, Missouri won’t manage its own exchange through at least 2015, according to
Springfield Business Journal archives.
According to the Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging, which was selected as a navigator to provide information and outreach services regarding the marketplace, Missourians can also enroll in the exchange by phone at (800) 318-2596.
Among America's small business owners, many are still undecided on what path to take. According to a survey of some 500 taken by the National Association for the Self-Employed, 54 percent haven't made up their minds whether to purchase health care on the exchanges, 64 percent indicated they haven't visited the federal HealthCare.gov website and 100 percent said price would be a deciding factor.
Locally, Springfield health systems Mercy, CoxHealth and Ozarks Community Health System have geared up to help ease the transition.
Both Mercy and CoxHealth received grants from the Missouri Foundation for Health to hire specialists to help Missourians enroll on the marketplace.
With its $573,000 grant, Mercy hired 17 certified application counselors for in-person appointments at its Springfield hospital and others statewide. CoxHealth received a
$350,000 grant to hire some five positions to perform outreach and education services.
In a news release, OCH said it has an on-site application counselor to help Springfield residents, and is working to add counselors at clinics in Nixa, Mt. Vernon and Rogersville.
Coverage under the marketplace begins in 2014, but the deadline to enroll is Dec. 15.
