With so many governors declining to set up Insurance Exchanges needed under the Affordable Care Act, I delved a little deeper to figure out exactly what an "Insurance Exchange" is. Apparently, the idea is to match uninsured people with plans which will both meet their needs and reflect their eligibility for government aid.
It is envisioned that this process will be handled through websites that can process massive amounts of personal information input by the applicants. An exchange portal might tell an uninsured person that they are eligible for a premium tax credit, after processing their Social Security number, income, and tax deductions. I read that officials hope that people who use the exchanges will go on to compare relevant health plans available in their state and then enroll online. HHS also intends to develop ways to navigate the exchanges via telephone, or apply for coverage by mail.
After familiarizing myself with the "mechanics" of the intended Insurance Exchange system, I could not help but note the irony of the level of resourcefulness the government expects from those who will be using the exchanges, compared to that same government's belief that it is all too burdensome a requirement to expect someone who desires to vote to obtain a valid ID.
Michael Zicolello
Williamsport
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom
