States face health insurance exchange finalization deadlines

While state health insurance exchanges are set to open for enrollment on Oct. 1, Reuters reported President Barack Obama’s administration has yet to sign final agreements with insurance providers.

According to the source, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently informed insurance companies that will be selling their plans on the exchanges that the agency won’t sign final agreements as soon as previously estimated. HHS had plans to finalize the agreements Sept. 5-9, but may not be able to until midway through the month. Although the reason remains unclear, Reuters reported the small postponement may add to the increasing list of challenges states are facing before the enrollment period.

In fact, Fierce Healthcare reported the Oct. 1 date may not be as important to states as many consumers may believe. According to the source, many states see the deadline as an unofficial soft launch as some are predicting it will take them until Jan. 1 to complete exchange websites and smooth out any challenges.

Many states feel the opening of the health insurance exchanges will be more of a beta launch, and the HHS delay may not be as troublesome as some may think.