Countdown to the Health Insurance Marketplace

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The latest conservative media enrtainment complex "ObamaCare is a trainwreck" freak-out (see related story: AZ GOP National Committeeman Bruce Ash shows his racist side again, GOP Official: Obama ‘Shucking And Jiving’ On Health Care Law) is the temporary delay in the small business (SHOP) program online, and the temporary delay in the Spanish language program online. Geezus, people, hasn't everyone epxerienced glitches with Microsoft products over the years? Hello! Glitches hold up elements of health-care sign-up process:

Small-business health exchanges run by the federal government will not
open for online enrollment until November, the Obama administration said
Thursday. But applicants may still enroll by phone, mail or fax
beginning Oct. 1.

* * *

Instead of putting a live application online, the federal government
will post a PDF version Tuesday. Sometime in October, a live application
will go up on the Web, the administration said.

“In November,
small businesses will be able to enroll in coverage options, well ahead
of when coverage begins on Jan. 1,” Joanne Peters, a spokeswoman for the
Department of Health and Human Services, said. “The individual
marketplace will still open on time on Oct. 1 with full online
enrollment and plan shopping options.”

* * *

Also Thursday, White House spokesman Jay Carney said that the launch
of the HealthCare.gov Spanish-language Web site will be delayed until
later in October. There will still be Spanish speakers reachable by
phone on Oct. 1 to begin the enrollment process.

Carney said the
administration estimates that 70 percent of the Latino population will
enroll through English-language portals, suggesting the online delay
would not have a large effect.

So relax and chill out! I have been advised repeatedly that October 1 is a "soft opening," and the people running the program do not expect a rush of people signing up for insurance immediately. They expect people to visit the web site to learn more about it before enrolling at a later date.

The Washington Post's Sarah Kliff today has a new video feature, "Kliff Notes" in which Obamacare is
explained in two minutes:

Our first video looks at a core part of the law: The health insurance marketplaces. Enjoy!