Big States
Q: What’s happening in the big states?
A: Supporters have focused on states such as Texas, Florida, Ohio and New Jersey, where many uninsured live and Republican governors refuse to help in enrollment. California, which has the most uninsured, is spending $100 million to promote its exchange while New York plans to spend $27 million to train community groups and brokers to assist consumers.
Q: How much help do consumers get?
A: The administration is spending $67 million to train health workers, hospitals and other groups, called navigators, to help people enroll. Grants didn’t arrive until August, though, and many began a two-week training course this month. If they’re not up to the task, enrollment may suffer.
“You’re going to have tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of individuals who have never been exposed to health insurance before -- don’t know what a premium is, what a deductible is,” said Schuyler, the Leavitt Partners consultant.
Changes Needed
Q: Do Democrats think the law needs to change?
A: Some have called for changes: Families of workers whose company plan doesn’t include dependents can’t get subsidies. A tax credit for small businesses has been criticized as ineffective. And there are bipartisan bills in Congress to change a provision that may encourage businesses to cut workers’ hours to avoid insuring them. A quick fix seems unlikely: Republicans say they won’t tinker with a law they consider fundamentally flawed.
Q: What’s happening with Medicaid?