Maryland To Replace Troubled $125M Health Exchange With New System
Despite a late surge in sign-ups in the past week, Monday will mark the end of Maryland's problematic health exchange system which encountered many technical issues. The exchange will be replaced with technology used in Connecticut's system, one of the most successful in the country, The Washington Post reports.
The Washington Post: Maryland Gears Up For Health Exchange Redo
On Monday, the first enrollment period for health insurance plans made possible by the Affordable Care Act will end, so call centers in Maryland plan to stay open until midnight in a last-minute effort to boost enrollment numbers. Then on Tuesday, Maryland will begin the process of replacing its troubled exchange, which has had so many problems since its launch on Oct. 1 that officials have decided it would be better to start anew. ... The exchange’s board plans to vote Tuesday to use technology from Connecticut, which has had one of the most successful exchanges in the country, and hire the contractor that built that system, Deloitte, according to two people familiar with the decision (Johnson and Flaherty, 3/30).
The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Gears Up For End Of Health Care Enrollment
Monday marks the end of a six-month enrollment push for Maryland's troubled health exchange, and despite a surge in the past week, it is unclear whether the state can overcome technical problems that have persisted since the Oct. 1 debut and meet its goals. As a flurry of consumers signed up for health insurance Saturday during an enrollment fair, Gov. Martin O'Malley said that he expected the next enrollment period to run more smoothly on a new platform built by Deloitte Consulting LLC, replacing the troubled existing website (Walker, 3/29).
Fox News: Maryland To Reportedly Abandon $125M ObamaCare Exchange For New System
With just days to go before open enrollment ends on March 31, Maryland officials are reportedly planning to abandon its glitch-ridden ObamaCare website and replace the health exchange with technology from Connecticut’s marketplace. The Washington Post reported late Friday that the board of the Maryland exchange will vote on changing the system that has cost at least $125.5 million at a meeting on Tuesday, the day after the end of the first enrollment period under ObamaCare. Maryland residents will still be able to use the exchange as it is being replaced with technology from the Connecticut exchange, Access Health CT, officials told The Post. The state is expected to tap consulting firm Deloitte for the overhaul (3/29).
The CT Mirror: Report: Maryland To Replace Obamacare Exchange With CT Model
Citing unnamed sources, the Washington Post reported late Friday that Maryland was going to abandon its glitch–plagued health exchange with technology from Connecticut’s marketplace, Access Health CT. Kevin Counihan, CEO of Access Health CT, said he “had not heard” about Maryland’s decision. Counihan said he’s had several conversations with Maryland officials about his concept of an “exchange in a box,” a package of technology that could be sold to other states that have had problems with their exchange portals or are currently served by HealthCare.gov., the federal exchange many states are using. Counihan said he traveled to Baltimore in February to discuss Access Health CT with Maryland officials. But he also said Maryland is considering other options, including pouring more resources into fixing its site, MarylandHealthConnection.gov, or using the federal exchange (Radelat, 3/28).