One of the bigger question marks relates to staff training. Staffing and education won't be forgottenĪlthough the technical side of the exchanges is one part of the puzzle, hiring and training an adequate number of staff to help with the October rollout in each state, and educating the public about their options, is an entirely different, and difficult, ballgame. Helping out the technical teams with everything from oversight and eligibility to the actual support and integration of all of this technology, Booz Allen Hamilton's reputation has a lot riding on a successful launch. This means a subsidiary of the largest health insurer in the country is helping develop the software that'll house health-benefits data.Īnother beneficiary has been advisory firms like Booz Allen Hamilton ( BAH 1.04%) which, based on the GAO's release, had been granted close to $38 million in contracts for consulting and technical advisory services as of March. The interesting thing worth noting here is that UnitedHealth Group ( UNH 0.54%) subsidiary Optum actually purchased Quality Software Systems in 2012. Perhaps no name stands out more in this process than Quality Software Systems, which was awarded a $55 million contract in 2011 to develop the federal data services hub that'll be responsible for certifying health plans being offered and ensuring they remain within compliance. Reviewing the GAO's contractor report, there are some key players responsible for developing this highly integrated cloud-based health information system for the government. Thus far, there have been numerous delays, but, according to the GAO, nothing that would put the exchange launch date off its target. This means, in addition to overseeing the development of the infrastructure which will streamline the purchasing of individual health insurance, the government must also oversee the implementation of 34 state health exchanges on its own.Īccording to the Government Accountability Office, $394 million has been spent by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since the PPACA was passed in 2010 through March 31, 2013, in prepping for the Oct. Only 16 states chose to set up their own state-run exchanges. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. It'd be a daunting task if all 50 states chose to set up their own exchanges using federal funds and if the contracted companies had years to do it in. One system has to be able to link all of these agencies simultaneously - and not only do that, but get it done and be fully operational within the next 93 days! In order for this to happen, a string of events needs to occur, including the verification of income from the Social Security department, eligibility rules from Medicaid, possible tax credits from the IRS, referrals from state agencies, and potential subsidies from the U.S. There are actually a number of variables that need to be taken into account, such as whether a citizen, based on his or her income, would qualify for some sort of health insurance subsidy. To begin with, the IT-interface isn't simply transferring information between point A and point B. It's often forgotten as a crucial component to Obamacare, but the technology behind the state-run exchanges promises to be some of the most complex we've ever seen. Both factors loom large with 50 state health exchanges needing to be ready by Oct. Namely, the technological implementation of the state- and government-run health exchanges and the educational aspect of getting the American public ready to purchase health insurance through new mediums. In the interim there are far more pressing issues the administration has to deal with prior to its implementation. However, the PPACA itself isn't set to go into full effect for another six months. It's certainly a daring and revolutionary bill, filled with plenty of promise, and quite a few potential pitfalls. By mandating that individuals carry health insurance and requiring health-benefits providers to spend at least 80% of collected premiums on patient care while turning no one with preexisting conditions away, it's the hope of President Obama that quality of care and consumer access to health care will improve while premium costs fall.
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