This past week I
attended a useful and interesting meeting, NHF’s Social Worker Insurance Marketplace Workshop (funded by Baxter Healthcare and Pfizer Inc; thanks guys!).
Together with about 80 social workers from HTCs around the country, and some
chapter leaders, we listened to various consultants and government
representatives speak primarily about the “Marketplace,” the website of the Affordable
Care Act that allows people to choose a healthcare plan.

We’ve all heard
about the difficulties in dealing with this website— healthcare.gov—such as the
crash, and various other glitches. The good news is that many of these glitches
have been fixed; and now it’s time to get our bleeding disorder community on
board. Healthcare insurance is mandatory now; all US citizens (with notable
exceptions) must have insurance. The website is created to help people find the
lowest cost insurance that also provides all their essential healthcare needs.

Crafty Posters were created to help us visualize; good idea, we needed the help!

There is plenty
of assistance in navigating the website. We actually tried the website live,
and it was pretty interesting, and yes, we even got stuck once or twice! For
us, we were stuck trying to find out if our HTC hematologist was in-network.

Each website
will have on-line or Internet guides, to help you live. They are called various
names: Assisters, navigators, certified application counselors, in-person
assistance, marketplace call center, agents and brokers. Most people are used
to calling them “Navigators.” (I can’t help but think of “Engineers,” a la
Ridley Scott’s Prometheus)

Navigators, Engineers: whatever you call them, they are here to help

Jim Romano, from Patient Services Inc (PSI), gave a
presentation about how PSI has been chosen to train qualified applicants to
become  Certified Application Counselors (CAC), to
help people navigate the Marketplace. This is truly a great coup for PSI, and I
can’t think of any other group better qualified to train. PSI will train CACs
in different states, and pay their fees (yes, you have to pay for the pleasure
to become a CAC to help people navigate their state Marketplace! One point from
an audience member who underwent the training: the training wasn’t very
hemophilia-focused, and needs to be more focused.

Jim noted that there were still some
difficulties to overcome in each state. Ed Kuebler, a social worker from Texas,
slyly asked, is the difficulty level in some states… political? This garnered
many laughs! Ya think?

There are many
marketplaces, as each state as their own. All the marketplaces have different
funding sources, based on what type of marketplace it is:

FFM: Federally facilitated marketplace

SPM: State partnered marketplace. The federal government has some role
in this.

SBM: State based marketplace and the fed has no role in it.

How many people
have enrolled since the site was unveiled in October?

                  By
Dec 28: 6 million Americans gained coverage through Marketplace and Medicaid

2.2 million of those enrolled in private plans

80% received help in paying for premiums

53 million visits to healthcare.gov and state marketplace websites

11 million calls to the federal and state call centers

Different
healthcare plans are designated by “metal.” The more precious the metal, the
higher priced the plan, but also the more coverage. Enrollment by Metal?

                  60%
are choosing Silver plans

20% Bronze

13% gold

7% Platinum

1% catastrophic plans

Ed Kuebler thinks we need more help than navigators (kidding–a gift from a friend)

There are still
consumer problems using the Marketplace:
                  An
inability to complete application on line

                  Applications
get “stuck” (freeze) or lost

                  Info
is not transmitted after the plan is submitted

                  If
not sure you’re insured, call insurance company (not the website) to check

                  If
you don’t pay 1st month premium by certain date, you will not get
insurance!

Don’t despair! I
found it actually fun to hop on Colorado’s state Marketplace and select a plan.

Another useful
website is Marketplace.cms.gov, which has FAQs, tip sheets, paper application,
and materials in Spanish. And Healthcare.gov, which does premium estimate, on
line application. When you log on, you will see this banner!

Michelle Rice (L), Mary Garvey (R) of NHF; Tiara of PSI (C): all great speakers and resources!

Enroll by February 15 for
coverage starting March 1

So contact your
social worker for help if you are not yet enrolled; don’t miss the deadline!

Next week I will
cover more of the NHF Social Worker Insurance Marketplace workshop.