As the implementation date for healthcare reform draws near, many states are focused on getting their health insurance exchanges up and rolling. For the states that have opted not to set up an exchange, non-governmental groups are getting involved, USA Today reports. In Texas and Oklahoma - both states that didn't set up an exchange - local organizations, healthcare facilities and insurance providers are working to spread the word among the thousands of uninsured people living in those areas, the source said.
States that are participating in healthcare exchanges are working to educate the people who will soon use the tools. The Stamford Advocate, a Connecticut newspaper, reported the local healthcare exchange, Access Health CT, will be working with the Office of the Healthcare Advocate to ensure state residents have the information they need to make the most of the exchange. More than 300 people, including librarians, healthcare workers, volunteers and public employees, will serve as resources for first-time users.
Efforts similar to those in Connecticut are being made in Michigan, the Detroit Free Press reported. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as well as local advocacy groups and other community organizations, are focused on boosting statewide enrollment.