MD lawmakers seek greater vigilance with state health exchange site

After individuals in Maryland experienced setbacks in signing up for health insurance through the state's online healthcare exchange website, several government officials are asking for continuous updates on its development.

The Washington Post reported Democratic state Sen. Thomas Middleton, the chairman of the Maryland Senate Finance Committee, requested information regarding the status of the website every two weeks until it functions as lawmakers had anticipated. Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene Joshua Sharfstein previously provided 70 pages worth of monthly reports and correspondence between state health officials that outlined how the state picked a third-party provider to set up the online health exchange.

The Baltimore Sun indicated the Maryland site crashed immediately as it went live, which has led to thousands of individuals in the state not being able to sign up for insurance. To get a firm grasp on the situation, Sen. Middleton explained the Maryland Attorney General's Office needs extensive time to go over more than 1,000 pages of information before eventually posting for other committee members to see. Maryland was one of only 14 states to open its own healthcare exchange instead of utilizing the federal site, which has also experienced obstacles.