State health exchanges forecast strong enrollment

Many public workers may enter their state's health exchange - set to open Oct. 1 - to receive insurance benefits at the beginning of the new year.

According to USA Today, 19 states already have estimates for how many residents they expect to enter the exchanges, with Florida set to be one of the states with high enrollment. Congressional Budget Office research puts the national estimate for health insurance exchange enrollment at around 7 million people for 2014.

The state health exchanges provide workers with the opportunity to determine their own affordable care option.

Some states, such as Pennsylvania, chose to have the federal government run its exchange. Melissa Fox, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, told USA Today she is not aware of any enrollment expectations made by the state.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the marketplaces may create transparency for workers about the health insurance market. For many public sector employees, their employers may already provide them with affordable insurance. However, while the exchanges were set up for uninsured residents, many workers may enter the exchanges if their employer-provided health insurance costs rise.