US health secretary talks about healthcare reform in New Jersey

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the upcoming state health insurance exchanges have raised numerous questions, and a healthcare reform advocate recently visited New Jersey to answer questions.

According to New Jersey-based The Record, Kathleen Sibelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, spent time in Hoboken and Newark to address concerns that the health insurance exchanges won't be ready to open on Oct. 1. With less than a month to go, New Jersey is one of the 33 states that chose to allow the federal government to run their insurance marketplaces. According to The Record, the state has received less funding to market the exchanges than other states due to its choice, leading many New Jersey residents to have unanswered questions about the insurance marketplace.

New Jersey Press Media reported Sibelius assured healthcare reform advocates the exchanges will experience a smooth roll out and residents can receive more information at their local Rite Aid, a Pennsylvania-based drugstore chain. Sibelius also asked residents to visit healthcare reform websites sponsored by the federal government for ACA information to see if they may be eligible for government subsidies to purchase affordable insurance.