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Putting Control Over Health Insurance in Consumers' Hands ... Through Their Fingertips

Summary: 
The Affordable Care Act has a number of important measures to promote more consumer choice and control when it comes to health insurance options. A big part of that will be a web portal that offers American consumers and small businesses the ability to find health coverage options in their states through a clear, easy-to-understand process.

The Affordable Care Act has a number of important measures to promote more consumer choice and control when it comes to health insurance options.  A big part of that will be a web portal that offers American consumers and small businesses the ability to find health coverage options in their states through a clear, easy-to-understand process.
 
The web portal will be a central place to get information about these options -- including private insurance plans, high risk pools, CHIP and Medicaid.
  
Of course, before we can present this information to individuals, we need to assemble a national dataset of plans in one central place -- something that hasn't been done before.  So today we have started a process to collect data from insurance companies by releasing an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that puts forth a framework for the process moving forward.  Key to the success of the portal will be input from the private sector and the public to ensure that what we're aiming to do will be helpful and effective.  So take a look at the Rule and let us know what you think.
   
We plan to deploy an initial version of the portal by July 1, which will improve and add new capabilities over time, with the help of public input.  The portal will grow on an ongoing basis to deliver ever better information and value to consumers and small businesses.  We can't wait to launch the first version of many to come, and hope that you will give us plenty of guidance on the path ahead.

Todd Park is the Chief Technology Officer at the Department of Health and Human Services