HCFO Webinar Recording Available: Examining Employers' Use of Massachusetts' Health Insurance Exchange to Inform Best Strategies Nationally Under the Affordable Care Act

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In conjunction with the Massachusetts Health Reform bill of 2006, the Massachusetts Health Connector was created to help residents find health insurance coverage and avoid tax penalties. Although the Connector succeeded in its goal of offering individuals subsidized coverage, use by employers has been much less than originally planned. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), many states will be creating Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) exchanges, similar to the Massachusetts Health Connector.

As part of a HCFO-funded study, Mark Hall, J.D. of Wake Forest University used key informant interviews and document review to investigate employers’ use of the Massachusetts Health Connector.   In this webinar, held on January 24, Professor Hall reviewed his findings and their implications for other states designing and operating SHOP exchanges.  Three discussants provided additional perspectives on the results.  Katherine Swartz, Ph.D., from the Harvard School of Public Health, drew on her familiarity with the Massachusetts experience; Rex Cowdry, M.D., provided comments based on his experience at the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO); and Eileen Hayes from the New York State Department of Financial Services provided her perspective from a state currently setting up a SHOP exchange. 

A recording of the webinar is available here:

http://www.academyhealth.org/Training/ResourceDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=1034...