State’s Preparation for Health Exchange at ‘Highest Level’
California is in the "highest level" of planning and analysis work in its efforts to meet the Jan. 1, 2014, deadline set by the federal health reform law to establish a state-based health insurance exchange, according to California Health Benefit Exchange IT policy adviser Bill Obernesser. Since April, the exchange's five-member governing body has been meeting to develop a schedule that would ensure the program is in operation by the federal deadline. Obernesser said the state has set its own deadline of having the exchange up and running by fall 2013. Obernesser said California's biggest challenge in meeting the deadline will be systems integration.
- "States Face Health Benefit Exchange Deadline" (Heaton, Government Technology, 10/31).