Employer Strategies

The strategies of insurers like UnitedHealth Group and WellPoint are under the microscope as data from four of the five largest U.S. states is collected by SNL Financial Group.

Critics say technology glitches showed public exchanges were not ready for opening day. Proponents of health reform said server-crashing traffic to exchange sites were proof of strong interest. Here's a more objective rundown of learnings from the opening of public exchanges, offered by Kev Coleman, director of Data & Research for Healthpocket.

Broker specializing in the market predicts widespread adverse impact.

The U.S. government has shut down, but beyond continuing resolution budget debates, the next looming crisis is the federal debt ceiling. Are Affordable Care Act provisions more likely to be taken hostage there?

The ‘Obamacare’ insurance exchanges got off to a rocky start, with many websites meant to provide new access to the uninsured seeing delays or breakdowns.

The three-year effort to open the Affordable Care Act health insurance exchanges culminates today, beset by logistical delays and efforts by Republicans to shut down the U.S. government in protest.

Benefits advisers for government contractors say employees will be impacted in the way of retirement savings and more.

Some brokers are eager to start enrollment on Oct. 1 and others want to wait and see what happens, but either way, no one expects people to be knocking down their doors on the first day.

The degree of success will be how well the industry does in solving the “annuity puzzle.”

While the shutdown won’t stop the roll-out, which is largely funded through mandatory appropriations that can’t be curtailed by congressional inaction, it’s an open question whether it will lessen public enthusiasm to enroll.