Affordable Care Act Enrollment to Begin October 1st

September 27, 2013

Categories: Thought Leadership

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ImplementingOctober 1st marks the first open enrollment date for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), giving more than 30 million patients over the next decade access to online insurance marketplaces

ImplementingOctober 1st marks the first open enrollment date for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), giving more than 30 million patients over the next decade access to online insurance marketplaces where they can shop for a health plan from private insurers.

As part of this process, states that will expand Medicaid under the ACA must be ready to handle the huge sets of data that will need to be compiled and ordered for each newly enrolled individual, opening the door to potential IT landmines that could throw off antiquated systems not built to handle such a massive upgrade.

The federal government has worked to make more health insurance options readily available to consumers, and high-tech innovations are playing a key role in fostering a smooth transition period. Solutions like cloud- based Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS) simplify the enrollment process, allowing for digital storing and automating of information in real-time.

Even more, MMIS solutions and product enhancements such as the eCams HealthBeat leverage cloud-computing efficiencies to provide states with streamlined functionalities never before realized, such as the ability to highlight community health concerns and flag regions that may require additional resources.

CNSI recently announced a partnership between Illinois and Michigan that permits both states to share an MMIS platform, creating savings for each state and for the federal government. Improvements like these highlight how technological advancements allow for improved patient care by creating efficient systems that save patients and governments time and money.

Complementing the launch of the ACA, the development of www.healthcare.gov provides user-friendly tools that empower consumers to better understand their options; what their insurance options are or what laws and regulations affect them. The site is just another step the ACA takes towards being more innovative and transparent in how we manage healthcare in the U.S.

With the launch of ACA enrollment just a week away, it is important to note the ways in which healthcare IT is changing how our current health systems operate and function.

What do you think of the new technological advances that are streamlining our health systems? Follow CNSI on Twitter.