The federal government may be shut down, but one of the key provisions of health care reform is going into effect as scheduled. The Health Insurance Marketplace, which will bring health care to millions of previously uninsured Americans, is now live. Individuals can begin applying for coverage under the exchanges, with benefits beginning as soon as January 1st. Under the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, individuals are required to carry health insurance, and the exchanges help make that possible. Republicans in the House of Representatives have tried to link the passage of the 2014 budget to a delay in the requirement to purchase health insurance, leading to the standoff that resulted in tonight’s shutdown.
Obamacare’s online health insurance exchanges open up as government shuts down
is the editor of the Platformer newsletter and cohost of the Hard Fork podcast.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
