Health insurance exchange forum concluded at MCC

Written by Patti Singer, via Democrat & Chronicle

About 20 people spoke at this afternoon’s forum about health insurance exchanges in New York state.

The forum was held at Monroe Community College and it was the fourth public forum held this week by the state insurance department. Representatives from the state department of health and the governor’s office also attended.

Health insurance exchanges are among key elements of federal health care reform. They will allow individuals and small businesses a competitive marketplace where they can shop for insurance starting in 2014, but the details haven’t been worked out.

Prior to the start of today’s forum, Citizen Action, part of a steering committee of Health Care for All New York, held a news conference in which they called for the state Legislature to pass a bill authorizing the exchanges.

Speakers included representatives from Finger Lakes Health Systems Agency, Empire Justice Center and the Center for Disability Rights. They called for exchanges that represented consumer interests and not a reinforcement of health insurance industry dominance.