Federal Health Exchange for ACA Reluctant States and the Multicultural Population
By Martha C. Rivera, Director of Strategy and Insights
Perhaps not many people in the country have had the opportunity or the interest to recognize that, for the good and for the bad, the Obamacare reform implicates a structural, break-through change in the country’s health system. Additionally, as the implementation of the reform is on its way despite the many controversies and reluctances, our country is developing a health care model that has no known precedent in the world. In fact, America is pioneering a new health system, and being a pioneer is always difficult.
As challenges to the ACA emerge, so do solutions including the Federally Facilitated Exchange (FFE). Basically, FFE is a health-insurance marketplace established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where uninsured people living in states that will not set up their own Exchange can buy their individual insurance policies within the same concept of the state-established exchanges. General ACA regulations will apply to the FFE; although they will in proper alignment with specific state laws.
Multicultural population coverage within the FFE will likely be significant. Currently, several of the 25 states that are not going to establish a Health Insurance Exchange and would consequently participate in the FEE are also some of the states with greater multicultural populations, particularly of Hispanic origin, including Texas and Florida.
“At least 42% of the Health Exchanges enrollees will be multicultural,” said George L. San Jose, president and chief creative officer at The San Jose Group. “The FEE, as much as the state Exchanges should address the specific needs of these multicultural consumers, including in-language information, culturally appropriate navigator systems and supporting tools and materials for the appropriate health-literacy levels.”
Source: How will Health Insurance Exchanges Reach Our Nation’s Racially and Ethnically Diverse Communities? Texas health Institute, Policy Brief No.1, May 2013
