Massachusetts Medical School Wins Contract to Design Health Insurance Exchanges

Massachusetts was the model that was used to design some of the models that were used to create the plan for insurance exchanges. Now when you read this article you can see how fast technology is moving as you see the very model used is now outdated with how modern technology has evolved and it too needs a facelift. “The Connector” as designed and created the state’s exchange service now needs to be updated. From the website: “Our online Commonwealth Choice marketplace is the only place where you can compare plans from the state’s major insurers. We’re an independent state agency, so you can shop with confidence. Our Commonwealth Care program offers low-or-no-cost health insurance for people who qualify. It provides comprehensive benefits and a choice of health plans.” This gives the state a front run position with some of the research and methodologies already in place, so the award here makes sense. If you remember back to 2006 the entire country was watching to see how the Massachusetts plan would work. BD

The University of Massachusetts Medical School received a $35.6 million contract from the federal government yesterday to create an online system that would make it easier for consumers and small business owners to shop for insurance under the national health care overhaul. Massachusetts, which passed its own health care overhaul in 2006, already has an online exchange, called the Connector. But a major upgrade will be needed to make it conform to the national law, even though the national legislation was modeled on the Massachusetts experience, said the professor who will be in charge of the Massachusetts contract, Dr. Jay Himmelstein, UMass director of public sector health information technology