State laws regulating health insurance exchange navigators could limit people's access to assistance, some consumer advocates and health policy experts have said, according to a report from The Center for Public Integrity.
Navigators are trained professionals who will help consumers learn about and apply for coverage when the new health insurance marketplaces begin open enrollment under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Insurance agents and brokers have criticized the navigator program as "reckless" and "ill-advised," according to the report.
As a result of the navigator program opponents' lobbying, 16 state laws have been passed in the past year and a half regulating the PPACA navigators. Most of the laws specify that navigators cannot sell insurance or provide services traditionally administered by agents and brokers, according to the report. The laws also establish state certification programs and give state insurance departments control over the navigators.
While some say these laws establish necessary oversight, others warn the laws are too extreme and make it difficult for community organizations to become navigators. Making it harder for groups to get certified as navigators means that people who are already at a disadvantage will have even more issues accessing the insurance marketplace, Laura Goodhue, executive director of statewide consumer health advocacy group Florida Chain, told The Center for Public Integrity.
HHS hasn't commented on the individual state laws. In a final rule concerning the navigator program, the agency stated it will work with the states to implement their laws.
More Articles on Health Insurance Exchanges:
Rep. Diane Black Criticizes Reduced PPACA Navigator Training
Online Insurance Brokers to Help Enroll Americans in Exchanges
CMS Finalizes Standards for Health Insurance Marketplace Navigators