Federal officials are looking for new private contractors to run the federal health insurance exchange website, HealthCare.gov, according to a report from The Hill.
The Obama administration is conducting research and is especially interested in small businesses owned by disabled veterans, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged minorities, according to the report.
Consulting firm Accenture is currently the main contractor overseeing HealthCare.gov. This past January, the Obama administration selected the consulting firm to replace the site's original head contractor, IT company CGI Federal, following the federal exchange site's glitch-ridden rollout. Accenture agreed to a year-long contract worth at least $90 million.
Most states will rely on HealthCare.gov to enroll their residents in health plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act next year. Of the 36 states that didn't run their exchanges for the 2014 enrollment, only New Mexico and Idaho have indicated they plan to launch state-based exchanges for the next sign-up period, which begins Nov. 15. Last week, Oregon was the first state to opt to abandon its state-run exchange site — which has experienced significant technical problems — for HealthCare.gov.
More Articles on HealthCare.gov:
Oregon Officially Scraps State Exchange Site for HealthCare.gov
Majority of States to Continue Relying on HealthCare.gov in 2015
Report: State-Based Marketplaces More Successful Than HealthCare.gov