Aon Hewitt Launches Health Exchanges Resource

The site will list health programs in the state and federal marketplaces, also known as public health exchanges, as well as Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The site will expand Aon Hewitt’s current health solutions designed to help employers implement benefit strategies to meet the needs of employees, retirees and their families.

Aon Hewitt estimates that nearly 30 million people who currently lack health insurance will gain coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including 12 million Americans who will now qualify for the expansion of Medicaid. In addition, many employers may choose to transition a portion of their employee population to state and federal exchanges.

The website is designed to help such individuals understand their options, model program eligibility—including whether they may qualify for a premium tax credit (or subsidy) in a state exchange—and in some cases, enroll in a health plan. Call center support and advocacy services, which assist consumers with billing disputes and handling claims, will also be offered.

To help individuals enroll in health insurance plans through the public exchanges or the individual retail health insurance market, Aon Hewitt is partnering with eHealth, Inc., an online marketplace for individual and family health insurance. The online shopping interface from eHealth will enable people to research, analyze, compare and purchase from a broad selection of health plans online. In some states, this may include qualified health plans available through state and federal health insurance exchanges.

Through the site, Medicare-eligible employees will have access to Aon Hewitt Navigators, a Medicare health exchange solutions offering the ability to shop for coverage among more than 80 insurance companies. These Medicare-eligible employees will also have access to benefit advisers for advice.

“Enrolling in health benefits can be overwhelming for many individuals, and the introduction of new public health plan options this year, including state and federal health care exchanges, adds a whole new layer of complexity,” said Karen Frost, vice president of Health Solutions & Strategies for Aon Hewitt. “Employees are likely to have a lot of questions about the different programs available and for the most part, employers are not equipped or staffed to address employee questions about these programs and the nuances behind the various rules and requirements. Your Coverage Resources is a user-friendly portal that consolidates information about the various individual and public plan options into one site so that consumers can make the best decisions for them and their families.”

More information on Your Coverage Resources can be found here.