Public Forums on the Establishment of a Health Insurance Exchange in New York State

New Yorkers were invited to a series of public forums to present their ideas on the design of New York's Health Insurance Exchange.  Stakeholders including health care consumers, administrators, doctors, hospitals and other health care providers, insurers, producers, businesses, unions, academics, and the general public were invited to participate in this series of public forums.  The following Exchange design options were highlighted as issues of interest prior to the forums:

• Should there be one statewide Exchange with adjustments for different regional conditions or do we need separate regional Exchanges?
• Should there be one combined Exchange for individuals and small businesses or separate Exchanges for each group?
• In determining premium cost, should the individual and small group markets be combined, spreading cost and risk over both groups?
• Should small businesses with more than 50 employees be allowed to participate?
• How many different plans should be offered so that consumers have real understandable choices that allow them to make informed choices? Are too many choices bad for consumers?
• How do we avoid having all sick people grouped in an expensive plan and healthy ones in another?
• How do we best use the marketing power of the Exchange as a whole to reduce costs?

The following public forums were held: