State Exchanges Open With Vast Disparity In Readiness, Plan Choices And Rates

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthLeaders-InterStudy, the leading provider of managed care market intelligence, leverages its proprietary data and expert analysis to provide unique insight into each state's health insurance exchange. State Exchanges, whether state- or federally-run, opened for enrollment on October 1, 2013. As every Exchange is tied to its respective state's health insurance market and no two states are alike, an objective, intuitive way to compare them is critical.

HealthLeaders-InterStudy has just released a newly updated "State Exchange Report Card" incorporating the latest rate information, as well as recent developments leading up to October 1. States with premiums lower than expected, such as Arizona, improved on the grading scale—and those with higher premiums, like Wyoming, saw their grades drop.  Missouri, which has earned a reputation as a pioneer in obstructing exchange readiness and enrollment, earned the only "F."

"Open enrollment through the exchanges is like airplanes taking off while under construction, even among the most successful states," observes William Melville, Market Analyst at HealthLeaders-InterStudy and creator of the "State Exchange Report Card." "The situation is very fluid. Wisconsin, Florida and Texas are dealing with new roadblocks for enrolling the uninsured, while the recently released premium rates gave exchanges in states like Tennessee and Oklahoma an unexpected boost. These are only the first changes we will see as this massive portion of the ACA rolls out through early next year."

Download the latest State Exchange Report Card at www.hl-isy.com/state-exchange-report-card

About "State Exchange Report Cards"

How do state exchanges stack up for readiness, competition and potential to impact their markets? HealthLeaders-InterStudy will review all fifty states plus the District of Columbia on its NEW "State Exchange Report Card."  Grades will be updated regularly as new developments occur.  The "Report Card" is part of Decision Resources Group's ongoing "Sift Through The Noise" campaign to curate the most impactful data, analysis and insights on Healthcare Reform. Download the explanatory Executive Briefing at www.hl-isy.com/state-exchange-report-card

About "Sift Through The Noise:" Clarity On Healthcare Reform

In the great ocean of data, analysis and talking heads that surround every event of this magnitude, there is great power in simplicity—sifting through the noise takes time, and the essential things businesses need to know to make good decisions are best pulled out by experts.  Decision Resources Group offers clarity. Visit SiftThroughTheNoise.com to find out more.

About HealthLeaders-InterStudy
HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a Decision Resources Group company, is the authoritative source for managed care data, analysis, and news. HealthLeaders-InterStudy is part of the Market Access Business Unit at Decision Resources Group which also includes Abacus International, Fingertip Formulary, Pinsonault, and PharmaStrat. Find out more at www.hl-isy.com.

About Decision Resources Group

Decision Resources Group is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources Group at www.DecisionResourcesGroup.com.

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SOURCE HealthLeaders-InterStudy