In a conversation for California Healthline, Jon Kingsdale — independent consultant and former executive director of Massachusetts’ Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority — recommended that California use the next three years to carefully prepare for the launch of its health insurance exchange so the state can begin covering residents by a 2014 deadline set under the federal health reform law.
Last week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed legislation (AB 1602 and SB 900) making California the first state to establish a health benefit exchange under the reform law.
Kingsdale said California could learn from Massachusetts’ experience by launching a communications campaign to ensure that residents understand their coverage options and how the exchange operates (California Healthline, 10/4).
The complete transcript of this Special Report is available as a PDF.