SHOP's soft launch has begun.
The Obama administration, in an attempt to avert the disasters that plagued the launch of HealthCare.gov, has invited employers in five states to take the SHOP site for a test spin prior to the official launch of the small business insurance exchange Nov. 15. The soft launch debuted this week.
The administration hopes the test drive will help shake out any ghosts in the machine before the rest of the nation's eligible small employers head there is search of health insurance.
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States involved in the soft launch include New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, Ohio and Missouri. According to The Hill, businesses in those states will be able to go through the pieces of the insurance purchasing process, including establishing accounts, applying for coverage and determining eligibility.
They won't be able to browse plans and compare prices till November, the Hill reported.
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Dan Cook
Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.
