In this countdown to open enrollment, states are scrambling to get their MAGI-based eligibility and enrollment systems ready to go. Already, HealthCare.gov has gotten a facelift and several state based exchanges have launched their websites; all of which will serve as an entry point to the single streamlined application for all insurance affordability programs. It’s a little too early to actually see how these online resources will help consumers connect to call center staff, navigators, in-person assisters and certified application counselors, but hopefully IT decision-makers and developers have been thoughtful about how to make it easy to get help.

Even when using the most well-designed website, people will have questions and some will need help maneuvering through the system to access coverage. So I thought it might be helpful to revisit a few of the recommendations that Julie Silas of Consumers Union and I made in our Eligibility and Enrollment Systems: An Advocates’ IT Toolkit on the various ways for connecting consumers to assistance.

How does the system connect consumers with call center help?

• Shopping websites frequently have a chat function to provide quick answers to consumer questions or a “click to call” function that sends a request for a consumer assistance staff member to call the consumer immediately or at a designated time.
• Systems can also be built to enable co-browsing so that call center staff can see the same screen as the consumer. Co-browsing helps staff discern if there is a technical problem with the system or if the consumer needs help in completing the application or using other functions or tools available on the website.

How will the system help consumers access personalized help from navigators and other consumer assisters?

• Health coverage websites should provide a listing and contact information for “official” navigators and other “certified” assisters. Knowing that someone has been trained and is authorized to help is a critical consumer protection. Ideally, consumers will be able to search for assistance on a variety of criteria, such as type of organization, location, hours of operation, and the availability of specific types of services (such as languages spoken, in-home visits, etc.).

Does the website provide information to connect consumers to insurance brokers and agents if they are authorized to sell qualified health plans (QHPs) in the exchange?

• Consumers should be able to easily confirm that a broker or agent is registered and has permission to facilitate the enrollment process. Federal regulations do not require brokers and agents to provide impartial information about all available QHPs, although a state may chose to do so. Consumers should be alerted if brokers are not required to inform consumers about the full range of QHPs.

Consumer and children’s health advocates have many items on their to-do list to ensure that open enrollment goes smoothly and that consumers are well served in connecting to coverage. IT advocacy can be daunting to those without technical knowledge and states haven’t made it especially easy to provide input on IT design and development. But it’s important to remember that states have access to 90 percent federal funding for IT development until the end of 2015. Once the systems are launched and we get past the initial open enrollment, there will be a second chance to take stock of these new online enrollment resources and advocate for enhancements that will facilitate enrollment and access to consumer assistance.

[Related Content: Please see the Say Ahhh! Tech Tuesday blog series for more blogs on this topic.]