Maryland Healthcare Exchange Promotion Costing Millions

Up to $150 million is going towards promoting the Maryland Healthcare Exchange. Not running the exchange,paying the "navigators" or subsidizing insurance for those that qualify. $150 million tax dollars to advertise.

The 2012 US Census reported Maryland's estimated total population as 5.84 million people. Almost 23% of the total population were under 18 (so not in the market for health insurance).

The exchange website, Maryland Health Connection, has experienced numerous problems since it was launched Oct 1, 2013. At the last count in late December, about 18,250 residents had signed up for health insurance through the exchange.

Lt. Governor Anthony Brown announced last week that they will soon push emergency legislation to provide retroactive coverage to the hundreds, or possibly thousands, who were unsuccessful in trying to sign up through the exchange.

State Senator Jim Mathias and Delegate Norm Conway both voted in favor of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Act of 2012 (SB 238).

Mathias and Conway, thank you again for the Maryland Health Exchange. We really won't forget it.

Senator Mathias Contact Information:
http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/05sen/html/msa14577.html
Delegate Norman Conway
http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa12202.html