What challenges lie ahead for exchanges

Questions about 2015 premiums, the age and health status of the newly insured and the impact of premiums on the working poor will be answered in the months ahead. In addition, the New York Times looks at the reasons that New York's state-based exchange may have become one of the most competitive in the country.

McClatchy: With Sebelius Gone, What's Next For Obamacare?
The resignation of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius comes at an opportune time for the Obama administration. With sign-ups for private marketplace coverage now at 7.5 million and the special enrollment period nearing an end, the administration can momentarily catch its breath after a roller-coaster six-month enrollment period that saw the president's signature legislative accomplishment nearly crash on takeoff. The Silicon Valley SWAT team that rescued the malfunctioning healthcare.gov website also saved Obamacare in the minds of a skeptical nation, nearly half of which still roots for its failure (Pugh, 4/11).

The New York Times: In New York, Hard Choices On Health Exchange Spell Success
In contrast with the early stumbles in most of the country, New York State, almost from the start, has provided a textbook lesson in how to make the Affordable Care Act work. But it has done so by making some tough decisions. New York has signed up more than 900,000 people for commercial or government plans, lured 16 insurance companies onto its exchange, provided subsidies for most customers and reduced premiums across the board (Hartocollis, 4/13).

Los Angeles Times: For The Working Poor, New Health Premiums Can Be A Burden
For nearly two decades, Barbara Garnaus maintained a modest, delicate life balance: keeping her part-time Orange County school district job and juggling her bills and credit card debt. Now 63, living alone, she counts every dollar, has no cellphone and commutes an hour in traffic so she can keep an affordable apartment in Laguna Woods (Karlamangla, 4/13).