Exchange fixes, questions in Oregon, Maryland, Massachusetts

Cover Oregon severed a contract with technology consultant Deloitte as it moves into a new era of fiscal austerity, while the Maryland exchange continues to enroll consumers in coverage. The problems with Massachusetts' exchange are not expected to impact that state's current budget.

The Oregonian: Cover Oregon: New Executive Director Suspends Deloitte Contract, More Cuts Likely
Cover Oregon late last week severed one of its contracts with technology consultant Deloitte, the first of what could be a series of cost-cutting moves as the troubled operation enters a new era of fiscal austerity. Clyde Hamstreet, the consultant recently hired to take over executive director duties at Cover Oregon, said Deloitte has already accomplished its primary goal under the contract: advising the state how to proceed to finally deliver a fully functional health insurance exchange. "It was our conclusion we didn't need any more work from Deloitte," Hamstreet said. The move should save Cover Oregon about $2 million (Manning, 4/15).

The Baltimore Sun:  [Maryland] Health Exchange Continues To Enroll Consumers In Insurance
Almost 18,680 people asked for more time to sign up for insurance through the state's health exchange because they had trouble with the website during open enrollment, but exchange officials said Tuesday that many have already had their issues addressed. About 4,000 of those have been enrolled in person or on the phone by an agent hired by the exchange, many others likely have enrolled on their own online, and officials assume that some on the list are duplicates (Cohn, 4/15).

The Associated Press:  Health Website Not Expected To  Hurt State Funds
The breakdown of Massachusetts' health exchange website was not expected to have a significant impact on the state's current finances, a top state official told lawmakers Tuesday, but stopped short of giving similar assurances for the future. The website glitches forced the health connector to rely on balky manual workarounds and dramatically slowed the state's transition from its own first-in-the-nation universal health care program to the requirements of the federal Affordable Care Act (4/15).