GAO: Smooth and timely launch of health exchanges unsure

The report by the Government Accountability Office noted that the federal government has missed several deadlines, and there is a risk it won't be ready to open the online marketplaces Oct. 1. But the report also noted some positive signs. 

The Associated Press: Gov't Report: Smooth Launch Unsure For Health Law
There's no guarantee that President Barack Obama's health care law will launch smoothly and on time, congressional investigators say in the first in-depth independent look at its progress. But in a report to be released Wednesday, the congressional Government Accountability Office also sees positive signs as the Oct. 1 deadline approaches for new health insurance markets called exchanges to open in each state -; in many cases over the objections of Republican governors (Alonso-Zaldivar, 6/19).

The Wall Street Journal: Health-Insurance Exchanges Are Falling Behind Schedule
Government officials have missed several deadlines in setting up new health-insurance exchanges for small businesses and consumers-;a key part of the federal health overhaul-;and there is a risk they won't be ready to open on time in October, Congress's watchdog arm said. The Government Accountability Office said federal and state health officials still have major work to complete, offering its most cautious comments to date about the Obama administration's ability to bring the centerpiece of its signature law to fruition (Radnofsky and Needleman, 6/19).

Meanwhile, news from Kansas regarding its federal exchange -

Kansas Health Institute: Kansas Insurance Officials Hope To Give Federal Insurance Exchange A Local Flavor
Kansas is among the states where federal officials will run the new health insurance exchange but the state's top insurance regulators said they hope to inject a local flavor. Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger said her agency has been in discussion with the feds about having some of the more complex calls to the exchange's toll-free helpline roll over to her department so that Kansas consumers come in touch quickly with local people more familiar with the Kansas insurance plans offered in the exchange and the governing regulations (Shields, 6/18).