ACA sets standards to ensure that consumers get coverage options in every state in the U.S.

As health insurance moves to a direct-to-consumer model, identifying where consumers are located and what health plan options are available in local markets is essential. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is reshaping the industry and setting standards to ensure that consumers have coverage options in all geographies of every state in the U.S. Companies participating in the Marketplace (Exchanges) are using county market share and penetration rates to identify underinsured opportunities for Medicaid and Commercial market expansion. Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and the new Consumer Operated and Owned Plans (CO-OPs), which typically offer coverage in a specified area within a state, also have a need for local marketplace data. In a nutshell, the industry as a whole needs more granular health plan enrollment data at county and zip code levels, where available, to effectively leap to the next generation of health coverage.

Today's data-driven world is propelling the use of data in business planning. No surprise, health plans and vendor stakeholders alike are relying more heavily on data to accurately analyze markets and make better business decisions. And better decisions result in greater operational efficiencies, cost reductions and overall reduced risk for insurers and contractors.