Maryland's health exchange goals revised after research error

The initial goal was reportedly based on flawed data and the newly set milepost has already been met. Still, The Baltimore Sun reports that the state has halted work on its small business marketplace, and that Maryland will charge for work related to public information requests about what went wrong with the website.

The Washington Post: Maryland Has Achieved Its Health Insurance Enrollment Goal, Thanks To A Research Error
For months, it looked like Maryland would barely meet, or even miss, the first enrollment goal for its new health insurance exchange. But it turns out the goal was based on flawed data, and the state's new goal is one that it has already beat. Instead of signing up 260,000 Marylanders for private plans or Medicaid during the first enrollment period, as was the original goal, the state is only expected to get 160,000, according to a letter the exchange's interim executive director received from researchers Friday. So far, sign-ups tally nearly 190,000 (Johnson, 2/23). 

The Baltimore Sun: Enrollment Goals Are Revised For Maryland Health Exchange
The target long used by the Maryland health exchange of how many people would enroll in private policies through its website this year was slashed in half after an error came to light, making the state appear far closer to its goal -- but still unlikely to reach it. A top exchange official said Sunday a mistake in a chart outlining exchange projections made by outside analysts put the number of people likely to sign up for private insurance under the Affordable Care Act at close to 150,000 by the end of open enrollment on March 31 (Cohn, 2/23).

The Associated Press/Washington Post: Md. Resets Goal For Health Insurance Enrollment
Instead of signing up 260,000 Maryland residents for private insurance or Medicaid during the first enrollment period, the state is now expected to enroll 160,000 residents. So far, Maryland has signed up nearly 190,000 people. The new goal is detailed in a letter the exchange's interim director received from researchers Friday (2/23). 

The Baltimore Sun: Work On Small Business Health Exchange Website Halted
The contractor under fire for the botched rollout of the state's troubled online health exchange for uninsured people was also hired during a closed-door meeting to develop a similar marketplace for Maryland's small businesses -- work that exchange officials acknowledge has halted. The news has further dismayed those who want to sell or buy insurance on the exchange website. It also has given fuel to critics of the procurement process and exchange launch, both outside of state government and among some top state officials (Cohn, 2/23).

The Baltimore Sun: Md. Health Exchange To Charge For Work On Public Information Requests
The online exchange where Maryland's uninsured can buy coverage under the Affordable Care Act has been troubled since its Oct. 1 launch, prompting media outlets and others to dig into what went wrong. There have been at least 65 requests for information under the state's public records laws, including emails among staff, invoices, contract details and other data (Cohn, 2/22).

Also in the news, Maryland's health exchange issues are among those being highlighted by the GOP --

The Associated Press/Washington Post: GOP Intent On Highlighting Health Care Woes
House Republicans intent on highlighting the woes of President Barack Obama's health care law need to look no further than their own back yards, some of which are traditionally liberal strongholds. Maryland's online health care exchange has been plagued by computer glitches since its rollout last year, reflected in abysmal enrollment numbers well below projections through January. The state's lone Republican in Congress, Rep. Andy Harris, has asked the inspector general of the federal Health and Human Services Department to investigate (2/24).