Ohio officials say navigator law to protect consumers, not thwart Obamacare

By Maggie Thurber | for Ohio Watchdog

Is Ohio trying to thwart a key piece of Obamacare by placing restrictions on individuals hired to help people enroll in the program?

The Washington Post would like you to think so, but the Ohio Department of Insurance and Rep. Barbara Sears, R-Sylvania, author of the bill imposing the restrictions, say the legislation is simply to protect consumers.

In a recent article, the Post warns that moves to regulate navigators, the federally-funded workers who will be certified to assist enrollees, “could impede Obama’s most significant domestic accomplishment” and could “affect implementation at a crucial time.”

Individuals can begin shopping for health plans Oct. 1 and apply for subsidies designed to help pay for them.

Sears doesn’t accept the premise that Obamacare is thwarted by Ohio’s navigator law.

“The lack of clarity in the federal rules means there is nothing in place to protect consumers,” she said, “especially with the amount of financial and other personal information the navigators will have access to.”

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