Washington - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today hailed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services's launch of a new website -- healthcare.gov - which finally provides families with a one-stop-shop for state-specific information about the range of insurance options available to them. Menendez is urging New Jerseyans who are concerned about their current insurance or lack of insurance to visit the site. On the site, families can input specifics about their health insurance status and their location in order to receive a breakdown of available health insurance options and new rights given to them under the health insurance reform law.

"For too long, it has been far too complicated for families to figure out all of their health insurance options," said Menendez. "Families have a right to learn about and access all of their health insurance options in one easy-to-navigate, easy-to-understand location, and the health insurance reform law has made this a reality. With a few clicks on this website, families will receive information that is local and tailored to their particular circumstances. Healthcare.gov empowers families to take full control of their health insurance situation by providing them with the tools and information they need to make fully-informed decisions about their health care coverage."

Created by the Affordable Care Act, HealthCare.gov will be the first website to provide individuals and private businesses with both public and private health insurance options tailored specifically for their needs in a single, easy-to-use insurance finder tool -- including options available specifically in New Jersey. Among the public insurance options will be the new Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP), which offers affordable coverage to uninsured individuals who have been denied health coverage because of a pre-existing condition and which will serve as a program bridge until 2014 when significant market reforms take place. The website's insurance finder tool sorts through the catalog of options available, from Medicaid to the more than 1,000 private insurance plans available, to identify the options for which the consumer qualifies. In addition, the website provides extensive information about the new Patient's Bill of Rights to protect consumers in the health insurance market, guidelines to easily navigate the complex health insurance and care system, tips on preventive practices to stay healthy, and information about how the Affordable Care Act will benefit Americans.

The new website was developed with consumer feedback which makes it an easy to use, easy to navigate tool despite the volume of information available for users: 500 pages of new content, thousands of coverage options, information on every hospital nationwide, and billions of potential insurance scenarios. As the health care system evolves, the site will grow as well based on ongoing user feedback to ensure consumers continue accessing information on the new resources easily. and with its resources take control of their health care. Highlights of the new healthcare.gov include:

  • Easy to find, easy to use buttons to access public and private health insurance coverage options tailored for individual needs and circumstances

    Information on the recently announced Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP), which will offer coverage to uninsured Americans who can't access health care insurance because of a pre-existing condition

    Information about the new Patient's Bill of Rights for consumers in the health insurance market

  • Quality rankings for local hospitals
  • Tips and information on preventive practices to stay healthy


• Details about the new Affordable Care Act and how it will benefit families and small businesses

• Consumer oriented: Easy to use, easy to navigate, developed with consumer feedback

• Feature to provide "user-feedback" on which pages and features were helpful/unhelpful


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