Obamacare

The deadline for individuals to sign up in the Affordable Health Care Marketplace is March 31, and new numbers have just been released for the state of Montana.

Thousands of Montana Blue Cross and Blue Shield customers were notified last week that their premium rates would be rising by 3.5 percent in anticipation of fee increases through the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Montana's Commissioner of Insurance Monica Lindeen hasn't been shy recently in her criticism of the federal health exchange website roll out.

When Montanans encounter trouble accessing the new health insurance marketplace via the website www.healthcare.gov, they call the State of Montana Commissioner of Insurance for help.   Jesse Laslovich is the chief legal counsel for the insurance commissioner's office, and in a Friday, October 18 interview, he said that he is just as confused and disappointed in the website as those who are calling

After the U.S. Congress voted to end the partial government shutdown and to raise the debt ceiling late Wednesday night, October 16, President Obama signed the measure.

The Montana State Department of Justice Office of Consumer Protection is warning Montanans about possible identity theft scams related to medical and health insurance services like the new Affordable Healthcare Act exchanges.

As of 12:01 a.m. EST on Tuesday, the federal government closed down. Congressional leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate were unable to reach an agreement on a budget or a temporary fix, known as a continuing resolution, before the start of the new fiscal year on October 1.

UPDATE - 4:30 p.m. Monday, September 30 As of Monday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. Montana Congressman Steve Daines was preparing to head back to the House floor to cast yet another vote that might result in a government shutdown.

With Congress unable to agree on a budget or even a short-term emergency bill, it's increasingly likely that the federal government will suffer its first shutdown in 17 years. Leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate will trade proposals on Monday, but neither side is optimistic that they will reach an agreement.