Connecticut’s health insurance exchange, Access Health CT, launched Tuesday amid some technical glitches.
As of Tuesday morning, pages on the website weren’t loading properly due to high web traffic. However officials at the exchange urged visitors to be patient. Enrollment for Jan. 1 coverage lasts until Dec. 15.
A part of the Affordable Care Act, the exchange is an open marketplace for individuals and businesses to shop for health care plans. Earlier this summer, initial premiums for individual policies ranged from $215 to $347 per month, depending on the level of coverage. For employees with less than 50 employees, monthly premiums ranged from $271 to $435.
To help pay for the premiums, federal subsidies will be offered to individuals earning up to $44,680, or families of four earning as much as $94,200. No one will be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions and in the future, employers with more than 50 employees will be required to offer coverage.
Hours before the exchanges launched, officials reportedly warned of potential technical errors Tuesday, despite rigorous system testing. If  problems become large enough, the website may shut down all together.
The launch of the exchange comes as the national government shuts down over fight over funding of the Affordable Care Act.  Though several individuals who have previously been denied health insurance will be able to gain access through the legislation and Access Health CT, several politicians argue neither individuals nor employers should be required to have insurance plans.
