It's a good start

After wrestling with a Web site launch in 2007 and then a redesign last year, each of which took months longer than expected, I really didn't think the federal government would make the July 1 deadline for posting applications for the high-risk pool. But it's up.

And marvel of marvels, it's easy to use, even for those who have tech anxiety. It's really intuitive and has good graphics. The copy reads as though it were written by someone in marketing or PR, not career government employees.
 
The application for those who have been turned down for health insurance because of pre-existing conditions can be downloaded right on the site. To qualify, you have to have held on to your rejection letter and been without coverage at least six months.

It's unfortunate that there's no way to tell how much the premiums will be on the site itself. That will depend on age, geography, and so on. But it will be hundreds of dollars a month, the same as it would be for those who aren't high risks.

Subsidies won't be available until 2014, when the law fully takes effect.

--Carol Gentry, Editor, can be reached at 727-410-3266 or by e-mail.