ZocDoc Health Marketplace Resource Helps Patients Navigate New Health Insurance Exchanges

NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ZocDoc, a free service for patients to find doctors and instantly book appointments online, today introduced the ZocDoc Health Marketplace Resource. This destination provides easy-to-digest information regarding the upcoming Health Insurance Marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act. The goal of this resource is to provide people with independent information and analysis to help them make informed healthcare choices. ZocDoc created this resource to help raise awareness of the new health insurance marketplaces, and better equip individuals to:

• Learn more about health insurance marketplaces;
• Better understand which plans offer the best access to medical providers with availability;
• Determine which level of coverage might be best for them and their families.

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ZocDoc has always worked to improve patients' access to care and bring efficiency and transparency to the healthcare system, and this new initiative is no exception. Over the course of the company's nearly six year history, millions of patients have come to view ZocDoc as their personal health ally. As 30 million new patients prepare to enter the system, ZocDoc aims to help them more easily navigate the healthcare space – just as they do for the millions of people who currently use the company's free service each month.

"We're excited to be able to offer this resource to those exploring enrollment in these new health plans," said ZocDoc founder and COO Oliver Kharraz, MD. "With lots of new information and up to 100 different choices in some marketplaces, navigating this new space may seem daunting. Our aim is to make it easier for the 30 million new patients entering the system to easily access the care they need and deserve."

The key features of the ZocDoc Health Marketplace Resource include:

• Care Access Grades – Letter grades assigned to each health insurer that indicate how easy it will be for patients to secure near-term appointments with in-network medical providers. Since many plans on the marketplaces will have narrow networks, it is especially important for patients to be able to evaluate the availability of care under each insurer.
• State-specific Information – An overview of what plans are available under each state's health insurance marketplace.
• FAQs – Answers to common questions, covering a broad array of topics ranging from what a health insurance marketplace is and how it works to how much patients should expect to pay for insurance premiums and more.
• Glossary – Easy-to-understand definitions of common insurance and healthcare industry-related terms, helping patients cut through the jargon and obtain a better practical understanding of the system and its components.
• Health Insurance Giveaway – ZocDoc is giving away health insurance coverage for one individual for one year. To enter for a chance to win, visitors simply need to submit an email address.

With the nation's largest real-time database of available appointments that patients can instantly book online, ZocDoc is in a unique position to provide the most accurate, up-to-date insight into doctor availability and help people evaluate the level of access to care under each health insurance plan in their state's insurance marketplace. Amid the influx of new information about the insurance system, ZocDoc hopes to lend its expertise to eliminate potential confusion, encourage positive action, and empower more people to obtain the medical care they need. Patients can find the resource at healthmarketplace.zocdoc.com.

ZocDoc will allow patients to book with the vast majority of the newly created health insurance plans across the +1,800 cities and towns where the service is currently live. Patients covered under these new insurance plans can begin making appointments with in-network doctors starting in January 2014 on www.zocdoc.com.

About ZocDoc
Millions of patients each month use ZocDoc to find a nearby doctor or dentist and instantly book an appointment online. The company's most recent product, ZocDoc Check-In, allows patients to fill out their paperwork online in advance of their appointment.  By revealing the 'hidden supply' of appointments, ZocDoc helps patients receive faster access to care and optimizes doctors' schedules. ZocDoc has raised $95 million in investments to date and is currently available in more than 1,800 cities and covers 40 percent of the US population. This service is free for patients via ZocDoc.com or the free ZocDoc apps for iPhone and Android. A Spanish-language version called ZocDoc en Espanol is also available (espanol.zocdoc.com; iPhone and Android).

Media contact: Jessica Aptman, [email protected], 855-962-3621

SOURCE ZocDoc