Earlier today, Kathleen Sebelius and Todd Park of the United States Department of Health and Human Services unveiled the new HealthCare.gov Web site. The site aims to give U.S. citizens the information they need to select an insurance plan no matter what set of circumstances they have.

If you think that sounds like a monumental task, you’re right. The site coordinates plans from the government and from private insurance companies across the nation. When you visit the site, you’ll be prompted to answer a few questions about your situation. Are you a young adult fresh out of college, a veteran searching for coverage for your family or an unemployed adult in between jobs? The site will customize your options based upon your responses.

Park was quick to point out that the government will not be tracking or collecting the information you submit to the site. The purpose of the site is just to give consumers an idea of their options. On a follow-up question, Sebelius said that HHS does not foresee a time when consumers will be able to purchase insurance plans directly through HealthCare.gov. Instead, consumers can follow links to the respective insurance providers and proceed from there.

The site is live today but it’s still a work in progress. Park pointed out that pages have a feedback button. Users can let HHS know if the site is easy or difficult to understand and navigate. HHS plans to respond to feedback to shape the experience to make it as useful as possible.

Sebelius also announced that beginning in October 2010, the site will list estimates for the cost of insurance plans. Currently, estimates are not available — you’ll have to click through to the individual providers to learn more about how any particular plan will impact you financially.

After a quick look at the site, my first impression is that it’s remarkably easy considering the monumental task facing the design team. According to Park, the site’s questions represent more than 3 billion potential pathways to insurance suggestions. Once consumers are aware of the site, I see it as being a huge help for people who are uncertain about their insurance options.

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