By Michael Pearson; CNN ~ Oct 02, 2013

(CNN) — Buggy websites, long hold times and other glitches have marred the first two days of the long-awaited rollout of open enrollment for Obamacare health-care coverage.

Blame the gawkers, at least in part, health-care experts said Wednesday.

“I think a lot of people trying to get on were just curious, like me,” said Drexel University health policy expert Robert Field. “Once that initial curiosity dies down and it’s just people who need policies, you’ll see much less traffic.”

In the 24 hours after its launch, more than 4.7 million people have visited the federal website providing signups

By Associated Press; The Washington Post ~ Oct 01, 2013

CHICAGO — Americans got their first chance Tuesday to shop for health insurance using the online marketplaces that are at the heart of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, but government websites designed to sell the policies struggled to handle the traffic, with many frustrated users reporting trouble setting up accounts.

By Andrea Coombes; MarketWatch ~ Oct 01, 2013

Americans say it’s tough to find trusted financial advice

If you’re worried and uncertain about how to find financial advice you can trust, you’re not alone. Almost half of Americans said it’s hard to know which sources of advice to trust, according to a new survey.

Lack of trust is not the only problem: 40% of those surveyed said good financial advice costs more than they can afford,

By Michelle Andrews; Kaiser Health News ~ Sep 30, 2013

In recent months, all eyes have been focused on today, the day health insurance marketplaces open for business. While the date is a milestone in the implementation of the health law, other dates are likely more critical for consumers planning to shop for health insurance on their state marketplace.

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, AP; Anderson Independent-Mail News ~ Sep 30, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — Contentious from its conception, President Barack Obama’s health care law has survived the Supreme Court, a battle for the White House and rounds of budget brinkmanship. Now comes the ultimate test: the verdict of the American people.

A government shutdown could dampen the rollout Tuesday as insurance markets open around the country. But it won’t stop

By Mitch Tuchman; MarketWatch ~ Sep 30, 2013

When is the next big crash? Will you be ready?

What if I told you it doesn’t matter? It doesn’t—if you are properly invested.

One of the major lessons learned from the 2008 debacle is that people who remained in the market and avoided panicking came out of things just fine.

By Dan Munro; Forbes ~ Sep 29, 2013

That amount – $328 per month – is the national average for the mid-tier “silver” premium based on HHS calculations for approved plans in 48 states. The challenge, of course, is that like all of healthcare itself, your mileage will vary.

Both individual and family insurance rates will vary dramatically based on a host of variables. Those variables – age, marital status, geographic location and income – will each have a significant impact on the final monthly amount.

By Sandhya Somashekhar, Lena H. Sun & Sarah Kliff; The Washington Post ~ Sep 28, 2013

Buying health insurance will be as easy as purchasing a plane ticket or shopping on Amazon, the president has promised.

Maybe, but perhaps not on Tuesday — the day that millions of Americans are supposed to be able to start buying coverage under the sweeping law referred to as Obamacare.

Widespread reports of computer problems and logistical glitches are casting a pall over what many supporters envisioned

By Steve Rothwell & Ken Sweet; Anderson Independent-Mail News ~ Sep 28, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) — The government shuts down. The economy unravels. Stocks plunge.

That may be Wall Street’s worst fear, but history shows it’s mostly overblown.

There have been 17 government funding gaps and shutdowns since 1976, ranging in length from one to 21 days. A funding gap is when federal agencies continue to operate without the passage of a regular appropriations bill. None has caused a

By Jay Hancock; Kaiser Health News ~ Sep 27, 2013

This week the Department of Health and Human Services released a ton of information about how insurance sold in 36 states under the Affordable Care Act will work. Most of it came in the form of data showing the number of carriers and their premium prices in hundreds of regions.

Until now we’ve seen information on subsidized policies to be sold through online marketplaces released in trickles by states