The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week addressed criticism of the lengthy application forms they had proposed for enrolling uninsured people in health coverage.  On April 30 the agency released three streamlined forms consumers will be able to use to apply for premium tax credit subsidies, Medicaid, or the Children's Health Insurance Program when the online marketplaces being created under the Affordable Care Act open for enrollment Oct. 1.

The Department of Health and Human Services had come under attack from congressional Republicans for previously proposing a 21-page form.  The application for individuals without health insurance has been reduced to three pages, and the form for families has also been shortened considerably.  Consumers will be able to see their insurance options and find out what subsidies or public programs they qualify for when they fill out the applications.

HHS said the forms are "much shorter than industry standards for health insurance applications today."