A wide divide across New England on health overhaul

WASHINGTON — Massachusetts residents will be able choose among insurance plans offered by 10 companies when a key element of President Obama's health care law takes effect on Oct. 1. But Connecticut residents will be choosing from only three, while New Hampshirites will have just one option. These are among the disparities — some of which are just now coming to light — that consumers who lack employer-provided plans and are ineligible for Medicare will face as they begin shopping online for health insurance under the federal health reform law. The differences highlight how the consumer experience will vary widely under health reform, despite the law's intent to make the complex world of health care more transparent, affordable, and equitable.