- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
HEALTH: States move forward to implement health care law, build health insurance marketplaces
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Several more states – including California – are on track to implement the health care law and establish health insurance marketplaces, or exchanges, in their states.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Vermont and Utah were conditionally approved on Thursday to operate a state-based exchange, and Arkansas is conditionally approved to operate a state partnership exchange.
Health and Human Services also is providing more guidance to states today on marketplaces that will be operated in partnership with the federal government.
“States across the country are working to implement the health care law and build a marketplace that works for their residents,” Secretary Sebelius said Thursday. “In 10 months, consumers in all 50 states will have access to a new marketplace where they will be able to easily purchase affordable, high quality health insurance plans, and today’s guidance will provide the information states need to guide their continued work.”
Thursday’s conditional approvals follow those previously granted to Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington to operate state-based exchanges and to Delaware to operate a state partnership exchange.
To date, 20 states including the District of Columbia have been conditionally approved to partially or fully run their marketplaces – with the remaining states having until Feb. 15 to apply for a state partnership exchange.
Thursday’s new partnership guidance provides valuable information for states considering this option.
Because of the Affordable Care Act, consumers and small businesses will have access to a new marketplace starting in 2014 where they can access quality, affordable private health insurance. These are similar to those choices that will be offered to members of Congress.
Consumers in every state will be able to buy insurance from qualified health plans directly through these marketplaces and may be eligible for tax credits to help pay for their health insurance.
To learn more about exchange conditional approvals, visit: http://www.cciio.cms.gov/resources/factsheets/state-marketplaces.html .
For more information on exchanges, visit http://www.healthcare.gov/exchanges .
To access the guidance released Thursday, visit http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/files/partnership-guidance-01-03-2013.pdf .