HHS awards $220M for health insurance exchange preparation

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it has awarded $220 million in grants to 13 states to help them develop health insurance exchanges in preparation for full implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

The states receiving funds are Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Vermont. According to the HHS, 49 states and the District of Columbia have now received grant money to develop health insurance exchanges, 20 states are “making significant progress” and 13 states have passed legislation to create exchanges.

Twelve of the states receiving a portion of the $220 million are receiving grants to help with initial health information exchange planning. Rhode Island is receiving a grant that provides multi-year funding for more advanced planning.

Additionally, the HHS announced the availability of a new set of frequently asked questions designed to help state officials better understand health insurance exchange requirements. To view those, click here.

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