The Affordable Care Act's Health Insurance Exchanges: A Progress Report
<p>By January 2014, every state will have a health insurance exchange where people can buy health insurance plans and apply for subsidies to help make those plans affordable. The Affordable Care Act gives states the option of establishing their own health insurance exchanges, or letting the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) operate a "federally facilitated" exchange in their state. HHS is also giving states the option to run their exchange in partnership with the federal government.</p><p>States had until last Friday to submit applications to HHS to operate their own exchanges. In a new <a href="/blog/2011/affordable-care-acts-health-insurance-marketplaces-progress-report">blog post,</a> The Commonwealth Fund's Sara R. Collins, Ph.D., and Tracy Garber give an update on each state's exchange. Also see our <a href="~/link.aspx?_id=12838A3B138F456D8AC955E4202C70E6&_z=z">updated interactive map</a> on state exchange activity. </p>
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/newsletters/ealerts/2012/dec/health-insurance-exchanges-a-progress-report