The Idaho Legislature convened earlier this month for its latest legislative session and one of the main topics of discussion is whether the state will build a health insurance exchange program. The state has received a $20 million federal grant to help build the exchange, but legislators have yet to accept the funds as they still remain divided on the issue. Idaho is one of 22 states that have not reached a conclusion on what to do about an insurance exchange yet. Health insurance exchanges are part of the Affordable…
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New Jersey working to make deadline for federal grants that would help the state build and insurance exchange
The state of New Jersey has just over six months to finalize plans for a health insurance exchange. The deadline concerns a federal grant that would help the state make progress toward the new insurance system. The grant, worth $5 million, would be used to hire new staff that will maintain the upcoming virtual insurance marketplace. It would also help the state purchase new equipment needed to operate the system and would fund marketing efforts to promote the exchange program. If New Jersey misses the deadline, it may not be…
Read MoreSome states making major progress on insurance exchanges, while others lag behind
Throughout the U.S., progress on setting up health insurance exchanges is accelerating. As of December, 2011, 13 states had fully functional exchange programs. Several other states have legislations pending that would allow for the building of the exchanges. While many states oppose the overarching Affordable Care Act, only Arkansas and Louisiana have chosen not to build insurance exchanges of any kind. According to the law, all states must have an operational exchange program in place by 2014. As of now, 20 states are making major progress toward establishing exchanges. The…
Read MoreSupreme Court may delay ruling on Affordable Care Act until 2015
The Supreme Court is scheduled to begin hearing a case regarding the constitutionality of the 2010 Affordable Care Act on March 26. Many have assumed that the individual insurance mandate provision of the law, which requires all U.S. citizens to have some form of health insurance, would be among the first topics of discussion. The Court, however, has announced that the issue to be discussed will be whether a decision on the constitutionality of the law should be made now or delayed for the future. The Supreme Court may choose…
Read MoreFederal government allows state insurance authorities to choose their own insurance benefits packages
The federal government has released the benefits framework attached to the Affordable Care Act that will help shape the benefits millions of people will receive with their health insurance policies in the coming years. The government began working on the framework after states issued complaints about the health care law not being clear on how it would affect benefits. States have been vying for control of the matter, and now the federal government has agreed to allow state insurance regulators to decide the specifics of the benefits given to consumers.…
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