HHS approves joint state-federal health exchange for Illinois
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The U.S. Health and Human Services Department on Wednesday granted conditional approval to Illinois' application to establish a health insurance exchange run jointly by the state and federal governments.
Authorized under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Illinois' partnership exchange will be fully operational in time for the 2013 open enrollment period beginning in October, according to a joint statement from HHS and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn released Wednesday.
“Hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois will gain quality health coverage through the (exchange),” Gov. Quinn said in the statement. “We are going to be working very hard between now and Oct. 1 to educate the people of our state about the health care coverage options they will have through the Marketplace, thanks to President Obama's leadership.”
States have the option under the health care reform law of establishing a public health insurance exchange independently or through a partnership arrangement with HHS. The federal government will establish exchanges in states that decline both options.
Under the partnership model, states are only responsible for certain operations including plan management and consumer assistance, as well as tailoring the exchange and its available coverages according to local consumer needs and market conditions.
Illinois is the third state to be approved for a partnership exchange, joining Arkansas and Delaware. North Carolina had previously expressed interest in establishing a partnership exchange, but announced Tuesday that it has elected not to pursue such an arrangement.
Additionally, HHS has tentatively approved independent insurance exchanges in 17 states and the District of Columbia.
States have until Feb. 15 to notify HHS if they want to set up a partnership exchange.
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