Implementing Insurance Exchanges: The Pioneering States
<p>California, Colorado, and Maryland were among the first states to enact legislation establishing the health insurance exchanges called for in the Affordable Care Act. In a new <a href="/publications/issue-briefs/2012/jul/establishing-health-insurance-exchanges-three-states-progress">Commonwealth Fund issue brief,</a> Mark Hall and Katharine Swartz examine the divergent paths taken by these pioneering states. <br /><br />
The authors explore differences regarding: </p>
<ul>
<li>the individuals appointed to the boards governing the exchange;</li>
<li>the role of the board relative to the legislature;</li>
<li>the interaction of exchanges with existing insurance markets;</li>
<li>the role of stakeholders;</li>
<li>the number of people expected to purchase coverage in each state's exchange. </li>
</ul>
<p>Read the issue brief to learn about the reasons behind the policy choices made by each state and the important decisions—how to finance the exchanges, how to risk-adjust payments to insurers, and how to prevent gaps in coverage for people with changing income—that lie ahead. </p>