Health Insurance Exchange
Governor Quinn’s Insurance Exchange Document/Comments:
This request for comment relates to the option to establish an “American Health Benefits Exchange” (“Exchange”) in Illinois, and the accompanying considerations for the State to ensure the success and sustainability of that endeavor. An exchange establishes a new marketplace for individuals and small businessesto be able to purchase health insurance or access public benefits. To ensure an open and inclusive process, the Council hereby requests public comments where federal law allows states flexibility related to the implementation of the new law.
Key Issues for Public Comment: Health Insurance Reform and the Option of Establishing an Insurance Exchange in Illinois
Articles and Information on Insurance Exchanges:
The following documents offer information on insurance exchanges, covering a wide array of topics.
Answers to Common Questions Consumers Face
Common questions that consumers face regarding the Competitive Healthcare Marketplace (formerly called the insurance exchange) and its implementation in Illinois.
Q&A on the Competitive Healthcare Marketplace (pdf)
Contrasting Legislation in Illinois
The Affordable Care Act calls on Illinois to create a health insurance exchange by 2014. An exchange is a competitive health insurance marketplace accessed through a user-friendly website. It provides easy-to-understand information that lets us compare plans to find the one that best fits our needs and budget. This document details St. Senator Kochler’s bill vs. St. Senator Haine/St. Rep Mautino’s bill.
Competitive Healthcare Marketplace Plan: Contrasting Legislation
Legislation Status of Each State
An analysis of which states have legislation on establishment, legislation on intent to create exchange/study panel, or no legislation at all.
Analysis of State Health Insurance Exchange Legislation: Establishment and Governance Issues (pdf)
A spreadsheet detailing the bill number, purpose, sponsor, and status of each state’s legislation on health insurance exchanges.
2011 State Legislation on Health Insurance Exchanges (pdf)
Key Policy Issues
Health insurance exchanges are the centerpiece of the private health insurance reforms of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA). If they function as planned, these exchanges will expand health insurance coverage, improve the quality of such coverage and perhaps of health care itself, and reduce costs. Previous attempts at creating health insurance exchanges, however, produced only mixed results. This report identifies the earlier attempts’ problems, enumerates the key issues that are critical for overcoming those problems, analyzes in detail the ACA’s provisions addressing these issues, and discusses further policy options.
Health Insurance Exchanges and the Affordable Care Act: Key Policy Issues (pdf)
Eight Difficult Issues
This report focuses on eight of the most difficult issues that the states and the federal government face in implementing the exchanges. The report also examines how the ACA handles those issues, and makes concrete recommendations as to how those issues should be addressed.
Health Insurance Exchanges and the Affordable Care Act: Eight Difficult Issues (pdf)
Responding to the HHS Request for Comments
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (OCIIO) recently released a notice in the Federal Register requesting public comments on the Exchange-related provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Checklist for Consumer Engagement
The inclusion of the consumer voice in the design and implementation of the state insurance Exchanges is crucial to ensuring that they meet the needs of individuals and families seeking affordable and adequate choices of coverage. This document provides questions that consumers ought to ask of their state.
What to Consider When Implementing an Exchange
A powerpoint presentation from Community Catalyst providing information about insurance exchanges and answers to frequent questions.
Powerpoint: Considerations for Implementing an Exchange (pdf)
This guide describes the requirements in the Affordable Care Act that all the new exchanges must meet. It then outlines activities and choices that states face as they begin to design their new health insurance exchanges, along with various issues that
consumer advocates should consider as their states address them.
Implementing Health Insurance Exchanges: A Guide to State Activities and Choices (pdf)
A powerpoint presentation by Nancy Turnball, board member of Massachusetts Health Insurance Connector detailing the eight key issues for advocates regarding exchanges.
Powerpoint: Eight Key Issues for Advocates Regarding Exchanges (pdf)
