State Resources

On March 20, 2013, Governor Mark Dayton signed exchange legislation into law. The legislation establishes the Minnesota exchange as an entity within the executive branch governed by a seven-member board.

In 2008, Oregon initiated a limited expansion of its Medicaid program for low-income adults through a lottery drawing of approximately 30,000 names from a waiting list of almost 90,000 persons. Selected adults won the opportunity to apply for Medicaid and to enroll if they met eligibility requirements. The researchers used the random assignment embedded in the Oregon Medicaid lottery to examine the effects of insurance coverage on health care use and health outcomes after approximately 2 years. They found that insurance led to increased access to and utilization of health care, substantial improvements in mental health, and reductions in financial strain.

Stemming from training at insurance departments in various State Network states, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute (Georgetown) has released updated form review checklists. These resources are designed to help insurance regulators effectively implement Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions, regulations, and other guidance by ensuring that insurance forms submitted by carriers meet all the ACA requirements.  They are in writable Microsoft Word document form, allowing insurance regulators to simply download and modify to their state’s specifications.

Vermont has released the preliminary rate filings for the qualified health plans (QHPs) to be sold on its health insurance exchange. This document details the proposed rates, which still need to be approved by the state.

 This bill modified Maryland state law to conform with consumer protection and insurance market reform provisions in the Affordable Care Act. 

This bill constitutes the last step in the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s three-year effort to use the tools of the Affordable Care Act to enhance Marylanders’ access to quality and affordable health care. The bill puts in place the remaining policies necessary for the State’s health benefit exchange to begin operations and expands Medicaid eligibility to ensure coverage for the State’s most financially vulnerable. 

This report provides updated estimates in light of Arkansas's recently proposed option for covering low-income adults through private health plans in the state insurance exchange. These estimates find that the private option can be fully funded with existing resources at the state level and would add less than 15% to federal health-care costs in Arkansas. In some realistic scenarios, there could be no additional federal costs at all.

On March 23, 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law. While the date for full implementation of most provisions of the law is January 1, 2014, the impact of the ACA can be seen over the past three years. The brief provides an overview of the ACA’s early impacts on private insurance and exchanges, Medicaid coverage, access to primary and preventive care, Medicare, and dually eligible beneficiaries.

Maryland Health Benefit Exchange has issued an RFP to procure a contact center, called the Consolidated Service Center (CSC) to support Maryland consumer inquiries for exchange services. The CSC will need to be easily accessible via toll free number and website with live agent support; utilize culturally and linguistically appropriate communication channels; provide safeguards to ensure customer privacy and data security; provide clear, accurate, responsive information tailored to meet Maryland consumer needs; and be fully compliant with American Disabilities Act requirements.