States Receive $241 Million in “Early Innovator” Health Insurance Exchange Grants - February 24, 2011

On Feb. 16, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it was awarding a total $241 million to states for the design and implementation of information technology to operate Health Insurance Exchanges. The states were selected based on their demonstration as leaders in development of such exchanges, which are to be operational by 2014, as required by the Affordable Care Act. The states are Kansas, Maryland, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Wisconsin, and a multi-state consortium of New England states. HHS anticipates that by granting early funding to these states, they will develop helpful models that may be replicated in other states in the years ahead. A fact sheet on the grants, including specific information on the seven programs awarded, is available online.