States remain unclear on insurance exchange options

A gathering of the 46 states that have received federal grants to develop insurance exchanges led to little clarity on the details of a federally run exchange or a hybrid state-federal model (Source: “States still unclear on health insurance exchanges,” Reuters, Sept. 20, 2011).

"I haven't learned anything new about what the federal exchange would look like," said one state insurance official who attended the meeting that was closed to reporters.

Last week the Health Policy Institute of Ohio released a policy brief: Federal rules for establishing health insurance exchanges (pdf, 12 pages). The brief outlines key choices Ohio will have to make on exchanges, what other states are doing, and summarizes the proposed rules on exchanges –- highlighting key issues and considerations regarding establishment of an Ohio exchange.