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U.S. hopes states to move soon on insurance exchanges
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this month proposed the first wave of regulations for health insurance exchanges. The proposal offered states hybrid solution of collaborating with the HHS in setting up these insurance marketplaces as an alternative to entirely doing it themselves or leaving the responsibility to the federal government. So far just over a third of U.S. states have enacted legislation or made other steps toward establishing an exchange. Legislation is pending in three other states and the District of Columbia. The first wave of federal guidelines gave states great flexibility in setting up the exchanges' infrastructure and the deadlines to do so. It also created incentives for insurance companies to enroll patients with chronic conditions. But a number of crucial elements remain unaddressed, including enrollment and eligibility requirements and the essential benefits that plans would have to provide. A U.S. health official overseeing the new insurance exchanges program said he expects recently released regulatory guidelines to spur activity in the states this summer.
Source:Yahoo News