August 15, 2011

STATE RECEIVES $6.7 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT TO CREATE HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGE

Program Will Offer Coverage to Individuals, Small Businesses by 2014

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman today announced that the state has secured a $6.7 million federal grant to help create the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange, which by 2014 will offer individuals and small businesses a variety of coverage options.

The exchange - a component of the federal Affordable Care Act - will offer a choice of health plans and the tools to compare those plans. The grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides funding to develop the Exchange's administrative structure, business operations and consumer support functions.

"This award acknowledges the progress Connecticut is making in creating an Exchange that will expand access to affordable, high quality health care coverage while also making insurance companies more accountable," Wyman said.

Lt. Governor Wyman is Chair of the Exchange, and her office will play a key role in its development. She also will oversee implementation of federal health reform through the Office of Health Reform & Innovation, headed by Jeannette DeJesús, Special Advisor to the Governor on Health Reform.

"The exchange is a foundation of our broader vision for health reform and our strategy to improve residents' health, increase access to care, and reduce costs," DeJesús said.

Exchanges will ensure that participating health plans meet certain standards and facilitate competition and choices by rating the quality of each plan. Individuals and families buying coverage through exchanges may qualify for premium tax credits. The exchanges also will coordinate eligibility and enrollment with state Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs.

The Connecticut Health Care Exchange - a quasi-public agency overseen by a board of 14 members - will hold its first meeting on Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

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For Immediate Release: August 15, 2011

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