On July 11 when Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, announced rules for the new state health insurance exchanges, she did so with an air of caution, telling stakeholders to expect more modifications before they become final. That may prove to be an understatement.
As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the draft proposals of the state exchanges, which are designed to be virtual marketplaces used to buy and sell insurance in each state, set standards for establishing exchanges and offer states guidance on what states should consider the exchanges’ basic functions, how to certify health plans for participation, and how to control premiums.
