Members of the Exchanges Subgroup at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) will hold a conference call meeting at 1 p.m. EST Feb. 10.
The subgroup is helping the NAIC, Kansas City, Mo., implement provisions in the Affordable Care Act – the legislative package that includes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) – that encourage states to set up state-based health insurance exchange distribution systems by 2014.
PPACA opponents are fighting in court and in Congress to block implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
If the Affordable Care Act takes effect as written, the exchanges are supposed to help consumers and small groups buy subsidized health coverage packages from private employers. The packages are supposed to meet designated quality and benefits design standards, to help consumers make apples-to-apples comparison.
From January to August, the subgroup will developing white papers and issue briefs on the issues in which the PPACA exchange provisions give states flexibility, subgroup officials say.
Topics to be covered by the white papers and briefs could include governance, financing, adverse selection, regional exchanges, and mergers of individual and small group markets, officials say.
A brief also could cover the "navigator" system that is supposed to evolve to help consumers and business owners use the exchanges, and the role of insurance producers in the navigator system, officials say.
- Allison Bell
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