California Health Benefit Exchange Receives $39 Million Federal Grant September 5, 2011 Advocacy, CMA, Health Care Reform access to care, California Health Benefit Exchange, health exchange, Health insurance exchange 0 California’s new health insurance exchange—the California Health Benefit Exchange—recently received a $39 million federal grant will help the state plan for and design a new health insurance marketplace to cover millions of Californians. California was the first state to create a health insurance exchange following the passage of federal health care reform. It is charged with creating a new insurance marketplace from which individuals and small businesses will be able to purchase competitively priced health plans using federal tax subsidies and credits beginning in 2014. The exchange is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the Governor and Legislature. The California Health and Human Services Secretary (currently Diana Dooley) serves as an ex officio voting member and is its current chair. SFMS/CMA continues to work with stakeholders to make sure that there is a broad choice of health plans and physicians participating in the exchange. To ensure appropriate access to care, we are advocating that the rates be risk-adjusted and adequate to cover the costs of providing care. We are also weighing-in on the medically necessary services that must be included in the essential benefits package. Comments are closed.
