Summary:
Current Status in Establishing Exchange:
Established State Exchange.
Decision Process:
Regular legislative process.
Exchange Funding:
- In 2010 the Governor received a federal Exchange Planning grant of $1 million.
- In February 2012 after the Committee accepted a revised Level One Establishment grant application and submitted to HHS for review the state received a Level One grant for $17.9 million to build the operational staff and consulting support necessary to progress on key design requirements of the Exchange. A second Level One grant was given to Colorado in September 2012 of $43.5 million to support technology development, specifically in order to meet deadlines for certification, testing, and deployment of systems and operations.
Benchmark Plan:
· Small Group Plan
· EHB Benchmark Plan: Kaiser Ded/Co HMO1200D
· Pediatric Dental Supplemental Plan: Colorado’s Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+)
Additional Information:
- State conducted an analysis of existing state benefit mandates, assessed benchmark plan options, held a public comment period, formed a workgroup on essential health benefits.
- Governor John Hickenlooper (D) signed SB 11-200 into law on June 1, 2011, establishing the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange.
- A 12-member board governs the Exchange. The board includes: 3 ex officio, non-voting members (or their designees): the Executive Director of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, the Insurance Commissioner, and the Director of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The Governor then appoints 5 voting members, but no more then 3 from the same political party. The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the house, and the Senate and House Minority Leaders each appoint one voting member to the Board. Majority of voting members are not directly affiliated with the insurance industry, voting board members cannot be state employees and no Board member can participate in Exchange activities in with they have a financial interest. Current voting members of Colorado’s Exchange Board of Directors are:
o Gretchen Hammer (Chair), Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved
o Richard Betts (Vice Chair), ASAP Accounting & Payroll Inc.
o Stephen ErkenBrack, Rocky Mountain Health Plans
o Dr. Michael Fallon, an emergency-room physician
o Eric Grossman, TriZetto
o Robert Ruiz-Moss, Anthem, Blue Cross and Blue Shield
o Arnold Salazar, Colorado Health Partnerships
o Elizabeth Soberg, UnitedHealthcare of Colorado
o Nathan Wilkes, Headstorms Inc.
- The legislature established the joint bipartisan Legislative Health Benefit Exchange Implementation Review Committee to report up to 5 bills or other measures each year to the legislative council related to planning and establishing the Exchanging. The Committee is comprised of 10 legislators and is also in charge of reviewing the financial and operational plans of the Exchange and grants for which the Board has applied
- The Exchange Board began meeting regularly in July 2011. The Board meeting consumer advocates have voiced concerns that a majority of the Board has close affiliations with the insurance industry, which would be a violation to the legislation establishing the Exchange, but nothing has been done.
For More Information:
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