Summary:
Current Status in Establishing Exchange:
Declared State-based Exchange.
Decision Process:
Regular legislative process.
Exchange Funding:
· Three federal grants have been given the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: Exchange Planning grant of $1 million; an Early Innovator grant of $6.2 million to develop an exchange IT infrastructure that could be replicated by other states, a Level One Establishment grant of $27 million to conduct data and policy analysis that will inform the technical and operational infrastructure of the Maryland Health Connection and enable rapid implementation of the IT platform; and a Level Two Establishment Grant of $123 million to support continued policy development and consumer outreach, assistance, and education.
· Along with other states, Maryland is also receiving technical assistance from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through the State Health Reform Assistance network; this assistance includes help with setting up health insurance exchanges, expanding Medicaid to newly eligible populations, streamlining eligibility and enrollment systems, instituting insurance market reforms and using data to drive decisions.
Benchmark Plan:
· State Employee Plan
· EHB Benchmark Plan: Maryland State Employee Plan (preliminary recommendation)
Additional Information:
- A nine-member board governs and advises on the Maryland Health Connection. Current appointed Board members are:
o Darrell Gaskin (Vice Chair), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
o Kenneth Apfel, University of Maryland, School of Public Policy
o Georges Benjamin, American Public Health Association
o Jennifer Goldberg, Maryland Legal Aid Bureau
o Enrique Martinez-Vidal, AcademyHealth and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
o Thomas Saquella, Maryland Retailers Association
- The 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.
- The Maryland State House approved funding for the marketplace exchange at the end of March, 2013.
- Outreach began in the summer of 2012 and will continue into 2013.
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