Health Care Law Blog
Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services ("DHHS") extended important deadlines related to those states desiring to establish State-Based Insurance Exchanges or State Partnership Exchanges for 2014. Specifically, Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of DHHS, advised governors that DHHS had extended certain deadlines related to the submission of Declaration Letters and Blueprints, stating that DHHS is committed to providing states with flexibility for building a marketplace that meet each state's needs.
For those states desiring to build a State-Based Exchange for 2014, such states must still submit their Declaration Letters to DHHS by November 16, 2012. However, DHHS has extended the submission deadline for State-Based Exchange Blueprints until December 14, 2012. DHHS will then approve or conditionally approve the State-Based Exchanges for 2014 on or before January 1, 2013. States pursuing a State Partnership Exchange for 2014 have until February 15, 2013 to submit their Declaration Letters and Blueprint Applications.
Before President Obama was reelected, only 16 states had taken official steps to establish Exchanges. However, it is believed that President Obama's reelection and these deadline extensions will generate more Exchange applications from other states.
