Utah Expands Insurance Exchange

September 2, 2010: The full launch of Utah’s virtual health insurance marketplace—the Utah Health Exchange—began yesterday, following a one-year limited pilot during which the exchange was open only to individuals and some small businesses.  Now, individuals and all small businesses with two to 50 employees can visit www.exchange.utah.gov to compare and purchase any of approximately 60 health plans from four insurance carriers.

Utah is currently the only state besides Massachusetts to operate an insurance exchange.  However, the recently-passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) calls for the creation of exchanges throughout the country, so the performance of Utah’s exchange is being closely observed by other states. 

The Utah Health Exchange is not yet in compliance with the future requirements of PPACA, but the state has applied for a federal “exchange planning grant” to assist its efforts to bring the exchange into compliance, thereby avoiding the imposition of a federally-run exchange.  Additionally, the state intends to submit a list of recommendations to federal regulators based on its experience with the exchange to date.

As states consider their analytic and data needs with respect to implementing the various provisions of PPACA, SHADAC is a resource for technical assistance.  Contact us at shadac@umn.edu.