RI submits health insurance exchange “blueprint”

The Ocean State has sent the federal government – ahead of schedule – what it’s calling a “blueprint” for the state’s health benefits exchange. The blueprint is a collection of draft documents, the exchange’s creators say, that reflect the state’s best thinking to-date on how the exchange should work. Its submission is a key milestone for states developing their own exchanges.

The exchange, a key part of the Affordable Care Act, will be an online portal for all Rhode Islanders looking for a health insurance plan. It will be the place where Rhode Islanders who can’t afford health insurance will find not only a plan but access to a government subsidy to help pay for it.

And, of course, there’s more to it than that. See my earlier post about the exchange here. But also, see this Blueprint Executive Summary, released yesterday by the exchange’s advisory board. It’s got a great description of what they’ve submitted to the federal government so far, what the exchange will be designed to do, and how it will affect you (as well as how you can participate by providing input).