Healthcare Reform Begins with Reforming Minds

More than 150 officials from 44 states and the District of Columbia gathered this month to hold two-day meetings devoted to establishing Health Insurance Exchanges.

The Exchanges will serve as marketplaces where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for healthcare beginning in 2014.

The meetings between federal and state officials are designed to transition new healthcare laws into practice, even though the Exchanges are three years away yet.

Washington, D.C. and 48 states so far have applied for and received grants to begin conducting the research needed to build these Exchanges. The grants allow state officials the flexibility required to determine how the marketplaces will be operated and governed.

Certain states will soon begin developing information technology systems for the Exchanges.