Oregon Affordable Insurance Exchange Grants Awards List
Oregon has received four grant awards to build its Affordable Insurance Exchange. This includes a Planning Grant, an Early Innovator Grant, and two Level One Establishment Grants.
Summaries of Oregon’s applications for each grant are provided below:
Establishment Grant Level One Application Summary
Administrator: Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Corp
Award Amount: $8,969,600; $6,682,701
Award Date: August 12, 2011; May 16, 2012
Application Due Date: June 30, 2011; March 30, 2012
Level of Funding: Level One
Summary: The Health Insurance Exchange builds on Oregon’s past and current health reform efforts. Oregon has been studying an Exchange model for several years and is an Early Innovator IT grantee. This Establishment grant will support the state’s continued progress toward Exchange implementation. Funding will support the final design and initial implementation of the Exchange’s business and operations plan. To bring the business and operations plan to life, Oregon will use funding to: hire an Executive Director and key staff; build a financial management plan and structures; finalize waste , fraud, and abuse plans; appoint a Board of Directors to provide oversight and management; finalize interagency agreements with relevant agencies; develop transition plans for state programs and their enrollees; consult with stakeholders; determine whether additional risk mediation activities are required; finalize protocols and payment rules for producers and Navigators; develop marketing and communications strategies; begin evaluation activities; and create a detailed business plan in preparation for the February 2012 Legislative Session.
Oregon established an Exchange during the 2011 legislative session and appointed a nine-member Board responsible for the Exchange. Oregon’s second Level One Establishment grant will allow the Exchange to meet several new milestones and prepare for full federal certification in 2013. Specifically, the additional funds will supplement the Business Operations Core Area by allowing for the hire of additional staff, engage in a competitive solicitation to select a local vendor to design the individual and SHOP IT user interface, and pay for other administrative costs.
Early Innovator Grant
Grantee: Oregon Health Authority
Award Amount: $48,096,307
Oregon is using commercially available, off-the-shelf software to create the Exchange. The Exchange Early Information Technology Innovation Grant will help Oregon create a modular, reusable IT solution that will provide the Exchange’s customers with seamless access to information, financial assistance and easy health insurance enrollment, with no gaps in coverage or assistance cliffs for anyone up to 400% of the federal poverty level. The OHA estimates that 516,000 Medicaid clients and 277,000 commercial insurance consumers will use the Health Insurance Exchange to shop for and enroll in health coverage.
State Planning Grant
Awarded September 30, 2010
Administrator: Office for Oregon Health Policy & Research
Amount Awarded: $1,000,000
- Study the feasibility of a public corporation Exchange model, including:
- Using a public comment web-portal and soliciting feedback.
- Guidance from technical assistance work group and consumer advisory group.
- Partnering with nearby States for joint purchasing.
- Create a final operational and technical infrastructure plan.