• The Virginia State Department of Medical Assistance Services received a federal Exchange Planning grant of $1 million in September 2010.

• The state planned to submit a Level One Establishment grant application in June 2012, but the Governor announced in a letter to the Legislature in July that he decided not to submit the application.

• Virginia, along with nine other states, is receiving technical assistance from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through the State Health Reform Assistance Network; this assistance includes help with setting up health insurance exchanges, expanding Medicaid to newly eligible populations, streamlining eligibility and enrollment systems, instituting insurance market reforms and using data to drive decisions.

• Initially, Virginia had intended to pursue a state-based exchange with the passage of HB 2434 based on a recommendation by the Virginia Health Reform Initiative Advisory Council. Leading up to the Supreme Court's decision on the ACA, the state backed off its planning efforts and legislative efforts to continuing pursuing a state-based exchange were unsuccessful.

• The federal government will assume full responsibility for running a health insurance exchange in Virginia beginning in 2014, unless the state decides to operate either a state-based exchange or state-federal partnership exchange. If Virginia opts for a state-based exchange, it must submit an exchange blueprint consisting of a declaration letter signed by the Governor and an application to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by December 14, 2012. If, instead, the state opts for a partnership exchange, it must submit a blueprint by February 15, 2013.

For More Information:

• http://www.hhr.virginia.gov/Initiatives/HealthReform/index.cfm