Feds give New York $185.8 million for health-insurance exchange

The federal government has earmarked more money for New York to use as it puts its State Health Benefit Exchange in place.

New York will receive a $185.8 million Level Two Exchange Establishment grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said yesterday. The state has now landed nearly $370 million in federal funds toward its exchange.

It is one of five states tabbed for the level two grants. In New York, the grant money is set to fund an information-technology system that will allow residents to enroll in health insurance online. It will also go toward accounting systems, monitoring systems, and marketing. And it is slated to help set up a customer-service center, train in-person assistors, and cover other staffing requirements.

“The creation of an easy-to-use health exchange is an important step to reduce the number of uninsured New Yorkers and make health insurance more affordable for individuals, families, and small businesses,” Cuomo said in a news release. “This latest grant is a reflection of New York’s leadership in creating an effective exchange and will help us to build on the progress we have already achieved.”

Cuomo issued an executive order in April of 2012 that mandated the exchange. The state estimates 615,000 individuals and 450,000 small-business employees will use it to find health insurance once it is fully in place.

Open enrollment on the exchange is scheduled to begin Oct. 1 of this year. Coverage obtained through the exchange is slated to start Jan. 1, 2014.

Contact Seltzer at rseltzer@cnybj.com